Plenty of local sports to attend this weekend

THERE is plenty to whet the appetite of local sports fans this weekend, starting this evening with the meeting of Ireland Wales in the U20 Six Nations Rugby Championships at Dubarry Park, Athlone (7.35pm). Ireland defeated Scotland last weekend in Athlone to get their Six Nations campaign off to a winning start.

For soccer supporters, Athlone Town will play their second pre-season friendly match this evening, ahead of their return to the Airtricity League Premier Division. Athlone make the short trek to Longford Town this evening to face a side they beat twice last season in the race for the First Division title. However, recent trialist Emeka Onwubiko, who played for Athlone in 2009, will not feature in the game and won’t be returning to the club, having agreed a move to First Division newcomers, Shamrock Rovers B. Neil Harney and James O’Brien are unlikely to feature in tonight’s game at the City Calling Stadium (7.30pm) due to minor injuries.

In Gaelic Games, Moate Community School were eliminated from the Leinster Colleges SF ‘A’ Championship yesterday evening by the defending champions, St Patrick’s CS, Navan.  The home side survived lots of their own deficiencies when advancing to the quarter-finals at Pairc Tailteann with a hard-earned and flattering 1-13 to 1-8 victory over Moate. St Pat’s will face Westmeath opposition again in the last eight when they tackle St Joseph’s, Rochfortbridge on Saturday week.

Westmeath, meanwhile, will continue their Allianz National Football League Division 1 campaign with a tough test at home to All-Ireland champions Dublin on Sunday (Cusack Park, Mullingar, 2pm), while Roscommon will be looking to add to last weekend’s opening day win over Longford in Division 3 with another positive result at home against Wexford in Kiltoom (Sunday, 2pm).