’Hinch up in arms over ‘meaningless’ league final

RUGBY’S AIB All-Ireland League Division Two final has been slated as “meaningless” by a Ballynahinch official who has also voiced his disgust at the decision to play the league decider on Saturday in Limerick.

The Co Down side will face UCC in the second tier final at Dooradoyle on Saturday. That will be preceded, at the same venue, by the Division Three tie between Corinthians of Galway and Dublin’s Old Wesley.

The Division One final has also been scheduled for Limerick on the same day, although Shannon and Clontarf will play out their fixture at Thomond Park later in the afternoon.

“Whoever made the decision to play the game in Limerick obviously thought there would only be Munster teams involved,” said Ballynahinch spokesman John Dickson yesterday.

“It was in Dublin (Donnybrook) last year, Limerick this year so, going on that, I take it the final will be in Belfast next year. Somehow I don’t think it will. I would like to see Munster clubs travelling up to Ravenhill for a final.”

Ballynahinch have enjoyed a remarkable season so far having claimed the AIB Cup, Ulster Senior League and Ulster Senior Cup. Eight coachloads of supporters travelled to Athlone to see them capture the first of those trophies.

Only a couple of buses will travel to Limerick for the weekend’s game but Dickson believes that has as much to do with what he described as the meaningless nature of a fixture between two teams that have already secured promotion, as much as the distance involved.

“All it does is sort out who gets a few euro at the end of the season and that isn’t much anyway. To be honest, UCC have been the best team in Division Two. They were certainly the best team we have come up against.

“This will be our 38th match this season. We have just come off four games in nine days and I don’t know how we won all of them. Our schedule has been horrendous, which isn’t to make excuses. Our boys will go down and give it a lash.”

Dickson also believes there is a simple solution that would keep everyone happy.

“The perfect venue for the finals would be Dubarry Park in Athlone. That is an excellent venue for club rugby and it is in the middle of everywhere for everyone. We found them to be fantastic hosts when we played the AIB Cup final there and the pitch itself is 100%.”

Meanwhile, both Division One finalists are playing the waiting game over their respective scrum-halves.

Clontarf are hoping that Leinster Academy player Paul O’Donoghue will be released for the club’s third stab at a Division One title in the last six years but it will be later in the week before a decision will be known.

Shannon’s Fiach O’Loughlin has not played for the Limerick side since fracturing his jaw in the league defeat to Cork Constitution on St Patrick’s Day but the side’s captain may yet play some part at the weekend.

“I was pretty much ruled out for the rest of the season by our doctor. It is 50-50 for the weekend. The injury has healed up very well and I am just hoping it can do a lot more healing before the weekend.”

Shannon will start Saturday’s game as favourites, not least because the game will be played on their own home turf, but Clontarf made light of similar circumstances in putting paid to Cork Constitution’s ambitions at Temple Hill in the last four.

’Tarf will be also be hoping to mirror Leinster’s achievement in upsetting Munster opposition, while O’Loughlin is naturally working on the traditional AIL heavyweights restoring the southern province’s hegemony.

“Everybody is a bit flat (after the Heineken Cup semi-final). Leinster were great, really great and we didn’t really expect that.

“Hopefully we can give people something to smile about,” he added.