Ballynahinch and City of Armagh clash in Ulster derby on opening day of AIL Division 1A
Ballynahinch host City of Armagh in a big Ulster derby on the opening day in Division 1A of the All Ireland League.
Both sides will be looking to improve on last season’s final league positions with Hinch finishing fifth, 13 points off the playoffs, while Armagh avoided the relegation dogfight.
Despite their eighth-placed finished, Armagh coach Chris Parker was happy that his side consolidated their position in the topflight.
“I think it hadn’t been done since 2017 where the team that had come up managed to stay up,” he said. “When we spoke after the Cork Con game at the end of the year, we said success can be measured in a lot of ways.
“A successful season last season was probably maintaining our place in 1A; that wouldn’t be seen as successful this year but to retain our place in retrospect was seen as a successful season.
“It was a pretty big learning curve and we had to learn very quicky, and what we learned very quickly was that every point was going to matter.
“We had seven losing bonus points last year and in the end that was what saved us. We have learned that we need to try and convert those losing bonus points to wins this year if we want to push our way up the table.
“That has certainly been the focus with the way we have come to training through pre-season, making sure we have an edge and trying to be more clinical than we were last year.
“The athletic profile of teams changed a lot from 1B to 1A and that was probably the big thing we had to try to adapt to as quickly as possible.”
Hinch and Armagh met three times last season with the Co Down side winning on each occasion.
Parker added: “It doesn’t get any bigger in Ulster and I’m sure it is the same in the other provinces, your local derbies are the be-all and end-all.
“It’s a great way to start the year and with the weather being good hopefully get a big crowd out as well.
“They were better than us last season and hats off to them. Regarding that, we have a job on our hands to be able to go there and produce a performance that may be capable of getting a victory.”
Ulster prop Callum Reid and Ireland U20 centre Sam Berman make their Armagh debuts. Shea O’Brien, Evan Crummie, Lewis Finlay, Josh McKinley and Nigel Simpson are all fit.
Hinch have Ulster centre Ben Moxham, winger Ethan Graham and prop Tom McAllister available.
After three consecutive promotions Instonians start their Division 2A campaign away at Buccaneers.
David Whitten captains the side from No8 while brother Ian is in the centre. Josh Eagleson gets the nod at out-half.
There is also an Ulster derby in 2B as Malone host Clogher Valley at Gibson Park.
Malone were relegated last season but enjoyed a good Ulster League win at Ballynahinch, while Clogher were promoted.
Dungannon will look to build on their impressive Ulster league form as they welcome Malahide to Stevenson Park.
Rainey give a debut to former Brumbies out-half Jack Hardy as they visited Wanderers.
Ballyclare play their first ever AIL game as they travel to Tullamore in Division 2C.
After being relegated last season, Belfast Harlequins start life in the fifth tier with a trip to Enniscorthy while Omagh host Clonmel.