Six games, all at 10:30 on Sunday. Here are the previews:
Marley Park, 10:30
A tough opener for BSJ at home against a side who were one of the stories of last year's championship, winning promotion to SHC1. The Isles will be without Ollie Gaffney on county duty but they have enough about them to be competitive regardless. BSJ have good young players coming through and will want to make home advantage count, but the Isles should have too much on the day.
ResDubs Tip - Despite ranking them 2 and 9th, i'm not sure there will be much in this a couple of scores either way? draw?
Sancta Maria, 10:30
One of the more intriguing games of the round. Boden Bs reached the SHC2 final last year and will have a point to prove after the relegation from AHL1, while Commercials arrive with serious momentum off the back of winning the PIHC. Neither side will want to drop points this early. Boden Bs at home gives them an edge, but Commercials are no pushover and this could go either way.
ResDubs Tip - Another interesting one - Commercials by 4
St Annes Park, 10:30
Two of the more established AHL2 sides going head to head in what should be a competitive enough game. Davis finished above Clontarf in the league last year and had a tighter championship, but Clontarf at home is always a different proposition. A decent barometer of where both clubs are heading into the new season.
ResDubs Tip - TD by 3
Lawless Park, 10:30
On paper this looks like one of the more evenly matched games of the round, two sides who will both be looking nervously at the relegation places this year. Fingallians will be without Darragh Power which is a real blow, while Mearnog showed in the championship they can cause problems for good teams. Could go either way, and both sides will know how important an early win would be.
ResDubs Tip - Draw
Martin Savage Park, 10:30
OPER come down from AHL1 looking to regroup, and while the potential return of Cian Boland from Australia is an exciting prospect, this is a tough opening fixture against our top ranked side. Raheny with Liam Dunne back and firing will be a real handful for anyone in this division. OPER have good players and will be determined to show they belong, but Raheny should have enough to take this one.
ResDubs Tip - Raheny by 4
Broomfield, 10:30
A fascinating first outing for Naomh Olaf at this level, coming up against a Syls side who will be hurting after losing the PIHC final to Commercials. Syls at home will be determined to get off to a winning start and make a statement. Olaf weren't far off in the PIHC semi-final against Syls in the championship, so they'll know what to expect, but Syls should edge this one.
ResDubs Tip - Syls by 4
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Ballinteer St Johns 2-19 v Erins Isle 2-12
Very convincing win for BSJ, considering the teams were only separated by 1 place last year. Isles possibly missing more than Gaffney and Donohoe?
In Marlay Park, Ballinteer St John’s got the better of Erin’s Isle by 2-19 to 2-12 with Dublin Under 20 panellists Tommy Cullen and Conor Quinn sharing seven points over the hour.
The experience of Jack Gilligan, starting his 21st season for St John’s, was evident throughout as the hosts confirmed their victory through a brace of points from centre-back Brian Cahill.
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Ballyboden St Endas Bs: 0-08 v Commercials: 2-16
The Boden Bs poor league form continues, they had a great run in SHC2 last year getting to the final, where they lost on pemos to Faughs, had expected them to be better then this showing.
Having said that Commercials are a team on the up, with several promotions over the last few years, and Premier Intermediate Champions. I wondered if they'd start to find their ceiling this year, but it's not here, not yet, anyway.
DCB Report says:
In AHL2, Commercials made a winning start following promotion last year as they comfortably defeated Ballyboden St Enda’s by 2-16 to 0-8 at Sancta Maria.
The visitors made light of the absence of talented trio Diarmaid Ó Dúlaing, Daniel O’Kelly and Adam Drewett from their attack with Jack O’Keeffe stepping up with 2-3 from play.
Dean Simpson was another to thrive with his ten points shared evenly between frees and open play as the Rathcoole outfit controlled matters through the influence of Rhys Butler at midfield and centre-back Callum Morris.
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Clontarf 1-22 - Thomas Davis 2-19
Sounds like a cracker i had ranked these 5th and 6th (or the AI had anyways) so not surprised it was close, i had given TD the edge as they finished 2 places higher last year.
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Fingallians 3-20 - Naomh Mearnog 2-09
Big old win for Fingallians, after a tough old year last year, they finished above their opponents here, but Mearnog had got to the quarterfinals of the SHC2, so i thought this one would be close, but well beaten in the end.
There was another straightforward success at Lawless Park as Fingallians accounted for Naomh Mearnóg by 3-20 to 2-9.
Their inside-forward line wreaked havoc all morning with Oisin Johnson (1-8) and Aron Gargan (1-3) to the fore while 1-2 from Mick Rock was just reward for the influence that he exerted from centre-forward.
The likes of Harry Brogan, Conal Shaw and Eoin O’Connor all added scores as the contest evolved with centrefield pairing Dan King and Lachlan Hayward (making his first adult start) dominating around the middle third.
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St Oliver Plunkett's ER 1-21 v Raheny 2-16
Not sure why the AI had Rahney as such firm favourites in the power ranking, but this was a very good result for OPER, who had a tough AHL1 last year and just avoided relegation from SHC1 as well - heard Cian Boland is back from Oz and helped sway the result.
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St Sylvesters 1-24 - Naomh Olaf 2-21
Bit of revenge for last year's Premier Intermediate Semi-Final here for Olafs. Had expected Syls to win this one by a few as they had a strong league and championship last year. Great win for Olafs after promotion.
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