The promotion and relegation issue between divisions two and three of the AIB League was thrown into confusion again yesterday after an interim agreement between the IRFU and Wanderers left the matter unresolved pending a High Court action on Tuesday May 12th.
As things stand, the injunction preventing the union from relegating Wanderers or making any decisions arising from that remain in place. Meanwhile, the agreement brokered between the two parties yesterday means that the first leg of the putative promotion/relegation play-off between Ballynahinch and Malone can go ahead today if those clubs so wish - but on the proviso that it ultimately mightn't count for anything if Wanderers win their action in the High Court.
In that case, Wanderers' postponed division two match with already promoted Buccaneers would go ahead before May 31st. Were Wanderers to win that game, and so move above both Malone and Bective, and out of the relegation zone, it would render any outcome between Ballynahinch-Malone meaningless. A re-arranged play-off between Bective and Ballynahinch could take place either before May 31st or at the start of next season. Were Wanderers to draw a re-arranged game with Buccaneers, they would go into a play-off with Ballynahinch. As Ed Murrow once said about Vietnam, anyone who isn't confused doesn't really understand the situation.
Thus, due to the uncertainty of their putative play-off, Ballynahinch and Malone were still undecided late last night as to whether they would go ahead with today's planned first leg. The situation was complicated further by both clubs having their annual dinner last night, and the ramifications don't end there, for the former's ground at Ballymacarn Park was due to be closed next week for the off-season development of floodlighting and two new pitches.
Elsewhere, this bank holiday weekend provides a typical end-of-season pot-pourri. On one extreme there is the Kinsale Sevens, while in Naas tomorrow and Monday there is the third year of the All-Ireland Under-20 play-offs between the four provincial winners.
The reigning champions Blackrock and Shannon have brought in all their respective big guns for their semi-finals against Corinthians and Instonians tomorrow, with both expected to reach Monday's final even though Instonians have a good track record in this event, having reached the inaugural final two years ago.
There is also Senior Cup action in all four provinces. In Munster, Shannon, Young Munster and UCC await the winners of the Cork Constitution-Richmond quarter-final in advance of the draw for next weekend's semi-finals.
In Leinster, the five remaining second-round ties will be played this afternoon, thus clearing the decks for the midweek quarter-finals and then the semi-finals next weekend.
The newly promoted duo of Buccaneers and Galwegians have everything loaded in their favour when entering the Connacht Senior Cup at the semi-final stages, and both have home advantage against Corinthians and Connemara respectively today and tomorrow. For Galwegians coach Joe Healy, this constitutes a first meeting since leaving the Connemara All Blacks, the club he coached two seasons ago.
Intensifying the strong Waikato link in Connacht rugby circles, whereby it is expected that former Waikato and Northampton coach Glenn Ross will take over the provincial reins from Warren Gatland, the former Terenure scrum-half Kevin Putt (currently playing with the South African Coastal Sharks in the Super 12s) has been lined up to assume a player-coach role at Galwegians.
English Premiership Leaders Saracens rest four players and are again without out-half Michael Lynagh against London Irish tomorrow as they attempt to widen the gap over Newcastle. Paddy Johns, the new Ireland captain, returns for the exiles in place of Tony Copsey.
DLSP - 51, Old Belvedere - 14
DLSP gained a powerful victory over Old Belvedere in the second round of the Leinster Cup at Kilternan yesterday evening. Seven tries went almost unanswered as a depleted Belvedere side struggled to find any sort of grip on the game.
Stephen Hayes scored the first try after just two minutes that set the DLSP's victory in motion and they led 21-9 at the break.
Scorers: DLSP: S Hayes 2 tries, P Werahiko, B Hogan, E Devitt, N O'Riordan try each; M Maguinness try and conversion, T James 4 conversions, 2 penalties; Old Belvedere: B Treacy 3 penalties, C Gleeson try).
DLSP: C Condren; S Hayes, S Cullen, P Nikori, K Wheelock; P Werahiko, D O'Brien; P Sheridan, B Hogan, T James, E Devitt, N O'Riordan, M Cunningham, J Corr, S Gormley. Replacement: M Maguinness.
Old Belvedere: N McCarthy; J Mion, G O'Neill, M Henderson, C Gleeson; D Shanley, C Johnson; M Ericsson, D Ward, B Murphy, R Browne, R Monaghan, S Cushin, D Keogh, B Treacy.
Referee: D Nelson.
