Athlone Set To Set Sell-out

Connacht are expecting their biggest ever crowd for their PARKER PEN CHALLENGE CUP quarter-final first leg match against last season's beaten finalists Pontypridd in Athlone on Saturday night (kick-off 5.30pm).
With more than 500 travelling fans expected from Wales, and the Athlone locals snapping up tickets as well as Connacht's Galway regulars, a gate in excess of 5,000 is expected for the game that will be televised live in Wales by S4C.
"We are well on course for our biggest crowd ever. The Athlone club have been working incredibly hard on the fixture and they have sold all of their 250 pre-match hospitality pacakages," said Connacht chief executive Gerry Kelly.
"The pitch will be covered on Thursday and Friday night to prevent the frost getting into it and we are confident that with the weather due to break on Saturday that we will be able to play the match on Saturday night.
"This is a big occasion for Connacht, especialy with all the uncertainty over our future. The Irish Rugby Union council still have to make a decision on whether or not to continue funding professional rugby in Connacht next season, but we are hopeful of carrying on.
"The players are all determined to prove their worth, and that of Connacht, by progressing in the PARKER PEN CHALLENGE CUP. It is ironic that all the talk of axing Connacht has come at a time when we have never been so successful."
Pontypridd were given a huge boost when fly half Neil Jenkins, who has been out with a hand injury, was declared fit for the quarter-final.
Jenkins, the world international points record holder, missed the 10-6 home Premiership defeat by Ebbw Vale last Saturday but is among a number of big guns back for the Irish challenge.
Captain and hooker Mefin Davies and fellow international forwards Robert Sidoli, Michael Owen and Richard Parks all resume.

Connacht: M McHugh; G Duffy, D Yapp, S Moore (capt), W Munn; E Elwood, E Reddan; R McCormack, J Flannery, P Bracken; D Browne, R Frost; M Swift, C Rigney, J O¹Connor.
Replacements: D McFarland, M Uijs, E Peters, J Muldoon, C Keane, M McPhail, J Norton.

Pontypridd: B Davey; G Wyatt, S Parker, J Bryant, E Lewis; N Jenkins, P John; G Jenkins, M Davies (capt), D Bell, B Cockbain, R Sidoli, G Lewis, R Parks, M Owen.
Replacements: C Sweeney, G Baber, S James, S Cronk, M Rees, N Kelly, W O'Connor.