RUGBY: McClean targets top four

It’s a game coach Warren McClean has already singled out as a “must-win” as his side aim to build the winning momentum he hopes will fire them to a top top-four finish in Kukri Qualifying 2.

And with the entire first-team squad opting to stay at Tom Simms Memorial Park this summer, Carrick could just find the consistency they will need to achieve their goal.

“This is first season in a number of years that we haven’t actually lost any players to other clubs,” McClean revealed.

“Our target is to finish in the top four. That’s our minimum target. Anything better than that we will take as well. A top-four place would allow us to look to push for Qualifying 1 the following year.”

The 34-year-old, who is going into his second season at the helm, says it’s vital his side get off on the right foot against Instonians before the league kicks off seven days later away to Enniskillen.

“It will be a tough match, particularly with Instonians having a full complement of players, with all their students available. It’s a must-win game for us so that we don’t have big gaps (in the fixture list) later on in the season. We could end up with a three-week break, so it is important to us.

“It’s a difficult start for us in the league. Enniskillen are a hard team to break down. They don’t concede many tries. But hopefully when we get down there we can get ourselves in front and hang in there.”