SHANNON’S season took a further dip at Temple Hill on Saturday when old rivals Cork Constitution had an easier passage than expected to the AIB Cup quarter-finals.

MOST of the drama was crammed into the final few minutes of this AIB League 1A derby at Musgrave Park on Saturday.

IF Clontarf win a first AIB League title this season, they cannot be accused of taking the easy route.

CORK CONSTITUTION and Old Crescent demonstrated at Clifford Park yesterday that the ODM Munster Senior Cup is still very much alive.

CORK CONSTITUTION coach Brian Walsh won’t find it difficult to motivate his troops before today’s ODM Munster Senior Cup semi-final with old rivals Garryowen at Musgrave Park (2.30pm).

A COUPLE of converted tries in the dying minutes enabled Cork Constitution to come from 19-11 behind with time running out to overtake UL Bohs in an exciting AIB League clash at Annacotty yesterday.

UCD coach Killian Keane conceded AIB League defeat to Constitution long before the finish of this tie at Temple Hill on Saturday, and then boldly predicted that the Cork side would win the title.

CORK CONSTITUTION’S director of rugby, Paul Derham, makes no apologies for his club’s insistence in successfully seeking a postponement of the ODM Munster Cup semi-final against Shannon.

Cork Constitution 12 Garryowen 12

BY their own admission, Cork Constitution got out of jail and sneaked through to the AIB League final against old rivals Garryowen at Musgrave Park next Saturday.

Cork Constitution 28 Lansdowne 20

HARDLY the scoreline you would expect from two of the AIL’s Division One high-flyers, but there were extenuating circumstances in this top-four clash on Saturday afternoon last on the back pitch at Thomond Park.

CLONTARF qualified for the All Ireland League Top Four final at Castle Avenue on Saturday with a well-deserved victory over Cork Constitution.

Cork Constitution 37 St. Mary’s College 12

Shannon 17 Cork Constitution 20

Euskarians (Basque) Development 26 Munster Development 42

Ireland 19 New Zealand 47

AUSTRALIAN U-21 coach Chris Webb has tipped Ireland to create a World Cup shock here at Hughenden in Glasgow tomorrow. Ireland face the might of holders New Zealand and Webb refuses to dismiss Ireland's challenge.

THERE is a palpable level of expectation in the Irish U21 camp as they prepare to take on Australia in the IRB World Cup semi-final today.

Ireland 33, Scotland 9

Ireland 30, Wales 19

THE Munster Senior Cup was once the most coveted rugby prize in the province. It’s still important but events at provincial level have overtaken just about everything at club level.

NEW Leinster coach Gary Ella has marked out young Barnhall player Brendan Burke as a star of the future.

IRELAND's U-21s retain an outside chance of winning the Six Nations Championship, but they must hammer England into total submission at Ravenhill this evening and hope Grand Slam chasers Wales come a cropper in France.

Wales U-21 20 Ireland U-21 19

Scotland U-21 5 Ireland U-21 13

IRELAND embark on a new Six Nations U21 Championship campaign in Dundee on Saturday, bolstered by a new structure but with a couple of familiar faces.