Con’s Hickey highlights the competitiveness within the AIL
AIL RUGBY
Daire Walsh
AFTER seeing his side move up to fifth in the table last Saturday afternoon, Cork Constitution coach Brian Hickey was quick to emphasise how competitive Division 1A of the Ulster Bank League is proving to be.
Cork Con recorded a 20-14 victory against Old Belvedere at Anglesea Road, and with just four points separating them from divisional pace-setters Dublin University, Hickey knows that you can never afford to rest on your laurels.
“Well, it means we close the gap, and in this league, same the last few years, the bottom team can beat the top team on any given weekend,” Hickey remarked.
“You lose a match at the top, you could be down to fifth. You win a match at the bottom, you could up to fifth. It’ll probably open up a little bit now, but that’s the nature of it.”
This was the third win of the 2016/17 league campaign for the Temple Hill men, who had claimed a commanding home win over Lansdowne three weeks earlier.
With a game against Terenure College to look forward to on Saturday, Hickey acknowledged there are areas his team will need to improve on, but still felt there were many plus points to take from the game.
“I just think we made a lot of chances today. Just the final pass and decision making, the final kind of third of the pitch, I thought we left them off the hook a little bit today.
“But there were other areas that I thought we were very good in. We coped with their pace out wide well. It seems to be the nature of our season, that we seem to improve in one area, and we’re just struggling then in another.”
Following their opening day success against St Mary’s College at Templeville Road, this is the second time that Con have come out the right side of a result in Dublin since the season began.
They also lost to Young Munster at home on September 24 in a comprehensive manner.
Yet based on his experience of the league in recent years, Hickey is reluctant to read too much into home or away form.
“It helps [away wins], but I suppose we lost a game at home, which we’re disappointed with, against Young Munster. As I say, you’re travelling three hours on a bus, it isn’t home and away form.
“Every team will come down to the opposition and give as good a performance as they will at home.
“I wouldn’t read too much into that. It’s important we do win our home games in any league, but I think the teams are so even, home and away doesn’t make a huge difference,” Hickey added.