Today, rugby fans will swamp Mooragh Park as Ramsey faces Douglas in the Ravenscroft Manx Cup Final at 3pm.
Concentration will be the key today if Douglas are to lift the Manx Cup again.
Whereas Ramsey will address a defence that leaked 55 points last week, Douglas juggle resources with players unavailable and players returning to the fold.
Final time
Simon Hoddinott is back after a rare absence, and with Jack Loughnane gone home, Toddy is likely to resume starting duties in the front row.
With lineouts being a bit of a thorn in the side through the league season, to see the slick functioning edition last Saturday was evidence of coach Phil Cringle’s finger on the pulse.
The scrum went well too, and with Hoddinott’s return and Conor Garland and Blake Snell powering up the second-row, more of the same is probably expected of the piano movers.
Amongst the piano players it’s hard to see the lively Oli Corkish not starting at centre given recent performances, and alongside Harry Hewson, the Douglas midfield has a strong core.
Luca Simmons seems to have shaken off the shoulder injury with his second-half appearance at Ramsey, and with Luke Hyland unavailable, makes a timely step up to number 10 again.
With the electric Kyle Martin at scrum-half keeping many back-rowers more than honest over the last eight months, and Sam McCord making the full-back position his exclusive territory, there’s plenty of potential.
In the cauldron of Cup final rugby, and with a weather forecast less favourable than the Mediterranean-like Mooragh Park last time out, there’s still the anticipation of a competitive afternoon.
Proof of the pudding is a full coach load of supporters setting sail from Port-e-Chee at midday via Laxey to Ramsey to catch the Under 11’s curtain raiser at 2.30pm.
6 Comments