Naas opportunity to boost play-off push
Ian O'reilly stops Highfield in their tracks during Boyne's last outing in the All-ireland League before Christmas. Picture: Colin Bell
BOYNE continue their pursuit of a place in the All-ireland League Division 2B semi-finals when they travel to face struggling Naas at Forenaughts on Saturday (2.30pm).
This is the first outing for the Drogheda club since December 10th when they drew 19-19 at home to Highfield - the game in which Boyne number 8 Eoin Collins was blinded in one eye following an incident in stoppage time.
Coach Craig Mcgrath is hoping that his players can focus on the task in hand - although some scrappy play can be anticipated as both sides find their feet again after seven weeks without a game.
'The break has given a couple of guys who had niggles to tidy those up, and it's allowed players to freshen up mentally as much as anything,' the Kiwi scrum half reflected. 'It's been good for my old bones as well!
'I'm sure what we lack in quality we will make up in terms of enthusiasm, but there will be an element of rustiness on Saturday.'
Fitness should not be a problem if the January training schedule is anything to go by. The squad were given two weeks off after the Highfield match, but returned just before Christmas and have been training three times a week throughout this month.
Opponents Naas, who have played at this level for more than a decade, have just two wins from eight games to date - both of those coming away from home. However, they will have taken encouragement from winning their last outing against Suttonians and won't be short on workrate as they fight for AIL survival.
For their part Boyne - currently lying seventh - need a win to maintain realistic hopes of making the end-of-season top-four play-offs.
'I think Naas are better than their league position suggests,' said Mcgrath. 'If you look at the table there's not much between the bottom four to the middle four to the top four, and whatever the opposition it's always going to be tough.
'But that's our goal - to get into the play-offs.'
Collins apart, Boyne should be at full strength for the trip south and a couple of the 2nd XV players could be in line for a call-up after 'putting up their hands' with encouraging displays in recent weeks, but the coach is as yet undecided about who will fill the number 8 jersey vacated by the assistant coach.
'We had hoped to find a dualstatus player, but it's difficult to get people at this time of year,' Mcgrath said.
'We are going through a couple of ideas and will see how things pan out in training. Eoin is the leader of that pack, he is inspirational on the field and it's going to be difficult to replace him.
'But he's training with us again, helping the lads and still doing his role as a coach.'
- MARCUS CAVAROLI
