AIL rugby: Cork clubs battle to avoid the drop on last weekend

IT’S D-Day in energia All-Ireland League tomorrow with the concluding round of games, the 18th in all, when clubs find out what’s in store regarding promotion and relegation issues across the five divisions.

In 1A Cork Constitution travel to play Young Munster at Clifford Park with both teams already through to the following weekend’s semi-finals against Clontarf and Terenure College, but uncertain of who or where they’ll be playing.

UCC and Highfield are involved in critical games at either end of the 1B table and at opposite ends of the country, too, the Students at home to Malone and ’Field travelling to play Banbridge.

There’s sure to be a sombre atmosphere at Musgrave Park for a rare double-header, starting with Sunday’s Well against Bangor at 1pm in 2C and followed by Dolphin against Queens University at 4pm in 2A with both Cork clubs relegated.

And there’s a huge game for Midleton, who are at home to promotion play-off chasing Clonmel at Towns Park, where the East Cork are trying to avoid a relegation decider against the losers of the junior qualifying final between Limerick’s Richmond and Ulster’s Clogher Valley at Ashbourne, Co Meath.

Con can’t be caught by Munsters for third, but the Cork club are just two points off Terenure, who, themselves trail Clontarf by five.

Con need to win, first of all, and hope Shannon, second from the bottom, can upset Terenure in Dublin, the Limerick side needing the points badly to reel in either UCD or Trinity College and avoid the play-offs.

Shannon trail by three points against the university sides, UCD meeting Clontarf and Trinity hosting relegated Garryowen, who are unlikely to be able to help out their Limerick rivals.

Con and Munsters rarely disappoint and this is sure to be no exception. The Temple Hill club won 19-18 on the opening day with a James Murphy try, converted by captain Aidan Moynihan, who also kicked three penalties and George Coomber another.

Such is the treasured prize of a home semi-final that Terenure are unlikely to miss out on facing Con on their own patch regardless of the result in Limerick. That will spell bad news for Shannon, who look set to join three teams from 1B in the semi-finals with Highfield hoping to be one of them.

City of Armagh are already going up as champions, but it’s very tight for the play-off places with Old Belvedere second on 55 points, one ahead of ’Field, who are three clear of Buccaneers and Old Wesley just two behind Eddie O’Sullivan’s side.

If positions remain unchanged then Highfield would travel to play Belvedere in one semi-final and Shannon would be at home to Buccaneers in the other with the winners meeting in the promotion decider. The highest-ranked club would be at home.

Highfield’s trip to Banbridge also has consequences at the other end of the table. Highfield won 26-20 at Woodleigh Park, when Cian Bohane crossed twice and Miah Cronin and Aidan Keane also scored tries, three converted by James Taylor.

CONGESTED

The Ulster side need the points to avoid relegation or the play-off in a congested portion of the table, which has UCC in eighth on 31 points, Banbridge in ninth on 29 and Malone propping up everyone else on 27.

That’s why the College game against Malone at the Mardyke carries such significance with the Students knowing victory would guarantee their place in 1B again next season while the Belfast club have to win to leapfrog the others to safety.

UCC won the corresponding opening game up north by 36-12, scoring five tries in the process from Sean Condon, Andrew O’Mahony, Aaron Quirke, Jack O’Sullivan and Rian O’Donoghue, four converted by Daniel Squires, who also kicked a penalty.

The Well’s long reign as a senior club will officially end after the Bangor game and they’ll play junior next season while Dolphin, who drop to 2B, wrap up their season against title chasing Queens.

Midleton’s fate isn’t entirely in their own hands because they trail Omagh Academicals by three and so must defeat Clonmel and hope Omagh slip-up at home to Bruff, who are also bidding for a top-four finish. Bangor and Ballina, who play Skerries, away, are not safe either.