Munster Schools Senior Cup

Rivals Cork Constitution and Garryowen are both under strength for this afternoon’s Bank of Ireland Munster Senior Cup quarter-final in Temple Hill (2.30pm).

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.

Dolphin 28 Ballynahinch 35 

University College Dublin won a thrilling Ulster Bank League Division 1A clash with leaders Lansdowne at Belfield on Saturday to maintain their challenge to finish in the top four.

Munster Senior Cup: Crescent 10 CBC 0

Young Munster 30 Thomond 3

In rugby’s professional era, the public perception of the Munster Senior Challenge Cup would be quite different to the view within the clubs.

Young Munster 9 Clontarf 26

At the end of an absorbing Ulster Bank League tie in Castle Avenue last November, Clontarf coach Andrew Wood warned of the problems his side would face in a rematch with Young Munster at Clifford Park.

Young Munster 10 Old Belvedere 13

Shannon 24 UL Bohemian 22

Garryowen 16 Cork Constitution 13

Young Munster 18 Shannon 0

Shannon’s survival hopes have been boosted for today’s must-win clash with Young Munster at Clifford Park with news that Munster and Ireland prop Marcus Horan is available.

Having made a remarkably quick recovery from a major operation on a bulging disc in his lower back, Paul O’Connell is not only confident about being part of the Munster team to play Harlequins in the quarter-final of the Heineken Cup on April 7 but also hopeful he can also be part of the British and Irish Lions team to tour Australia in June.

Paul O’Connell looked like a new man at UL yesterday as he proclaimed to the rugby world: “I’m injury free and the Heineken Cup is definitely on for me.”

Both Crescent Comprehensive and Christian Brothers College Cork, who meet in today’s Munster Schools Senior Cup semi-final at Clifford Park (3pm), have special reasons for wanting to make it to the final.

Lansdowne coach Mike Ruddock has been forced to step back from today’s clash with Dolphin at Musgrave Park due to his involvement with Ireland’s U20s last night.

Lansdowne are back on top of the Ulster Bank League following a bonus-point victory over Dolphin at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday.

The traditional rivalry between Cork Constitution and Garryowen alone will push today’s Ulster Bank League clash at Temple Hill into the must-see category.

Young Munster 16 St Marys College 14

Young Munster, winners for the past three seasons, remain on course for another Limerick Charity Cup final appearance following their 26-14 semi-final win against great rivals Garryowen at Clifford Park last night.

More than 7,000 fans watched Connacht battle with Munster in Galway on Saturday night.

Barry O’Mahony, the one-time Ireland Schools and Dolphin wing-forward, was one of five former Munster players to take a leading role as Clontarf pulled off a hugely important victory over Young Munster in the Ulster Bank League at Clifford Park on Saturday.

The prospects of Young Munster winning the Ulster Bank League title took a pounding with defeat to leaders Clontarf at Clifford Park on Saturday.

Today is one of Young Munster’s latest D-Days as they go in search of a first Ulster Bank All Ireland League title since 1993 with a crunch game against leaders Clontarf at Clifford Park (2.30pm).

Presentation Brothers College, Cork may have home advantage in today’s Avonmore Munster Schools’ Senior Cup semi-final against St Munchin’s College at Temple Hill (3pm), but they have learned enough over two previous traumatic encounters with Glenstal Abbey to make them feel it could be another hard day at the office.

Fans will be hoping for a repeat of last week’s 22-22 thriller when Glenstal Abbey and Presentation Brothers lock horns again at Clifford Park, Limerick today (3pm) in the Avonmore Milk Munster Schools Senior Cup quarter-final.

St Munchin’s dominated territorially and were by far the greater physical force, yet they were fully extended to overcome Limerick city rivals Ardscoil Rís in the quarter-final of the Avonmore Milk Munster Senior Schools Cup at Clifford Park yesterday.

The knockout stages of the Avonmore Munster Schools Senior Cup arrive with four attractive quarter-final matches over the next two days.

Having emerged successfully from some testing Limerick derbies in the space of eight days, Young Munster are all set to launch an all-out assault on the Ulster Bank All-Ireland League in their closing five matches.

St Mary’s College continue to set the pace in the Ulster Bank League after safely negotiating what might have been a tricky assignment against champions Old Belvedere at Anglesea Road.

CLONTARF put a major dent in Shannon’s title aspirations with a 29-8 win over the Limerick side in Saturday’s Ulster Bank League Division 1A clash at Castle Avenue.

AN administrative error cost Buccaneers their place at the top of the Ulster Bank League Division 1B but the club will not be appealing a decision to dock them two points.

CORK Constitution coach Brian Walsh described Saturday’s win over Ulster Bank pacesetters Clontarf at Temple Hill as vital, the Leinster side crashing to their first defeat.

YOUNG MUNSTER player coach Mike Prendergast marked his return from long-term injury with a welcome 23-19 Ulster Bank victory to provide holders Old Belvedere with a reality check at Clifford Park.

THE October weekend showdown between Ulster League champions Cork Constitution and newly promoted Young Munster attracted a bumper crowd to Temple Hill, as it would.

A SECOND-HALF comeback that embraced typical passion and skill helped Young Munster overcome arch rivals Garryowen on Saturday and set up an Ulster Bank League semi-final meeting with holders Cork Constitution.

FEW need reminding that Leinster have beaten Munster in each of the last five meetings, once in the Heineken Cup and four times in the Magners League.

WITH the stakes so high, one team hunting a top-three finish and the other fighting for survival, it was probably inevitable this clash at Musgrave Park yesterday would go to the wire.

IT HAS been a great few sporting days for Ard Scoil Rís.