A LIVELY Ulster Bank AIL Division 1B battle at Dubarry Park culminated in a morale-boosting Buccaneers win despite playing with 14 men for nearly an hour.

League leaders St Mary's College will look to take their excellent form into the AIB Senior Cup third round on the road to Garryowen this weekend.

Blackrock College co-coaches Barry Gibney and Emmett Farrell bring in prop Sean Byrne to tight-head as their only change to the leaders' side to play Clontarf at Castle Avenue.

Leaders Blackrock College will be looking to their Leinster Academy backs, like Niall Morris, Brendan Macken, Kyle Tonetti, Andrew Conway and Dave Moore, to open up Cork Constitution at Stradbrook.

Cork Constitution will give an AIL debut to possible Ireland Under-20 second row Brian Hayes at home to UL-Bohemian at Temple Hill tomorrow.

Former Leicester Tigers hooker Gavin Hickie has returned to St Mary's College ahead of their season opener at home to Dublin rivals Clontarf at Templeville Road.

RICKY PONTING accepts his pantomime villain role in this summer’s Ashes simply “goes with the territory” for a touring Australia captain.

ALL IRELAND LEAGUE.

AIB Cup third round team sheets

Inniskeen Grattans (Monaghan) 2-10 Caherlistrane (Galway) 1-11

The opening ceremony of the World Athletics Championships was followed by the men’s marathon which was won by Gezahenge Abera of Ethiopia in a time of two hours, 12 minutes and 42 seconds.