When Saturday comes

The timing would be impeccable, promotion to the AIL Division One for the 1999-2000 season, a perfect opening salvo to DLSP's centenary season. Saturday may determine the south Dublin club's fate as they travel north to take on Portadown while Wanderers, who also covet a place among club rugby's elite, host Sunday's Well at Lansdowne Road.

Defeat for DLSP would offer a chink of light to Wanderers, Malone and UCC. Victory would mean that only their Dublin rivals could still deny them a promotion place alongside Dungannon. Wanderers, though, would have to win their last three matches against Sunday's Well, City of Derry and Dungannon and overturn a modest points deficit.

Quantifying what promotion would mean to the club and the ambitious projects that await the fillip of Division One rugby next season is impossible according to honorary secretary Leonard Brodie. Suffice is to say that the club is within touching distance of a bright new future. "We have plans for terracing, a covered stand, floodlighting, additional gym facilities and tennis courts because the land we have is not fully utilised.

"These are contingent on our getting into Division One. The whole morale of the club would be lifted by promotion; it would be particularly appropriate given our centenary year next season. We haven't won an awful lot of cups in the history of the club, occasional bridesmaids, but this would make up for that."

Brodie continued: "We have a huge catchment area because of the local housing developments and we welcome the fact that there will be more in the near future. It is proposed that the LUAS scheme may run to Stepaside and that the Southern Cross Motorway will run reasonably close to the club thereby making the club more easily accessible."

It was Palmerston FC that bought the Kilternan venue in 1979 having previously played at Beaver Row, a pitch close to the old Milltown railway station and Clonskeagh. Then, in 1985, a decision to amalgamate with De La Salle RFC provided for the first merger of rugby clubs in Ireland.

It was a marriage of great convenience. De La Salle was looking for a senior outlet while Palmerston's need was quite the opposite.

Gerry Penny, who is currently compiling a history of the club to mark the centenary, explains: "The reason for the amalgamation was quite simple. Palmerston never had a feeder school in all its years and that was a handicap. You would get the odd player coming from established schools, but more would not have a rugby background and would take up the game on becoming a member.

"During the 1970s, it was decided to introduce youth structures within the club, to `grow your own' if you like, and that section I would suggest has been the jewel in the crown of Palmerston's history."

The club now boasts six adult teams, including the under-20s, and nine underage teams, including the mini-rugby age groups. The are three pitches and a spacious area for training and with the proposed new developments, the promise of a very attractive package.

Central to DLSP's rise to promotion contenders was the appointment of New Zealander Phil Werahiko as player/coach. He arrived from Enniscorthy five years ago and has moulded a team that stands on the threshold of the premier division.

Given the club's strong financial footing, there appears little concern at the prospect of rubbing shoulders with the country's bigger clubs. Content that they enjoy the support of the community and that the scope for growth is there, they would welcome an opportunity to prove themselves. Saturday just can't come quickly enough.