IT was as coach Brian Walsh predicted – difficult – but Cork Constitution were resilient enough to secure the 26-20 victory over Shannon that was required to keep them on top of Division 1A of the All Ireland League.

Young Munster 0 Old Belvedere 31

CLONTARF followed Cork Constitution’s lead in the AIL Division 1B at Castle Avenue on Saturday, defeating nearest rivals Buccaneers to retain leadership of their section.

DIVISION 1A: Blackrock College 20 Old Belvedere 29

St Mary's College 9 Old Belvedere 17

AIB LEAGUE DIVISION 1 SEMI-FINAL:

Old Belvedere 57 Ballynahinch 38

IRELAND half-back pair Sam Cronin and Barry Keeshan will be keen to return to some unfinished business when they face their Scottish counterparts in a Club International at Donnybrook tonight (7pm).

THE Ireland Club team to play their Scottish counterparts in the AIB Club International (tomorrow, Donnybrook, 7pm) shows several changes from the side defeated by England Counties in February.

Dolphin’s Sam Cronin will captain the Ireland Club against the Scotland Club side in the AIB Club International in Donnybrook on Friday evening.

Old Belvedere 31 Galwegians 3

Old Belvedere 33 Buccaneers 12, Anglesea Road

Ballymena 10 Old Belvedere 26

AIB LEAGUE RESULTS

JUST like their senior counterparts, ‘Grand Slam’ is not a term being used loosely around Allen Clarke’s Ireland U-20 camp.

Ireland have named a 36-man preliminary squad for the AIB Club International against England on Friday, February 27.

Old Belvedere 17 Blackrock College 22

Leinster will look to end the season on a high by naming a strong squad to tackle The Dragons on Friday night in the Magners League clash at Rodney Parade (KO: 7.10pm).

Old Belvedere 33 UL Bohemians 18, Anglesea Road

The Leinster 'A' team to face Ulster 'A' in Ravenhill on Friday evening (KO: 6.30pm) has been named.

Old Belvedere 35 Lansdowne 14

Leinster A 51 Ireland U-20 15

Blackrock College 17 Old Belvedere 11

There are eight Ireland internationals in the Leinster squad for a mini pre-season tour to Biarritz and Bath.

Leinster have announced the signings of Argentina prop Juan Francisco Gomez, South African international front-row forward Ollie Le-Roux and Connacht's Irish-qualified tight-head prop Stephen Knoop in their squad for next season.

Leinster secured a 40-21 victory over Benetton Treviso in last night's friendly in Donnybrook.

Malcolm O'Kelly, Keith Gleeson and Luke Fitzgerald have all been named in an enlarged, strong-looking Leinster squad to play Benetton Treviso in a friendly at Donnybrook on Wednesday evening, kick-off at 6.30pm.

LIFIEMI MAFI makes his first start for Munster in tomorrow’s Magners League clash with Llanelli Scarlets in Stradey Park (Setanta Sports, 5.35pm).

Rob Kearney, Cameron Jowitt and Brian Blaney have all been included in Leinster's squad to play Munster in the Magner's League at Lalsndowne Road on Friday night.

The following is the Leinster 'A' team to play Connacht in Barnhall on Friday (KO: 2pm):

Trevor Hogan returns to Leinster's 25-man squad to play Llanelli Scarlets in the Magners League at Stradey Park on Saturday.

BRIAN O’MEARA will be back in Munster colours this season for the first time in six years, having been drafted into the squad on a part-time basis as scrum-half cover.

The Leinster squad to face the Cardiff Blues in the province’s opening home Magners League match of the campaign in Donnybrook on Saturday has been named.

Leinster coach Michael Cheika will look to the maturity of his new recruits mixed with the precociousness of young players, like Luke Fitzgerald, to drive Leinster to the Magner's League title this year.

Felipe Contepomi will be available for Leinster's pre-season friendly against London Irish at Donnybrook tomorrow evening.

Leinster are in contractual negotiations with Australian World Cup winner Owen Finegan and hope to conclude a deal later this week.