Clontarf 27 Ballymena 12

Ballymena 55 Buccaneers 5

Ballymena 40 Galwegians 13

Lansdowne 5 Ballymena 45

Ballymena ended their barren AIB League Division One spell with a well-deserved 17-9 defeat of UCD today - their second win on only their second ever visit to Belfield.

Ballymena 27 Shannon 31

HAVING won Division One last season, Shannon travel to play 2003 champions Ballymena at Eaton Park today.

Garryowen 32 Ballymena 23

Ballymena 23 Dublin University 22

Blackrock College 33 Ballymena 17

Ballymena 32 Co Carlow 10

Cork Con 30 Ballymena 20

RISH players will be out in force to help NEC Harlequins in their bid to rock Munster in the Heineken Cup at Thomond Park tomorrow (5.15pm).

SPORTS fans in Galway are spoiled for choice this weekend.

Former Connacht and Ireland A coach Steph Nel will part company from Rotherham Titans at the end of the season.

Connacht coach Michael Bradley has announced that Tim Allnutt will captain the province for the coming season - the 29 year old also led the province last year before a serious knee injury terminated his season.

Steph Nel is to return to South Africa after three years as Director of Coaching for Connacht.

The IRFU has announced the appointment of Michael Bradley as the new Provincial Director of Coaching for Connacht.

Pontypridd will take a five-point advantage into the second leg of their Parker Pen Challenge Cup quarter-final against Connacht at Sardis Road on Saturday evening - but the job is only half done.

Connacht coach Steph Nel has named a 24 man squad for Saturday's Parker Pen Challenge Cup first leg tie against Pontypridd at Ericsson Park in Athlone (ko 5.30pm).

Connacht 3 Leinster 25

The Connacht team to play Leinster at Ericsson Park in Athlone this Friday (5.30 pm) has been selected.

The Connacht team to play Narbonne in Sunday’s Parker Pen Challenge Cup second round, second leg tie shows three changes from that which went down 42-27 in France on Saturday evening.

Connacht played some good rugby but conceded soft tries saw them go down by 15 points in the Parker Pen Challenge Cup first leg tie at Parc des Sports et de L'Amitie in Narbonne.

Munster and Ulster were both in Heineken Cup action last night.

Connacht coach Steph Nel has announced a 22 man squad for Saturday evening's Parker Pen Challenge Cup first leg clash against Narbonne at Parc des Sports et de L'Amitie.

Munster 33 Connacht 3

THE Irish Rugby Football Union face a revolt from within their own ranks if any attempt is made to dump Connacht from their Provincial plans.

The Connacht team to play Munster in the Celtic League quarter-final at Musgrave Park on Friday evening has been announced.

Connacht coach Steph Nel has a number of injury problems ahead of Friday's Celtic League quarter-final against Munster at Musgrave Park.

Connacht, with captain Tim Allnutt and vice-captain Warwick Waugh out for the rest of the season, have wholesale injury problems as they prepare for Friday¹s Celtic League quarter-final against Munster at Musgrave Park.

The Ireland Development XV face a tough assignment this evening in Donnybrook when they take on a strong Argentine side (kick-off 7pm).

Connacht’s excellent form this season, which has seen them win seven of their nine competitive fixtures, is reflected in the Ireland Development Squad which will play Argentina next Wednesday with nine of Steph Nel’s men included in the squad.

ROB HENDERSON, though facing a six-week injury lay-off, believes Munster are still in a healthy state as they bid to regain their Heineken Cup momentum.

Connacht, for the first time in 11 games this season, have named an unchanged side for the second leg of their Parker Pen Challenge Cup first round tie against Mont de Marsan at Crowley Park on Saturday (kick-off 3pm).

All-Ireland winning Kilkenny hurling manager Brian Cody has been named Philips Sports Manager of the Month for September.

MICK GALWEY leads Munster into Celtic League action against Ulster at Ravenhill this evening as Jim Williams is ruled out due to injury.

James Norton, who has played at u21 level for Ireland, will make his debut for Connacht at full-back for their Celtic League encounter against Newport at the Galway Sportsground this Friday.

EDINBURGH have made a flying start to the Celtic League campaign, but coach Frank Hadden may be cursing Romania for making their qualification a little bit harder.

Connacht have made four changes for their televised Celtic League clash against Leinster at Donnybrook on Friday evening (7.35pm).