It’s DLSP day for Boyne

VICTORY in their penultimate game at home to De La Salle Palmerston next Sunday will secure Boyne’s top-flight status for another year and avoid a nail-biting climax the following weekend.

Coach Graeme Eastwood stated after an impressive away win over Dundalk in mid-January that he felt the Drogheda side were safe from the relegation dogfight, a view that seemed to be reinforced by a subsequent draw against another of the title contenders, Enniscorthy.

However, a heavy defeat last time out against likely champions Ashbourne, combined with unfavourable results elsewhere, means that the visit of DLSP is now a crunch game. Boyne will definitely be safe if they win, but a defeat would boost the Kilternan outfit’s survival hopes and leave Boyne needing a result away to Wicklow on the final day.

Wicklow travel to leaders Ashbourne this weekend and will almost certainly require something on Sunday week also - even though they currently lie in the top half of the table, while Gorey are also in danger and Monkstown need a miracle to avoid finishing bottom and being relegated automatically.

The team that finishes second bottom will face a play-off against the runners-up in Division 1B, most likely Kilkenny or Suttonians, for the right to play in 1A next season.

Kick-off at Shamrock Lodge next Sunday is at 3pm.