Ulster Bank League: All the final-day permutations

Bective Rangers lose place as senior club as Garryowen and Clontarf vie for play-off spot

Bective Rangers will lose their status as a senior club and drop into the Leinster Senior League Division 1A. Photograph: James Crombie/Inpho
Bective Rangers will lose their status as a senior club and drop into the Leinster Senior League Division 1A. Photograph: James Crombie/Inpho

DIVISION 1A

Lansdowne will be at home in the semi-finals where they will face the fourth place side, currently Garryowen, although Clontarf in fifth are still in the mix. Cork Constitution and Terenure College are vying for second place and with it a home semi-final against the team that finishes third. If Con match Terenure's result they will get the home semi-final. Buccaneers' relegation to Division 1B next season is already confirmed while St Mary's College, guaranteed to finish second last, will host the club that finishes fourth in Division 1B, currently UCC, in a relegation/promotion semi-final.

Ulster Bank League Division 1A (2.30pm): Clontarf v Cork Constitution, Castle Avenue; Garryowen v St Mary's, Dooradoyle; Lansdowne v Buccaneers, Aviva Stadium; Terenure College v Dublin University, Lakelands; UCD v Young Munster, Belfield.

DIVISION 1B

The top three teams, Shannon, Ballynahinch and Banbridge are fighting to finish first and thereby secure the automatic promotion place. The other two will be joined by the fourth-placed side, most probably UCC in the promotion/relegation semi-finals. The Students would then travel to St Mary’s in one semi-final while the second- and third-placed teams would meet in the other, at the home of the higher ranked club.

The winners of the two semi-finals will then meet at the home of the highest ranked club to decide who will be in Division 1A next season. Dolphin’s relegation to 2A is assured. Naas, Ballymena, Old Wesley and UL Bohemians are all striving to avoid finishing second last to avoid having to host a promotion relegation semi-final against the fourth placed side in 2A, currently Nenagh Ormond.

READ SOME MORE

Div 1B (2.30pm): Ballymena v Old Wesley, Eaton Park; Ballynahinch v Old Belvedere, Ballymacarn Park; Banbridge v UL Bohemians, Rifle Park; Naas v Dolphin, Forenaughts; Shannon v UCC, Thomond Park.

DIVISION 2A

Malone and Highfield will dispute automatic promotion to 1B as division winners; the second team gets a home semi-final against the third club, with the fourth-placed side, Nenagh potentially travelling to UL Bohemians, second from bottom in 1B, in the other semi-final. Those two winners meet for a place in 1B. At the other end of the table Galway Corinthians are in the relegation slot with Galwegians as things stand, having to welcome the fourth-placed team in 2B, Navan to Crowley Park in a relegation promotion semi-final.

Div 2A (2.30pm): Blackrock College v Highfield, Stradbrook; Galwegians v Cashel, Crowley Park; Greystones v Armagh, Dr Hickey Park; Malone v Nenagh Ormond, Gibson Park; QUB v Corinthians, Dub Lane.

DIVISION 2B

Old Crescent will hope to complete a remarkable unbeaten season having won 16 of 17 matches to date and drawn the other one. They go up to 2A automatically. Rainey Old Boys are likely to host MU Barnhall, the latter the only side not to be beaten by Crescent, in one Division 2B relegation/promotion semi-final while the other is likely to contain Galwegians, who will be at home most probably to Navan. At the foot of the table City of Derry have endured a nightmare season and are going down while another Ulster club Belfast Harlequins will contest the promotion relegation semi-final against the fourth placed club in 2C.

Div 2B (2.30pm): City of Derry v Wanderers, Judges Road; Navan v Belfast Harlequins, Balreask Old; Old Crescent v Rainey, Rosbrien; Skerries v Dungannon, Holmpatrick; Sunday's Well v Barnhall, Musgrave Park.

DIVISION 2C

The final round of fixtures see Sligo host Thomond in a first versus second situation in the division with the winners of this match automatically promoted to 2B. The loser will play Malahide – the venue for this semi-final is still up for dispute depending on results – while Omagh are currently fourth and if that was to remain the way they would travel to Belfast Harlequins in the other semi-final.

Bective Rangers will lose their status as a senior club and drop into the Leinster Senior League Division 1A. They will be replaced by the winner of the All Ireland round robin series, currently being contested by Ashbourne, Ballina, Bandon and Instonians. The club that finishes second last in 2C will have home advantage against the team that finishes second in the round robin series to dispute the final place available in the Ulster Bank League.

Div 2C (2.30pm): Bective Rangers v Malahide, Donnybrook; Omagh v Bruff, Thomas Mellon Playing Fields; Seapoint, Midleton, Kilbogget Park; Sligo v Thomond, Hamilton Park; Tullamore v Bangor, Spollanstown.

John O'Sullivan

John O'Sullivan

John O'Sullivan is an Irish Times sports writer