The Munster Senior Challenge Cup returns with two big local derbies scheduled.

First up at the quarter final stage is the meeting of UL Bohemians and Old Crescent in Rosbrien tonight, Thursday at 7:30 pm. Both sides have had contrasting starts to the season with Crescent on a four match winning run in Division 2B and Bohs with only one win from their opening four games in Division 1B.

Senior XV
Bank of Ireland Munster Senior Challenge Cup Vs Old Crescent RFC in Rosbrien on Thursday 19/10/2017 @ 19.30

— UL BOHEMIAN RFC (@ulbohemianrfc) October 19, 2017

The Rosbrien side, who last made it to the final of the Senior Cup in 2009, have been in scintillating form in the AIL this year with two try bonus points and an impressive 123 points racked up already, meaning they are sitting pretty on to of 2B with 18 points from a possible 20.

The University of Limerick outfit have had a very different last number of weeks with only 6 points to their name meaning they lie in 7th place in Division 1B. Christy Neilan’s side defeated Nenagh in the last round but simply haven’t been able to put a string of results together since suggesting Crescent could go into tonights tie as slight favourites. The winners of this tie will face Bruff in the semi-final

In the other local fixture in the competition this weekend, last season’s finalists Young Munster make the short trip across to Dooradoyle to face record holders of the competition Garryowen. The 38 time winners have had a decent start to their AIL campaign with two wins and two losses to their name. However impressive wins against Buccaneers and Clontarf and a narrow 27-20 loss to leaders Terenure mean the light blues will go into tomorrow nights fixture as favourites.

The Cookies have had a poor start to their AIL campaign with three losses from their four fixtures, including a home defeat last time out to a struggling Dublin University side. Gearoid Prendergast’s men have only won two games this year in all competition’s against newly promoted Buccaneers in the AIL and Highfield in the opening round of the Senior cup and were heavily defeated by their opponents in the Charity cup earlier on in the season. It will be a closer encounter this time out however with the weather set to poor as well as the fact both teams will be missing a number of their star player’s due to Munster A’s B&I cup fixture tomorrow night.

This friday night 7.30pm kick off we are playing Garryowen in dooradoyle in the Q/final of the senior cup come along and cheer the boys on

— Young Munster RFC (@YoungMunsterRFC) October 19, 2017