Buccaneers and Harlequins in vital race for top four play-offs

CLONTARF, Lansdowne and Ballymena will be joined by either Buccaneers or Belfast Harlequins in the top four play-offs for the AIB League title this weekend.

The last place is up for grabs between Buccaneers who meet Ballymena and Harlequins who take on Shannon this Saturday.

Four points separate the sides and Buccaneers will be slight favourites to hold onto the fourth spot.

Elsewhere, there will be even more pressing matters with important confrontations at the foot of the table.

Terenure have already been relegated but the big match of the day will be at Thomond Park between UL Bohemian and Co Carlow.

Bohemians and UCD are each on 21 points, three points adrift of Carlow, but the Limerick side only need to win (assuming Carlow don’t pick up a bonus point) to ensure their survival in the division.

Of course, even a draw would suffice as long as UCD were beaten by Terenure but, given the performance of the Lakelands club this season, the students are much more likely to emerge with full points from the game.

In the second division it is a huge day for both Dolphin and Old Crescent who have been slugging it out in the promotion race virtually from the first week of the season.

In previous years both would already have done enough to secure first division status but with the changes made this season there is only one team to go up.

Dolphin are two points ahead and that barely gives them breathing space.

They will get a giant step if they can beat Malone at Thomond Park on Saturday but will be mindful that Crescent can still overtake them. The Limerick side are also favoured with a home fixture against Old Belvedere.

Thomond, DLSP, UCC and Barnhall are the remaining sides in the hunt for the play-offs. How Barnhall might regret losing in the last minute to Sunday’s Well recently.

The Cork side still find themselves in a bit of bother despite that victory. They travel to Kilternan to take on DLSP, fighting for a top four place, and must secure at least a bonus point to be sure.

It won’t be easy either for Portadown who have to travel to meet Barnhall and it would appear that the Well will be favoured to stay up and Portadown are expected to join Greystones in the third division next year.

Waterpark are just one point away from moving up a division.

Even though they are five points clear of Instonians, they still can’t be sure of promotion but could do so by losing as long as they pick up a bonus point. They take on Skerries at Ballinakill and the wise gambler would back them to finish the campaign with a win, perhaps even with a bit of style.

Instonians have a better scoring difference but would have to pick up the maximum five points against Banbridge combined by a significant Waterpark loss. Not likely.

The best to be hoped for by Instonians is to gain a home draw in the top four semi-finals. Wanderers have already qualified and Corinthians look certain to join them.

Ireland U19 team to play Scotland U19 in the IRB / FIRA U19 World Championship in Creteil, Paris today @6.30pm: R. McCarron (UCD), M. Hewitt (Skerries), B. O'Donnell (UL Bohemians), G. Stafford (Lansdowne), K. Geraghty (Colston College), B. Keeshan (UCC), S. Auld (Belfast Harlequins), G. Maxwell (Dungannon), F. Leonard (UL Bohemians), J. Andress (Belfast Harlequins), L. Stevenson (Belfast Harlequins), M. Melbourne (Garryowen), B. McNamee (Northampton), A. Kavanagh (Garryowen, captain), O. Hennessy (Dungannon).

Replacements: R. Quinn (UCC), R. Sweeney (St. Marys), R. Loughney (UL Bohemians), T. Ryan (Highfield), C. Willis (Blackrock), P. McKenzie (loughborough), G. Steenson (Queens), R. McCarter (Queens), C. Treston (Blackrock), T. Horner (Belfast Harlequins), D. Smith (Colston College).

Irish Schools team to play England Schools in St Mary’s RFC, Templeville Road, Dublin on Saturday @3pm: S. Grissing (St Marys College), E. Fitzgerald (Belvedere College), A. Trimble (Coleraine Academical Inst), M. Scott (Methodist College), C. McNaughton (Rockwell College), F. Lawlor (Cistercian College Roscrea), D. Williams (CBC Cork), A. O’Sullivan (PBC Bray), J. Coady (Blackrock College), A. Kirkpatrick (Ballymena Academy), R. Noonan (CBC Cork), A. Dunlop (Terenure College), C. Henry (Wallace High School, captain), G. Murphy (Clongowes Wood College), K. McLaughlin (Gonzaga College).

Replacements: J. Kerins (CBC Cork), D. Hurley (CBC Cork), P.Collins (Templeogue College), R. Caldwell (Royal Belfast AI), D. O’Leary (PBC Cork), E. Ronan (CBC Cork), J. McGrugan (Ballyclare High School).