UCC face a testing day at Belfield

WITH one game to go, there are still five clubs chasing the three remaining promotion places in the third division of the All Ireland League. Only Monkstown, Derry and Highfield are secure, leaving the rest to squabble over the extra places which have come courtesy of the league restructuring.

For UCC it will be a particularly fraught day. They would hardly have chosen Belfield as their last chance saloon, particularly when the match has the added incentive of being a Dudley Cup decider. With the prospect of a European universities competition next season, the Dudley Cup winners would obviously be in a position to represent Ireland. So UCD's lowly position in the AIL table will have no bearing on their attitude.

Both teams have deferred selection. In the case of UCC they will certainly be without centre John Kelly, who is sitting an exam, and Conor Kehilly who has a recurrence of a shoulder injury. UCD will be unchanged up front, but will not finalise their back line until later in the week.

With regard to promotion, UCC can at least focus solely on this match if they win that, then the outcome of the game between Skerries and Bohemians both immediately above them will be irrelevant to College, for even if it finishes in a draw, UCC's points difference is vastly superior.

In the fourth division, the promotion issue should be clarified by the IRFU later this week, and it is likely that four teams will go up to the third division. Portadown who have long since secured their spot will yet again start with the same team which has seen them enjoy such a successful season. They conclude against a Trinity team trying to halt their recent slide. With injuries in the front, second and back rows the students have deferred selection.

. Ireland have been drawn in the same pool as Wales, Argentina and Poland in the Student World Cup in South Africa this summer. Two teams qualify from each pool for the quarter finals of the competition which will be held in Johannesburg and Pretoria.

Ireland, who have included five senior and five A internationals in their 26 man squad, have benefited from a good schedule to compensate for what is a tough group. They will open up against Wales on June 29th, followed by Poland on July 2nd and then Argentina on July 5th this allows Ireland to rest most of the first choice players in midweek for what is certain to be a serious battle against Argentina.