Muldoon and Duffy return for away clash against Llanelli

IT could easily go unnoticed but there is a full programme of Rabo Direct Pro 12 fixtures kicking off on Friday, including Connacht’s trip to the Llanelli Scarlets at (7:30) in a game that won’t be televised and one which will get little attention.

The Pro 12 league has a problem at this time of year. Half the teams are already out of contention for the top four play offs and there is little else to capture the excitement. Even the motivation to go and see some international stars isn’t there over the next two months as they remain with their national teams.

Last season, Connacht finished their campaign strongly and seemed to take a lot from those fixtures but that didn’t carry over into the new season where home form dropped off and only one away win was secured at winless Zebre.

Connacht currently sit in 10th position in the table with the Dragons and Zebre well below and Edinburgh two points above them. They are seven points behind Treviso and eight points behind Cardiff. Seventh is the best they can hope for as the top six are a cut above – Munster, in sixth are 17 points ahead of the westerners.

If Connacht want to take something tangible from the rest of the campaign, they’ll need some ‘line in the sand’ type results in fixtures where they normally fail to deliver their best. Munster away in late March and Ulster at home in April are two such examples.

Outside of that, any away wins in this division are positive and they really can’t afford to add to their poor home record in this competition by letting the likes of Ospreys, Glasgow or Zebre sneak the points when the come to the Sportsground between now and the end of the season.

On Friday night, Gavin Duffy and John Muldoon are expected to make their return to the green jersey after long term injury lay offs. Both players are in the unusual position of not having a place open for them in the side with the form of Robbie Henshaw and Andrew Browne excellent in their absence, so there is work to be done.

Willie Faloon also returns as does Kyle Tonetti, so Eric Elwood’s options are getting better although George Naoupu remains a frustrating long term absentee and Dennis Buckley has picked up a knee injury and will miss Friday’s clash at Parc y Scarlets.

Over the next three weeks Connacht are away to the Scrarlets at home to the Ospreys and away again to Cardiff. Three wins would make headlines and lift spirits but the odds on such a run in this league by a Connacht side are long even allowing for the absence of international stars.

GALWEGIANSThere is one outstanding All-Ireland League game taking place this weekend with Galwegians traveling to Limerick to take on Old Crescent in their re-fixed encounter and needing the maximum return to keep themselves in with an outside chance of securing promotion.

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