After resuming their season in fine style last weekend with a 7-1 win over Clontarf, Leinster Senior B leaders Corinthians face probably their biggest game of the campaign when they take on their closest challengers, Pembroke Wanderers II tomorrow at Whitechurch. Victory would guarantee Corinthians at least a promotion/relegation play-off against Senior A's bottom club - if they followed it up with another win against Loreto II next week they would be automatically promoted as champions. Defeat by Hermes tomorrow would ensure that Muckross finished the season bottom of Senior A and would see Glenanne, who are four points above them, safe. Old Alexandra, meanwhile, can make sure of their place in the All-Ireland Club Championship quarterfinals with a win over Railway Union.
Defending Senior A champions Loreto will narrow Hermes's lead at the top of the table to just one point if they win their two games this weekend, against Genesis tomorrow and Pembroke on Sunday. Both teams would then have two games to play, one the potential title-decider between the two. That game was to be the clubs' final fixture of the season (April 7th) but, while the dates have yet to be confirmed, there is a possibility that the Hermes-Pembroke and Loreto-Old Alexandra games will be played on the same night during the following week. In Ulster, Pegasus, who beat Ballymoney 3-1 midweek in what was a dress rehearsal for next month's Irish Senior Cup final, will be confirmed as champions if they beat already relegated Coleraine and Portadown fail to beat Belfast Harlequins.
Further south, in Munster, the University of Limerick can take a giant stride towards booking a place in the All-Ireland Club Championship preliminary game against NUIG if they beat Church of Ireland in Limerick. While there will be no All-Ireland Schools finals this year, because of the foot-and-mouth crisis, the Leinster schools' deciders will finally get up and running at Grange Road next week, beginning on Monday and ending with the senior final on Thursday (4.45).
Leinster League: Senior A, Saturday - Trinity v Pembroke Wanderers, Santry, 12.0; Railway Union v Old Alexandra, Park Avenue, 1.0; Muckross v Hermes, Milltown, 1.30; Glenanne v UCD, St Mark's, 1.30; Loreto v Genesis, Beaufort, 2.0. Sunday - Pembroke Wanderers v Loreto, Serpentine Avenue, 12.0. Senior B, Saturday - Clontarf v Railway Union II, Dardistown, 10.25; Our Lady's v Aer Lingus, ALSAA, 11.0; Corinthian v Pembroke Wanderers II, Whitechurch, 12.30; Hermes II v Avoca, Belfield, 2.30; Loreto II v Old Alexandra II, Beaufort, 3.30. Sunday - Our Lady's v Clontarf, Beaufort, 3.30.
Leinster Cup Semi-Finals: Sunday, Intermediate - Corinthian II v Pembroke Wanderers IV, Grange Road, 12.0; Glenanne II v Pembroke Wanderers III, Grange Road, 2.0. Middle - Mullingar v Weston, ALSAA, 1.0. Junior - Hermes V v Our Ladys III, Iveagh Grounds, 1.0; Bray II v Skerries II, Iveagh Grounds, 3.0.
Munster League: Division One - Univ of Limerick v Church of Ireland, Univ of Limerick, 1.0; UCC V Lansdowne, The Mardyke, 12.0.
Ulster League: Section One - Belfast Harlequins v Portadown, Deramore, 4.0; Pegasus v Coleraine, Queens, 2.30; Randalstown v UUJ, Antrim Forum, 2.30; Ballymoney v Knock, Joey Dunlop Centre, 2.30.
