LEINSTER CLUB RUGBY
A PLACE in the Ulster Bank League is still a possibility for Ashbourne after two tries final 10 minutes by Colm Craigie and Ciaran Roche salvaged a 24-24 draw for the county Meath club at home against Instonians in the AIL round robin last Saturday .
The garnering of an hugely important try bonus point by the home side could prove vital and the manner of the performance will bolster Ashbourne’s confidence ahead of their trip to Bandon tomorrow week. Bandon lost their opener
45-26 in Ballina in a game where both sides earned try bonus points.
Ashbourne’s attention will now turn to the Provincial Towns Cup, as they face Enniscorthy in a mouth-watering semi-final double-header on Sunday. The day will kick off with the meeting of holders Tullow and Wicklow at Cill Dara Rugby Club at Silken Thomas Park.
In the Leinster League Division
1A/1B promotion/relegation playoff, two long-range second-half penalty goals by No 8 Peter Synnott were sufficient to give Suttonians a 6-0 win over De La Salle Palmerston at Sydney Parade, a result that condemns the losers to playing in the lower division next season.
The result of Bective Rangers’ confirmed relegation from the AIL on Saturday is that all play-off losers are automatically relegated.
A penalty try with 10 minutes left sealed victory for Clondalkin against Railway Union in the Division 1B/2A playoff. An injury-time penalty kicked by e Mark Beever won the Division 2A/2B playoff
23-22 for Athy against Edenderry while Roscrea beat Ardee 29-24 in the Division 2B/3 playoff.
Lansdowne 2nd XV beat their Old Wesley counterparts 20-14 at IRFU rugby headquarters to win Division 1 of the Metro League in a keenly-fought contest that was in the melting pot until replacement out-half Charlie McMickan’s late try for the victors proved decisive.
Likewise, it was an injury-time try scored by full-back Joe D’Arcy that delivered victory for Naas in the Division 2 decider when they edged their hosts MU Barnhall
17-15 at Parsonstown and, with it, have gained promotion to Division 1.
Wanderers beat Blackrock 1311 to win the Division 3 decider; Skerries won Division 4 when they beat Malahide 27-20 on Friday night while Old Wesley beat Tallaght
31-7 to claim the Division 7 crown. On Sunday Terenure College take on De La Salle Palmerston in the Metropolitan Cup (J1) final and this evening it’s St Mary’s College v De La Salle Palmerston in the Moran Cup (J3) final, with both deciders in Donnybrook.
Tomorrow afternoon sees an all-Leinster affair in the Fraser McMullen All-Ireland U-20 Championship semi-finals as Lansdowne host Dublin University and UCD travel to Clontarf.