NIFC hopeful of win

NIFC hope to extend their lead at the top of Division Three when they meet Instonians on Saturday.

Both teams can select from a full squad with Instonians looking forward to `B' internationals open side flanker Kevin McKee and number eight Roger Wilson adding experience to the side. Instonians will field a very young team with six players under 20 while North, with a valuable influx of foreign players, look the more settled side.

UCD face Monkstown possibly without their influential out-half Brian O'Driscoll, who has a lower leg injury. Although UCD won the last meeting in the Kitty O'Shea League, the students dismiss the result as irrelevant.

Monkstown, coming off a 24-10 win over Carlow, will be without second row Conor Lupton who is away on business, but will look to their forwards and number eight Dustin Watts in particular.

Carlow, who face Richmond, are perhaps feeling the effects of their meteoric rise and have been patchy so far. Prop Padraig Brennan will hopefully recover from a dead leg while Kiwi Andy Melville is back training. Richmond make just two positional changes to their team. Kenneth McNamara comes in at full-back with Oliver Delaney moving out to the wing.

In Division Four Suttonians haven't yet selected, but Mark Shatwell, Eamon McKeon and Niall O'Reilly are pushing for places in the pack. Rory Gallagher is back from injury. Queen's are away to Waterpark without seven regulars because of university exams and scrum-half David Spence who is away with the Irish under-19 team in Italy.

A total of four players in the back line and three forwards are unavailable making Queen's a very long shot to take the points.