Galwegians and Corinthians swing into League action

Rob Murphy

THE upcoming AIL season will be dramatic for more reasons than one. The AIL is re-structuring with ten teams to make up Division 1a and 1b respectively and 16 in a new look Division 2a and 2b for 2011. That means all sorts of changes for promotion and relegationGalwegians and Buccaneers will compete in DIvision 1b again this year in what looks like been an incredibly difficult eight team league Clontarf and UL Bohs drop down to them, Bruff and Lansdowne (no less), are coming up. Every win will be precious.

The top two in 1b will be promoted to a new top tier, the third place side play off with bottom of 1a. So loads to play for. In terms of relegation, the good news is only the bottom side can go down and even then there is a play-off with the fifth placed side from Division 2.The season starts in Limerick for the Sky blues with a daunting trip to UL Bohemians while Buccaneers will be up against it at home to Lansdowne. First and foremost, however, the midlanders

must be just delighted to be still in the Division after the houndini act performed by team under the guidance of Dave Henshaw and Charlie Couper last year.

Corinthians had a great first season in Division 2 last time out. Mid table thanks in the main to a flying start which saw them take the scalp of Terenure, Bective and Old Crescent in their first four games.

Paul Flannagan and Sean Deignan are in charge this year and will be looking to build a team around the emerging talent at the club. The ambitious aim will be to secure a place in the top four and gain promotion to the new look ten-team Division 1b. It will take a huge commitment and some luck but it is a good goal to start with.

Joe Merrigan, Tom Tolan and Greg McGill are among the new faces, while Connacht squad members Shane Conneely and Eoin Griffin will be crucial to their campaign which starts at home to Ballynahinch on Saturday.

With no relegation from the AIL this year, the pressure is off Connemara from the outset after last season's lower half of the table finish in Division 3. The coaching team is shaping up to be a three man ticket of Gerry King Jimmy Screene and Mark FoyleThey’ll have guts of last year’s team which competed well and pulled clear of trouble in the middle of the season. But word on the ground is that they are hoping to build a young side this year, starting this Saturday at home to City Of Derry.

For more, read this week's Galway City Tribune.