Battle for final promotion place

REALISTICALLY, only six teams in Division Two of the AIL are involved in matches of real consequence at the weekend. Clontarf, who clinched the title last Saturday, meet Greystones in an interesting Dublin fixture, but one in which the result will only be of academic interest.

The three other teams at the top, Dolphin, Bective and Skerries (see table), face important matches which will decide the fate of the second promotional place on offer. Any of those sides could still gain the slot behind Clontarf and a place in Division One next season.

Dolphin, who will not be selecting a team until this evening, are in the driving seat. If they can beat Malone in Belfast, they will gain promotion, regardless of the other results.

"We'll be going into this game as though it were a cup final. We've a big squad with a lot of young players coming through and if we get promoted, we won't be intimidated by the higher standard," said manager Noel Hickey.

Bective, who hope to put last week's 12-3 defeat by Clontarf behind them, leave only one place vacant as scrum half Des Jackson must pass a fitness before his side's game against UCC in Dublin. Otherwise, the line up is unchanged for a match they must win or draw, in the hope of Dolphin drawing or losing.

Skerries are the clear outsiders. They would need a big win against DLSP in Kilternan and hope that both Bective and Dolphin lose their games.

At the other end of the table, the situation is equally complex, although Derry's game against North could decide who takes the plunge into Division Three.

North have five points and with both Derry and Highfield on four points, there is very little room for manoeuvre. In short, if North win, then both Derry and Highfield go down, regardless of their results.

Elsewhere, Wanderers are disappointed that they have been forced to play their final AIL match at Merrion Road, rather than at Lansdowne.

"The club is disappointed. The deal was to play all of our home games at Lansdowne Road as Lansdowne have done. We have not finished and they have, I believe, already started the work on the ground," a club official said.

Wanderers' final match is against Monkstown. Neither club is in danger of relegation, or in contention for a promotion place.