All-Ireland League Weekend round-up: Around this time every season the AIB All-Ireland League is screaming out for a team to break the monotony created by the old reliables. Clontarf managed it a few years back and, despite a subsequent player exodus to the professional ranks, they remain the standard-bearers for Dublin club rugby. Now, with just two rounds remaining, UL-Bohemians are making a late sprint for the play-offs.
Depressingly, for the rest of the country at least, the latest challengers to the elite are yet another Limerick club. Mid-table Dungannon capitulated at Stevenson Park on Saturday by allowing the visitors cross for five tries in a comprehensive 42-18 victory.
The result leaves Mike Tewkesbury's side two points adrift of Cork Constitution in the fourth semi-final spot - although Con have a game in hand after their match against St Mary's was postponed due to the tragic death of Conrad O'Sullivan last week. The fixture will now be played on April 22nd.
Third place Shannon have a six-point cushion over their fellow Thomond Park residents but the unconvincing 25-12 home victory over Carlow may ultimately condemn Mick Galwey's men to an away semi-final. Six penalties from Dave Delaney and a late try from winger Pat O'Connor denied Carlow a deserved bonus point. The winless midlanders will be in division two next season.
Belfast Harlequins' slim hopes of making the top four disappeared at Castle Avenue as a Clontarf pack, containing Ben Gissing, engineered a six-try annihilation. Marc Hewitt and Mark Woods both touched down twice. Garryowen remain second thanks to victory over Lansdowne on the back pitch of IRFU headquarters. A Paul Devlin try and Gerry Hurley drop goal proved the vital contributions in the 14-10 victory.
That bonus point puts Lansdowne clear of relegation trouble but, mathematically at least, Blackrock can still go down. An injury-time penalty from UCD outhalf Eoghan Hickey ensured an eighth defeat of the campaign. Considering the other strugglers, Galwegians and Dublin University, also lost, Blackrock will probably survive.
Trinity were overwhelmed at College Park by Ballymena, while Galwegians lost 26-12 to Buccaneers in the Connacht derby. The students are in the second relegation spot, seven points behind Galwegians and 10 off Blackrock although with an extra game to play. Many expected UL-Bohemians to be involved in this scrap but they have other matters to focus on. The league is again disrupted by a three-week break but the Limerick side will continue to press for the play-offs at home to Ballymena on April 15th.
All-Ireland League
P W D L F A B Pt
Clontarf 13 10 0 3 339 193 11 51
Garryowen 13 12 0 1 288 149 3 51
Shannon 13 11 0 2 305 168 3 47
Cork Con 12 9 0 3 311 173 7 43
UL-Bohs 13 8 1 4 289 274 7 41
Harlequins 13 7 0 6 280 280 6 34
Buccaneers 13 6 1 6 253 213 5 31
UCD 13 6 0 7 254 228 7 31
Ballymena 13 6 0 7 264 259 4 28
Dungannon 13 6 0 7 211 294 3 27
St Mary's 12 5 1 6 202 236 3 25
Lansdowne 13 5 0 8 285 262 3 23
Blackrock 13 4 1 8 177 321 4 22
Galwegians 13 3 0 10 183 291 6 18
Trinity 12 2 0 10 181 325 3 11
Carlow 12 0 0 12 157 313 4 4
