Navan to face old foes in rugby opener

Navan's first encounter in senior rugby will be against Co Carlow away in the opening round of their All-Ireland League (AIL) Div 3 campaign on Saturday, 3rd October. Ironically the last game played between these two sides was Carlow's final match in the junior ranks in the 1997 Provincial Towns' Cup final. Having just clinched promotion to the senior grade that year Co Carlow also went on to win the Towns' Cup defeating Navan on a 21-3 scoreline. The Navan captain that season was current club president Michael Gavigan. The first home game for Navan in the AIL will be against familiar foes Naas on Saturday, 10th October and the following week they also welcome Midleton to Balreask Old. Navan's schedule includes a number of trips to Northern Ireland with Queens University, Instonians, Ards, Rainey Old Boys, Portadown and Banbridge among the itinerary. Long journeys will be undertaking to play Sunday's Well, Connemara and Nenagh Ormond and if Brad Harris and his charges can take anything from those encounters they will be more than happy. The record of junior teams who make the jump up the the senior ranks is good with outfits such as Naas and Co Carlow establishing themselves at the higher level. Navan's fixtures for the AIL Div 3 are: Saturday, 3rd October - Co Carlow v Navan; Saturday, 10th October - Navan v Naas; Saturday, 24th October - Navan v Midleton; Saturday, 31st October - Suttonians v Navan; Saturday, 14th November - Queens University v Navan; Saturday, 5th December - Navan v Instonians; Saturday, 12th December - Nenagh Ormond v Navan; Saturday, 9th January - Navan v Ards; Saturday, 16th January - Rainey OB v Navan; Saturday, 23rd January - Navan v Wanderers; Saturday, 30th January - Sunday's Well v Navan; Saturday, 20th February - Navan v Barnhall; Saturday, 6th March - Connemara v Navan; Saturday, 27th March - Navan v Portadown; Saturday, 10th April - Banbridge v Navan.