All-Ireland League finals: Clonakilty and Suttonians considered forfeiting Saturday's AIB All-Ireland League Division Three final in protest at the IRFU's decision to downgrade the match from Lansdowne Road to Anglesea Road.

"We're finding it very difficult to honour it," said Clonakilty chairman Kevin Dillon.

"Both Suttonians and ourselves feel so aggrieved we feel like telling them to keep it but then we don't want to snub AIB because they have been good to us and the competition."

The IRFU switched the final to Old Belvedere RFC because of their obligation to provide long-term tenants the FAI with a surface fit for the international friendly game against Chile on May 24th.

The Lansdowne Road ground staff felt the pitch could not sustain three consecutive matches this Saturday.

Clonakilty and Suttonians claim the IRFU have reneged on their promotional campaign, in which 2006 was described as "the year of the club".

"I was at the meeting at the beginning of the season when (IRFU president) Andy Crawford said this is the year of club and that we want to develop young players," said Suttonians chairman Martin McEvoy.

"They have pulled the rug now on two very prominent clubs who are developing young players."

Suttonians sponsor and pharmacist John Magner was highly critical in a letter to the IRFU, reminding them of the catchphrases used to promote the league:

"The year of the club. Support your local club. Support rugby. We have done that and I have no regrets with my involvement with Suttonians but I am absolutely appalled by your decision to treat the Division Three final with such derision.

"Shame on you, your decision makers and anyone who can see justice in this."

Neither club sent a representative to yesterday's launch of the third annual joint finals day, which in the previous two years saw all three deciders held at Lansdowne Road on the same day.

"Genuinely our captain, my son Derek Dillon, was unavailable today," continued Dillon.

"It was very inconvenient for him to go but I don't see why he should make a massive effort when we were being treated like that.

"It's a 10-hour (round trip) journey. Everybody was geared for going to Lansdowne Road so travel arrangements are now up in the air. If we are to attend the prematch function, at 10.30am, we will need to go up the night before."

Dillon was also dismissive of an IRFU offer to play the final at Lansdowne Road on Saturday May 27th.

"It would not be All-Ireland day. We've been playing since last August so to ask the players to prolong their season for two more weeks was unreasonable."

McEvoy said rescheduling the final to the tail-end of a 16-match season would create "a funeral-parlour atmosphere".

"We will play so the winning team can receive their glory and it would be wrong to let down the excellent work done by AIB, year in year out."

Both clubs secured promotion to Division Two rugby next season after Clonakilty finished top of the table and Suttonians second after the regular season.

Kick-off on Saturday is at noon and those who pay into Anglesea Road can also gain access to Lansdowne Road later for the day's other two finals.