AIB LEAGUE DIVISION 1 SEMI-FINAL:

COACH Steve Ford made no excuses following Dolphin’s AIB League defeat to Cork Constitution at Temple Hill last week. A week on, a rematch at the same venue (2.30pm), and with a place in the league final at stake, neither is he about to start.

ANYONE doubting the importance of Munster Senior Cup would be advised to talk to Conor Twomey and Mike Prendergast, the respective coaches of UCC and Young Munster who clash in today’s Musgrave Park decider (4pm).

The dates for the finals of the AIB League have been fixed for May 7 and 8 in Dublin and Athlone.

AIB LEAGUE: DIVISION 1B:

Leaders Cork Constitution have been able to select Munster's Billy Holland in their back row for Saturday's AIB League clash with Dolphin.

Cork Constitution will have to wait and see if their centre Scott Deasy is available to play – he is a replacement for Munster against Leinster – against UL-Bohemians at Annacotty tomorrow as they bid to return to the top of Division 1A of the AIB League.

BACKS to the wall, UL Bohemian produced a sensational AIB League victory over Garryowen at Dooradoyle on Saturday to keep the dream of Division 1A survival alive.

Leaders Cork Constitution plan to utilise Munster's Jeremy Manning at out-half with David Lyons slipping back to full-back for the first-versue-second tussle with St Mary's College in Division 1A of the AIB League at Templeville Raod on Saturday.

ALL-IRELAND league champions Shannon will be sweating over the next few weeks awaiting a possible reaction from the IRFU to this week’s ban imposed on an under-age coach from the club.

UCC 12 Young Munster 14

THE club match of the day will be at Temple Hill this afternoon (2.30) when Shannon take on arch rivals Constitution in a top-of-the-table AIB League clash.

Coach David O'Mahony has selected players from 12 different clubs for the Ireland Club international against England Counties in Stourbridge on Friday night.

ONE of the longest-running sports sponsorships in Ireland is to end this year with AIB to sever its association with the IRFU.

The IRFU and AIB have announced that the AIB Bank will end their sponsorship of the AIB League and Cup competitions after the completion of this season's AIB League.

THE answer to the above question that has dominated Irish rugby for the past 10 weeks will be provided at 1.30 this afternoon when Declan Kidney announces his Ireland team to play Italy in the RBS Six Nations Championship at Croke Park on Saturday.

The teams for this weekend's AIB League fixtures have been announced today.

GREIG OLIVER, the former Scotland scrum-half and now director of rugby at Garryowen, and his Cork Constitution counterpart Brian Walsh believe Munster have two more outstanding number nines ready to follow in the illustrious footsteps of Peter Stringer and Tomás O’Leary.

SHANNON have lost their appeal against the €25,000 fine imposed on them by the IRFU disciplinary committee arising out of incidents involving senior members of the club and referee George Clancy at the conclusion of last month’s AIB League game against Cork Constitution at Coonagh.

The IRFU Disciplinary Appeal Panel have fined Shannon €25,000 for verbal abuse of the match referee and officials following their AIB League match against Cork Constitution FC on December 5, 2009.

Cork Constitution bring back Munster-capped tight-head Stephen Archer into their front row for the clash with Garryowen in Division One of the AIB League at Dooradoyle on Saturday.

Coach Tony McGahan has left his Munster side unchanged for their final Pool match of the Heineken Cup at home to Northampton Saints on Friday night.

MUNSTER have almost certainly qualified once again for the knock-out stages of the Heineken Cup regardless of the result of next Friday’s clash with Northampton at Thomond Park.

All-Ireland champions Kerry, along with Limerick and Tipperary, progressed through to tomorrow's quarter-finals of the McGrath Cup following preliminary round victories this afternoon.

Some AIB League rugby matches have been postponed today due to unplayable pitches.

AIB League champions Shannon will have their appeal against a €25,000 fine heard by the Irish Rugby Football Union in Dublin on Wednesday.

MARCUS HORAN and Jerry Flannery will again be absentees when Munster take on Treviso in the Heineken Cup at Stadio Comunale Di Monigo on Saturday.

MUNSTER have opted to give John Hayes another week off and he will sit out Sunday’s Magners League game against the Scarlets at Musgrave Park. Meanwhile, they are keeping their fingers crossed that Marcus Horan will take a full part in Shannon’s AIB League game against St Mary’s College on Saturday.

Weather conditions have forced the postponement of all three of this evening's scheduled AIB League games.

IRELAND and Munster have been rocked by the news that No 8 Denis Leamy is to miss the rest of the season because of a knee injury.

County Carlow boss Jason Jones has lost veteran loose-head Padraig Brennan, to be replaced by Larry McGrath, for their AIL Division Three encounter with Queen’s University at Oak Park tomorrow.

Buccaneers 9 Ballynahinch 13

Ballymena 13 Galwegians 16

St Mary’s College 25 Blackrock College 3

GARRYOWEN joint coach, Greg Oliver reckons scrum-half Conor Murray possesses all the attributes to don the Munster senior No 9 jersey.

AIB LEAGUE DIVISION 1B:

AIB LEAGUE DIVISION 1B:

AIB LEAGUE DIVISION 1B:

Former Leinster and Leicester Tiger hooker Gavin Hickie will start in the middle of the front row as St Mary's College go about maintaining their 100% start to the AIB League on the road to UL-Bohemian in round five on Saturday.

Cork Constitution 33 Shannon 14

Old Belvedere 17 Clontarf 14

Clontarf 9 Blackrock College 3

UL Bohemians 3 Clontarf 8

Young Munster 23 Buccaneers 3