Waterpark in final battle for promotion

WATERPARK captain Dave Cruckshank is keeping his fingers crossed for a top-class performance in Belfast tomorrow to round off a great season.

The AIB division three leaders don’t need to go ballistic, but they do need to win against Instonians to clinch their promotion drive.

“It has been a really good year for us. We planned on trying to win the division and we are within sight of that goal,” said the captain yesterday.

But he is equally conscious that Instonians are capable of making a late surge in the remaining two matches to pip them at the post.

“For a start they will be playing at home and they will have the bulk of the support. They are also just a couple of points behind us and have a better score for/against ratio.

“I think they have conceded just 100 points so far and that’s a lot less than us.”

The good news for Waterpark, out on a limb in the southeast of the country, is that they will have a full squad from which to choose.

“We haven’t any injuries to worry about and we will just have to go for it as best as we can,” added Cruckshank.

“I just hope we can make it because a lot of really hard work has gone into this season. We’re pretty isolated in terms of rugby in this country. When we travel, the best we can hope for is going to Cork or Dublin in terms of distance. Everywhere else is really miles away.

“Anyway, there is no point in complaining. We’re happy to be involved in the final battle for promotion. We know that we only have to win and make sure Instonians get a bonus point to win our way into division two.

“We’re still there if things go wrong but it would be much better for us to wrap things up this weekend.”

Waterpark meet Skerries in the last match while Instonians are away to Banbridge. Defeat may not be an option for Cruckshank tomorrow, but neither would it be a disaster.

Division two leaders Dolphin head for the high road to Ballynahinch and, again, the issue at the top is just a snip away from glory or disaster.

Dolphin hold a one-point lead over Old Crescent, who play Bective at Donnybrook. The promotion race could be over by tomorrow evening but it might also go into the last day of the campaign when Dolphin meet Malone at Musgrave Park and Crescent take on Old Belvedere at Rosbrien. Interesting times indeed.

At the bottom of division two, Portadown and Sunday’s Well are fighting it out for survival. Sunday’s Well have a better points difference by far but with three games to go there is nothing much else between them.

Greystones seem doomed to drop down but this weekend will be hugely important for the other two.

The ’Well take on Barnhall tomorrow and, on the basis of positions in the table, it looks ominous for them.

But this is a club with equal fighting spirit and Barnhall might be subjected to a difficult afternoon.

Portadown, at home, face a difficult task against fourth placed DLSP.