Cork Constitution advanced from a tough Bank of Ireland Munster Senior Cup tie against Shannon with a late rally at Coonagh on Saturday.

Connacht may have managed to hold on to most of their frontline players for next season but there will be a significant shift in personnel at the Sportsground for the start of the Kieran Keane era.

Cork Constitution cruised past Nenagh Ormond in their Munster Senior Cup quarter-final clash in Ballintemple, scoring 8 tries in a 57-10 demolition of the Division 2A side.

Holders Cork Constitution and last year’s beaten finalists Young Munster advanced to the Munster Senior Cup quarter-finals with little difficulty over the weekend but Garryowen and fancied Dolphin were both knocked out.

Rassie Erasmus will not be expecting perfection when he sends his Munster charges into action for the first time tonight.

The first semi-final of the Bank of Ireland sponsored Munster Senior Challenge Cup takes place in Temple Hill this afternoon (2.30pm) when holders Cork Constitution take on Nenagh Ormond.

Galbally caused the shock of the weekend as they beat Clanwilliam in the Bank of Ireland Munster Junior Cup.

With holders Shannon out, several clubs will fancy their chances of lifting the famous Bank of Ireland Munster Junior Cup; none more so than last year’s beaten finalists Clonmel.

Cork Constitution 32 Old Belvedere 0: Johnny Holland put a year of pain and uncertainty behind him when helping Constitution to a comprehensive Ulster Bank League victory over Old Belvedere at Temple Hill on Saturday.

Despite their respective defeats at the weekend, both Old Belvedere and Garryowen hang onto their top four spots in the Ulster Bank League — after the weekend fixture schedule was decimated by the weather, UCD proved too strong for Belvedere and won 20-12 at the Belfield Bowl, while Clontarf defeated Garryowen at Castle Avenue and eased to a bonus point win on a 39-25 scoreline.

Today

There are fixtures across a range of competitions this weekend. The big games are in the Munster Junior Cup where a number of the favourites eye progression to the quarter-finals.

The draw for the Munster Senior Cup was made last night at the Charleville Park Hotel.

Four of Crescent Comprehensive most distinguished sporting alumni returned to the Limerick school yesterday for the official opening of a new trophy room.

The widowed father of rugby international Eoin Reddan may have to abandon plans to see his son play in Leinster’s Heineken Cup match in France tomorrow, after being the victim of a hatchet-wielding intruder.

From the day they ran up 39 points without reply in the first round against CBC, there was little doubt that the 2014 Munster Schools Senior Cup trophy would find a familiar home at Crescent Comprehensive College in Dooradoyle.

A late try salvaged a draw for Old Belvedere at Anglesea Road, but the Ulster Bank League challengers still lost ground to table toppers Clontarf.

Reigning champions Lansdowne were warned that life could be tough in this season’s Ulster Bank League when they lost their seasonal opener at home to newcomers UCD on Saturday.

Cashel produced a late scoring burst to shock Young Munster on a dramatic opening weekend of the ODM Financial Munster Senior Cup.

With the start of Munster’s RaboDirect Pro12 campaign now less than a month away, chief executive Garrett Fitzgerald insists Munster’s summer transfer dealings have come to an end and the squad will be free to continue their preparations for the new season without disruption.

Former Ireland and Munster full-back Paddy Berkery has died, aged 84.

Kick-off 2.30pm unless stated –

Lansdowne exacted revenge for their defeat to Young Munster in December by whipping the Limerick men 37-17 on the Aviva Stadium’s back pitch.

Dolphin and Young Munster will be left twiddling thumbs this weekend after their eagerly awaited Ulster Bank League derby clash was called off due to an unplayable Musgrave Park pitch.

Garryowen sit proudly on top of the Ulster Bank League thanks to a home victory over reigning champions St Mary’s College.

Cork Constitution 26 Cashel 15

Surprise package Cashel RFC bid to take another big scalp in their amazing Munster Senior Cup run when they face Cork Con in today’s semi-final at Temple Hill (2.30pm).

Cashel will face the biggest test of their superb ODM Munster Senior Cup run when they visit Cork Constitution in the semi-finals on October 13.

Cork Constitution will bid to benefit from some more French unpredictability when they go toe to toe with Garryowen in the last eight of the Munster Senior Cup at Temple Hill today (2.30pm).

There was a disappointing start to the opening round of the Munster Junior Clubs Challenge Cup with only three of the scheduled seven games going ahead.

Cashel dethroned champions Bruff in the opening round of the Munster Senior Cup at Kilballyowen on Saturday.

Things will be getting serious in the Munster Junior Cup from Sunday as most of the big guns enter the fray at the fourth round stage.

THIS weekend is a relatively quiet one on the Munster Junior front, although there are still a number of intriguing games in the Junior Cup, with six second round matches and one outstanding first found game down for decision.

CONNACHT have secured former Australian Sevens coach Billy Millard as their new backs coach on a two-year deal. Millard, who spent two years with Cardiff Blues, joins the province later this month.

LIMERICK completed a double escape on Saturday as the home side’s prevailed in Saturday’s Ulster Bank League relegation/promotion play-offs.

Results from today's promotion/relegation play-offs

WITH Cork Constitution sealing a home draw and most likely top spot in Division 1A courtesy of a 22-0 win over St Mary’s College, there was an amazing sequence of results in Division 1B over the weekend.