Clontarf looking to extend lead

Club rugby returns to a Friday night slot this evening as the battle for Ulster Bank League honours intensifies in Dublin, Cork and Limerick.

Leaders Clontarf can put some daylight — at least temporarily — between themselves and fellow challengers St Mary’s College and Young Munster at Castle Avenue (7.30pm), both of whom have to wait until tomorrow to play.

Given the opposition — lowly Blackrock College — it would appear they will do that, although local rivalry tends to throw up some strange results from time to time especially when one of the contestants is fighting for survival, as Blackrock on 17 points and in ninth position just above Old Belvedere are.