AIL round-up: Clontarf finish regular season in top spot after win over St Mary’s

Clontarf finished the Energia All-Ireland League regular season on top of Division 1A by overtaking St Mary’s with a 47-19 win over the latter at Castle Avenue to secure a home semi-final in a fortnight’s time.

The visitors, already assured of a home semi-final, fielded a somewhat weakened side to allow key players a respite. Leading 19-14 at half-time, Clontarf pulled clear with four second-half tries and will now host Lansdowne on April 19th, while St Mary’s will welcome the champions Cork Constitution to Templeville Road.

Con completed their regular season campaign by sharing 14 tries with Terenure in an entertaining 47-45 win at Temple Hill in a repeat of last year’s final.

Centre Ethan Reilly scored four tries for a Terenure side which was playing its first dead rubber in four seasons, in what was also Seán Skehan’s final game as head coach after the most successful era in the club’s history to date.

Munster confirm team manager Niall O’Donovan will step down at end of this season

Ireland to host Scotland and Canada before Women’s Rugby World Cup

Leo Cullen rings changes for Leinster ahead of clash with Glasgow

Lansdowne warmed up for the playoffs by dipping deep into their squad for a 26-13 home win over relegated Garryowen, and their only defeat in their last nine games was a 49-46 loss at Castle Avenue to the last kick of the game.

A UCD side featuring eight players on Leinster’s books, including four who played in the province’s win over the Sharks in Durban a week previously, preserved their 1A status with a 40-10 win at Young Munster. They were also indebted to City of Armagh’s somewhat surprising 29-24 loss at home to Ballynahinch.

City of Armagh now host UCC in next week’s 1A/1B promotion/relegation semi-finals after the students climbed above Old Wesley with a 38-5 win over 1B champions Old Belvedere. Old Wesley missed out after a 40-28 defeat to Blackrock, who next week visit Nenagh Ormond in the other semi-final.

Shannon suffered back-to-back relegations despite a 66-12 win at home to Queen’s, while Highfield avoided a relegation playoff with a 43-42 bonus-point win at Naas, while Trinity were restricted to two tries in their 20-7 win at home to Nenagh.

Trinity will now host Greystones in the 1B/2A semi-finals after the latter edged out Corinthians on points difference (+169 to +159) thanks to a 15-13 win in Navan, while the Galway club were frustratingly one try short of a bonus point in their 19-12 win at home to Ballymena. Cashel will host Barnhall in the other semi-final.

Navan will host Galwegians in the 2A/2B semi-finals after the latter overtook UL Bohemians on the final day thanks to a 39-7 win in Skerries and Sligo’s 12-8 win over the Limerick club. Sligo thus finished above Skerries in the relegation playoff spot on points difference. Dungannon host Clogher Valley in the other semi-final.

Enniscorthy pipped Midleton to the Division 2C title with a 29-26 win away to Belfast Harlequins, while the Cork side were losing 26-24 away to Monkstown. Midleton must now refocus in hosting Dolphin in the 2B/2C playoffs, while Skerries host Ballyclare in the other semi-final.

Energia AIL Division 1A

City of Armagh 22 Ballynahinch 29

Clontarf 47 St. Mary’s Col. 19

Cork Con 47 Terenure Col. 45

Lansdowne 26 Garryowen 13

Young Munster 10 UCD 40

Division 1B

Blackrock Col. 40 Old Wesley 28

Dublin Uni. 20 Nenagh Ormond 7

Naas 42 Highfield RFC 43

Shannon RFC 66 Queen’s Uni. 12

UCC Rugby 38 Old Belvedere 5