All-Ireland League Round-up:Same old same old. With no one even remotely threatening to break Munster's triple grip on the AIB All-Ireland League, at least Clontarf finally slipped back into contention with victory away to the hapless Belfast Harlequins.
The try bonus, in a 27-16 victory, moved the Dubliners into the fourth play-off spot as UL Bohemians again slipped up at Thomond Park, losing 22-21 to Dungannon.
But with just one round of fixtures remaining in 2006, the most interesting story of the competition has been the collapse of Belfast Harlequins - a club that gave Shannon a decent game in the 2005 final.
What makes their sixth consecutive defeat bewildering is the quality still available to coach Andy Ward. Granted, a battalion of players followed coach Andre Bester to Rotherham last year but Ireland under-21 captain Stuart Philpott and centre Darren Cave are lining out each week.
Harlequins are six points adrift of UCD at the bottom of the table and relegation seems inevitable.
The students' minor revival, in beating Terenure away last week, collapsed as Blackrock moved into joint fifth position, with UL Bohs, after beating UCD 29-21 at the Belfield Bowl.
One suspects if Blackrock can get their best team on the field for a few consecutive games they will become serious contenders.
Meanwhile, Cork Constitution are shaping as title favourites after a 26-14 victory over St Mary's thanks to a late, bonus-point try from flanker Brendan Cutriss. They move clear of Garryowen, who beat Lansdowne 16-15 thanks to a last-minute penalty from Eoghan Hickey.
Shannon loiter a further point adrift after denting Terenure's decent return to division one - 27-13 at Lakelands.
Elsewhere, Buccaneers and Galwegians cancelled each other out in a 36-point Connacht derby, while Ballymena recorded a valuable second win of the season over Dolphin, 19-12.
The resident clubs at Lansdowne Road say their official farewells to the old ground with a double-header at the venue next Saturday.
Lansdowne host Galwegians at 2pm, followed by the division three fixture between Wanderers and Instonians at 4pm.
