Nicholl’s men aim for first AIL win

City of Derry travel to Woodview Park, Limerick on Saturday for their fourth All Ireland League Division 2A fixture of the season (KO 2.30pm).
Mark Nicholl will be hoping his side can secure their first AIL win of the season in Limerick this weekend.Mark Nicholl will be hoping his side can secure their first AIL win of the season in Limerick this weekend.
Mark Nicholl will be hoping his side can secure their first AIL win of the season in Limerick this weekend.

The visitors will be hoping to kick start their AIL campaign following narrow defeats in their first three games and accumulating a loosing bonus point in each game for finishing within seven points of the opposition.

Derry also got a second bonus point in the last game against Old Wesley for scoring over four tries.

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This will be just the third competitive fixture between the two clubs in Divisions two each time.

The first time they played one another was in the season 2001/2002 and Derry won 17-6 at Judges Road.

It was one of only three victories for Derry that season as they were relegated to AIL Division 3.

The last time they played one another was in the season 2011/2012 down in Limerick and Derry came away with a 37-13 victory. Derry finished ninth in the league then and Thomond were relegated along with Clonakilty and Instonians.

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Thomond were promoted back up to AIL 2A last season after finishing third in the league behind Nenagh and Skerries and they had to defeat Highfield away in a playoff to secure their promotion place.

Thomond have had a good start to their current campaign beating Queens and Banbridge and only going down narrowly 8-6 to Nenagh.

The home side are lying joint second in the league four points behind leaders Old Wesley while Derry are second from bottom ahead to Dungannon.

The Limerick men will be difficult to overcome on Saturday especially as Thomond have recruited former Shannon and Young Munster forwards to beef up a pack that will scrimmage and maul all day.

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Thomond play in the housing estate that is Moyross where cats don’t even stray at night-time, it is an intimidating place to go at the best of times with legendary stories of how teams have been treated over the years when their ground was knows as the Killing Fields. Their most notable rugby son is Keith Earls of whom they are immensely proud.

The Judges Road men will travel to Munster with renewed confidence on the back of two fine victories against Ulster opposition from AIL Division 1B.

Mark Nicholl’s men defeated Ballymena in the Ulster League last Saturday week and then on Thursday night last they had a 17-7 win over Belfast Harlequins to progress to the Ulster Senior Cup semi-final.

City of Derry Coaches Mark Nicholl and Neil Beddow will have been pleased with the attitude and commitment from their charges with their defence rock solid, their backs were able to produce crucial scores before and after half time in each of their last two victories.

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Derry know what to expect from a typical Munster style pack but if they can move Thomond around the field they can be vulnerable when attacked in the wide channels.

The Judges Road out-fit carry a big strong pack to Limerick and with Bob McKillop back in the engine room they won’t lack leadership and physicality. Derry have a good record in Limerick over the years and a win on Saturday could be the start of a long climb up the AIL Division 2A table.

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