Charity Cup set to kick-off club season

THE Limerick Charity Cup is due to commence next week with holders Young Munster set to begin the defence of their title at home to Nenagh Ormond.
Munsters, who are preparing for their return to Division 1A of the All-Ireland League, emerged victorious after the 85th staging of the Limerick Charity Cup last September thanks to a dramatic 11-10 victory over UL-Bohemian at Thomond Park.
A late penalty goal from the boot of out-half Alan Kingsley edged Munsters to victory at the start of a hugely successful season which also saw the Clifford Park side secure ODM Munster Senior Cup success as well as promotion to Division 1A of the league.
Young Munsters Charity Cup quarter-final tie with Nenagh Ormond is pencilled in for Tom Clifford Park on Friday, August 26.
AIL Division 2 side Thomond travel to Kilballyowen Park to face Bruff in the first of the quarter-final fixtures, provisionally scheduled to take place on Thursday, August 26.
Shannon, beaten by Young Munster at the semi-final stage of last season’s competition, make the trip across the city to face Old Crescent in the third of the quarter-finals on Friday, August 27.
Nine-time AIL winners Shannon will be anxious to make a winning start to the season having agonisingly missed out on securing a place in the AIL semi-final play-offs at the end of the regular season.
Opponents Old Crescent showed admirable grit to retain their AIL Division 2 status and the Rosbrien side will be determined to get off to a fast start in the early season competition. The last quarter-final takes place on Wednesday, September 1 when Garryowen host UL Bohs.
The semi-final draw pits the winners’ of the Young Munster/Nenagh Ormond game against the winners of the Garryowen/UL Bohs quarter-final clash.
In the second semi-final, the winners of the Old Crescent/Shannon last eight match take on the winners of the Bruff/Thomond clash.
The semi-finals are due to take place on the weekend of September 4 with the final scheduled to take place a week later.
Meanwhile two all-Limerick ties are among the highlights of the first round draw for the ODM Financial Munster Senior Cup.
Holders Young Munster have been drawn away to city rivals UL-Bohemian, while Bruff host Shannon at Kilballyowen on the weekend of September 25.
Elsewhere, Old Crescent will enjoy home advantage foe their first round clash with Cork’s Midleton while Garryowen travel to Leeside to take on last season’s beaten finalists.
Limerick’s remaining representatives in the cup, Thomond, also face a trip to Cork, this time to face Highfield.
The quarter-finals of the ODM Financial Munster Senior Cup take place on the weekend of November 6, while the semi-finals are due to be played two weeks later.
The final is scheduled to take place on December 19.

Colm Kinsella