Anderson Cup (provincal 3rds)

[rugby678]

Discuss!!

[groundhog]

North Meath's 1st team are partcipating so I'd imagine they'd be warm favs.

[notalot]

How come a team playing (and not doing to badly) at more or less J1 level
is allowed play in a J3 cup,When the other sides in they're division
that don't play Towns Cup play 2nds Cup,(Birr, Balbriggan etc)
Seems a bit strange.

[Dublinner]

How come a team playing (and not doing to badly) at more or less J1 level
is allowed play in a J3 cup,When the other sides in they're division
that don't play Towns Cup play 2nds Cup,(Birr, Balbriggan etc)
Seems a bit strange.

Agree. It is unfair to all genuine J3 sides and it is disincentive to other clubs to put out a J3 side for the cup. North Meath should be in the seconds cup not the thirds cup. Great to see a new club doing well but they would be very capabable of competing and doing winning in the seconds cup.

[8M LEINSTAW]

I remember teams like Athboy and Ardee always did well in the Anderson Cup. I lost an Anderson final to a huge Ardee team more years ago than I care to remember (tries were 4 points). They play area local league competitions but not Leinster league. Then they play in the Anderson Cup when these finish up. A little unusual but so long as rugby is being played and enjoyed I've no problem with that & it's great that they have minis and youths sections.

[ruckin_hooker]

I wouldnt worry so much about this for two reasons.

1. enniscorthy have this one in the bag.
2. enniscorthy have this on in the bag

sorry thats just one reason...my bad

[rugbymadman]

This cup is starting to hot up now. Quarter Final Pairings are

(Enniscorthy/ Ardee) vs Naas
Cill Dara vs Navan
Tullamore vs Carlow
Birr vs (Portlaoise/ North Meath)

Portlaoise vs north meath this weekend should be a cracker. The winners will probably be the favourites for the cup.

[rugbymadman]

I see North Meath had a very good victory over the weekend againsta very goods Portlaoise side. They really look like the team to beat now!

@ ruckin hooker I see your predictions were fairly off the mark (both of them)

[rugbymadman]

I'm going to stick my neck out and make my Quarter final predictions

Ardee vs Naas Naas by 7
Cill Dara vs Navan Navan by 10
Tullamore vs Carlow A close one but Tullamore to shade it
Birr vs North Meath North Meath by 15

[notalot]

Seeing as Carlow have already beaten Tullamore twice in the League surely they would have to be favourites for that one.
And Navan have only been beaten once in compeditive games all year(by Athboy in the North East League Final) reckon they should be good
for more than 10 point win.

[rugbymadman]

Seeing as Carlow have already beaten Tullamore twice in the League surely they would have to be favourites for that one.
And Navan have only been beaten once in compeditive games all year(by Athboy in the North East League Final) reckon they should be good
for more than 10 point win.

It is true that Carlow beat them in the league but Tullamore have a few additions to that team and i reckon they should be able to take it.
Navan probably are more than 10 points better than Cill Dara but its a cup and I reckon it'll be close enough.

[notalot]

see north meath made it to the final.
still reckon its a farce letting a J1 league team into
a J3 cup, kinda devalues the cup if you ask me!

[rugbymadman]

I see that as mentioned here before the J1 team did manage to win the J3 cup. Tough test for them!

[groundhog]

An Anderson Cup victory will do a lot more for a new Club like North Meath than a tonking in the Town Cup or a losing to a J2 side in the 2nds PTC. Well done to them and that was more or less Naas's J1 team as they don't field at J2 and their J1s struggled to field this year.

[rugby678]

An Anderson Cup victory will do a lot more for a new Club like North Meath than a tonking in the Town Cup or a losing to a J2 side in the 2nds PTC. Well done to them and that was more or less Naas's J1 team as they don't field at J2 and their J1s struggled to field this year.

Does'nt do much for the devlopment of J3 sides or indeed the few J3 clubs that are out there getting beaten by a side from playing its league rugby at a higher level!

[zinzan99]

That was a naas J3 side that played J3 rugby all year. They were involved in the J3 Metro League and were well beaten by Wesley and De La Salle in that competition. They are a J3 side, North Meath are not, simple as. Saying that, i saw the game and it was an evenly matched contest. North Meath took their chances, Naas didnt. Fair play to them.

[rugby678]

Starts this weekend any thoughts?

[rugbymadman]

Always hard to tell at this level but Portlaoise have played well in their league this year and would have to be one of the teams to beat. Along with Naas and Tullamore.

[rugby678]

1/4 Final Lineup

Athboy v Tullamore
Enniscorthy v Gorey
Wicklow v Balbriggan
Portlaoise v Naas

[Oldschool]

Seems to be some controversy this year over the semi final match between Tullow and Clondalkin.
Tullow were at home and won 26 - 20, but were disqualified after an objection by Clondalkin, regarding player eligibility.
Tullow are not happy and say that Clondalkin should have accepted their offer of a replay as they were guilty of a minor offense.
Question is however, if the offense was "minor", why did the branch give them the thumbs down and instead just order a replay?
Draw your own conclusions Tullow!