BOTH Old Wesley and Old Belvedere, who face critical relegation matches next Saturday in the Insurance Corporation All-Ireland League first division, have had to defer selection of their teams.

Old Wesley travel to meet Young Munster at Tom Clifford Park and Old Belvedere will be at home to Garryowen. With Instonians already relegated, Old Wesley are in second-last position with Old Belvedere one place above.

Both teams have six points, but Old Belvedere have a marginal advantage in that their points difference is five points better than Old Wesley's. They also have an advantage in tries scored. If the teams end on the same points-total, then points difference will be the deciding issue. In the event of a tie on that, then tries scored is the determining factor.

Dungannon and Old Crescent are both on eight points, but even if both lose and Old Wesley and Old Belvedere both win, there is a very big points difference between the sides (See table).

Old Wesley are hoping that out-half Adrian Hawe and flankers Chris Pim and Robbie Love will be available next Saturday. Hawe and Pim both played last Saturday in the win over Garryowen. They are also unsure about the hooking berth. Young Munster have had to delay selection.

Old Belvedere are hopeful that full back Peter McKenna will be fit to return and also entertain some hope that flanker Mick Carswell, making a quicker than expected recovery from a wrist injury, will be able to play.

Old Crescent will field the same full back, scrum-half and three-quarter line that played against Shannon for their visit to Cork Constitution. They leave the out-half berth open. They will also field the same tight five that played against Shannon, but await fitness reports on Len Dinneen and Liam Toland before finalising the back row.

Dungannon also have injury problems and delay selection for the visit of St Mary's College. They will, however, definitely be without scrum-half Stephen Bell.

League champions Shannon travel to Ballymena and will almost certainly field the team that defeated Old Crescent last week to, win the title.

Lansdowne have Andrew Doyle back on the flank for their visit to Terenure College on Saturday. A win for Lansdowne will give them second place in the league and that would be their best finish in the competition.

Lansdowne and Wanderers are extremely unhappy with the decision of the IRFU to close the main pitch at Lansdowne Road until May 10th for remedial work to take place on the playing surface. The Lansdowne club has written to the IRFU requesting that they be able to play on a back pitch. Wanderers have had to move their AIL match against Monkstown on Saturday to Merrion Road.