AIL - Final Weeks

[simonno6]

Landsdowne really blew it against Trinners. Hard not to see Ballynahinch not beating Highfield and getting the second promotion spot.

Another season for Landsdowne in what will in effect be the third tier of club rugby.

Nope - all they blew was automatic qualification. There is a play-off for the second spot. The outcome of the Ballynahinch Highfield match will only determine who plays this fixture at home.

[FrankBurke]

Landsdowne really blew it against Trinners. Hard not to see Ballynahinch not beating Highfield and getting the second promotion spot.

Another season for Landsdowne in what will in effect be the third tier of club rugby.

Nope - all they blew was automatic qualification. There is a play-off for the second spot. The outcome of the Ballynahinch Highfield match will only determine who plays this fixture at home.

Don't think so Simmo. Top two will be promoted. There's also a top 4 cup competition in each division. So in division 2 UCC will play Old Crescent and Landsowne host Ballynahinch OR Ballynahinch host Landsdowne if Ballynahinch beat Highfield. Winners of play off games play final at Garryowen on 9 May

[FrankBurke]

Landsdowne really blew it against Trinners. Hard not to see Ballynahinch not beating Highfield and getting the second promotion spot.

Another season for Landsdowne in what will in effect be the third tier of club rugby.

Nope - all they blew was automatic qualification. There is a play-off for the second spot. The outcome of the Ballynahinch Highfield match will only determine who plays this fixture at home.

Don't think so Simmo. Top two will be promoted. There's also a top 4 cup competition in each division. So in division 2 UCC will play Old Crescent and Landsowne host Ballynahinch OR Ballynahinch host Landsdowne if Ballynahinch beat Highfield. Winners of play off games play final at Garryowen on 9 May

Not Simmo, Simmono6. Apologies

[simonno6]

DIVISION TWO:

Semi-finals (Saturday, April 25): UCC v Old Crescent, The Mardyke; Lansdowne v Ballynahinch or Ballynahinch v Lansdowne (Ballynahinch have a refixed game to play against Highfield which will decide the final placings)

Teams promoted to Division One Section B for next season: UCC (first) and either Lansdowne or Ballynahinch

Teams to be relegated: Wanderers, Instonians

http://www.irishrugby.ie/23_16879.php

I must have just misinterpreted this. Top two it is.

[thecoolfreak]

Great win for Clontarf over Cork Con. O'Donohue was brilliant, i thought. the nuber 6, Stride, was immense.

[Eve]

Great win for Clontarf over Cork Con. O'Donohue was brilliant, i thought. the nuber 6, Stride, was immense.

Agree - first time they've been beaten at home this season. Also agree with the two players you've singled out. Here's hoping they go on and win it!

[FrankBurke]

Great win for Clontarf over Cork Con. O'Donohue was brilliant, i thought. the nuber 6, Stride, was immense.

Agree - first time they've been beaten at home this season. Also agree with the two players you've singled out. Here's hoping they go on and win it!

Great result. I was there in the freezing cold and rain. In truth Con were lucky to get this far, they were steeped to beat Belvo a couple of weeks ago. Down here they rated Rock as the best team to play Con this season. Pity Rock blew it against Dungannon.

Another season in Division 2 for Landsdwone too, pity they'll be joined by two more Leinster teams.

Anyway.....Go Tarf!!

[General Collins]

Go on Tarf,

Absolutely thrilled - anybody who puts Cork Con back in there box deserves a round of applause

[the spoofer]

Go on Tarf,

Absolutely thrilled - anybody who puts Cork Con back in there box deserves a round of applause

Well done Tarf, thought Keating was excellent and Reilly (2nd Row) played really well.

[mfjoc]

I am sure Clontarf will get a warm reception in Limerick next weekend

[CRAZYDAVE]

I am sure Clontarf will get a warm reception in Limerick next weekend

Hopefully the mantra of "third time lucky" will come good

[gleesonisgod]

Hard luck to Tarf. Superb match and superb advertisement for the club game.

[tackle-bag]

Ridiculous way to decide the winner of such an evenly matched game. People complained about the penalties in the Millennium Stadium but that was even worse.

[Bosco]

Just in from the game, shitty end to it, Clontarf were the better team, and the better supported!!!

atleast the AIL stays in Munster(even if we have to listen Shannon supporters for the next year)

[paddyj]

Good game to watch - felt Clontarf shld have looked to set up drop goal when they had all that possession in Shannon territory

Don't see why there couldn't be a reply in this case

O'Donoghue did well again - as did Grace the Shannon 7

[ceemec]

I only caught bits of the game and the extra time. When Shannon won I thought it was because they had scored more tries. When I found out about the first try rule I couldn't believe it. That seems to be simply the most absurd rule I have ever heard. Whichever team scores first is such a pointless exercise and in a lot of matches has little relevance. They may as well award victories based on alphabetical order. Pity, Tarf were very good although I think they should have had a crack at the drop in the late stages instead of working the ball wide and looking for a try. Someone needed to step up and hit one. O'Donohoe was great. He plays almost like an outhalf at 9. Controls the game from there putting people through gaps and running the show. Himself and Reddan at 9 next season will be great to see.

[grandslam]

That finish was an insult to all the AIL players and clubs who put in so much effort over the season.

What a sour end to such a good advertisment for the much maligned AIL.

I don't dispute that Shannon are a good honest consistent side but the way they celebrated at the end was nothing short of riduiculous.

You should be embarrased to win a game like that! i know that I would.

I thought that the penalty kicks situation was bad but this is a new sinister low.

The IRFU needs to action this now.

BTW I am not a Tarf fan. I just despise rules that defy logic.

Rant over.

[dropkick]

That finish was an insult to all the AIL players and clubs who put in so much effort over the season.

What a sour end to such a good advertisment for the much maligned AIL.

I don't dispute that Shannon are a good honest consistent side but the way they celebrated at the end was nothing short of riduiculous.

You should be embarrased to win a game like that! i know that I would.

I thought that the penalty kicks situation was bad but this is a new sinister low.

The IRFU needs to action this now.

BTW I am not a Tarf fan. I just despise rules that defy logic.

Rant over.

Rules are rules. Cork Con finished top but didn't win. Everybody knows the rules starting out.

The rule is silly though. IMO it should have gone to the higher placed team in the league. Thats was Shannon..

[sforan]

The rule is silly though. IMO it should have gone to the higher placed team in the league. Thats was Shannon..

I can't disagree with the rule being silly. But at the end of extra time if it's all square it should have gone to a replay.

[madridlion]

Why not share the cup if deadlocked after extra-time, would be better than the farce of first try scored.