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AIB League: Division One Previews

AIB League: Division One Previews

The final day of regulation phase action in AIB League Division One will decide the fourth club that will join Cork Constitution, Shannon and Garryowen in the semi-finals, who will have home advantage in the play-offs and who, out of Dungannon, Galwegians, Lansdowne and Greystones, will be relegated.

AIB LEAGUE: DIVISION ONE: Saturday, April 19

GARRYOWEN (3rd) v UCD (8th), Dooradoyle, 2.30pm
Referee: George Clancy (Munster)

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Previous AIB League Meetings: 6 (Garryowen won 5, UCD won 1); At Dooradoyle: 3 (Garryowen won 3, UCD won 0)

Last Season: Saturday, January 20, 2007 – UCD 20 Garryowen 13, Belfield Bowl

AIB League Form: Garryowen (most recent games on left hand side): WWWWW
UCD: LLWLW

GARRYOWEN – NOTES: * This is the last of their five home AIB League matches against Leinster clubs this season and the last of their eight home games
* They first played AIB League rugby against UCD in March 2002, winning 42-24 at home to them. They won five consecutive league games against UCD before losing to them last season
* They have lost ten of their previous 48 AIB League fixtures at home to clubs from Leinster
* They have won their last nine Division One matches and if they win this weekend, they will set a new AIB League record for consecutive wins at the club
* The memory of the great Shay Deering, who captained both of these clubs, will surely be invoked on Saturday
* They have conceded the least penalty goals (14) in Division One so far this season. They should be playing Shannon in the semi-finals but at a Limerick venue as yet unknown
* The story at home in Division One so far this season is played 7, won 5 and lost 2. Last time out in Division One, they won 34-17 at home to Old Belvedere

TOP AIB LEAGUE POINTS SCORER THIS SEASON: Conor Kilroy 120
TOP AIB LEAGUE TRY SCORER THIS SEASON: Keith Earls 6

UCD – NOTES: * This is the last of their three trips to Munster this season and the last of seven Division One games on the road
* They lost 37-24 on their most recent AIB League visit to Dooradoyle (April 2006)
* Have won ten of their previous 29 AIB League fixtures away in Munster. They have lost three of their last four Division One matches
* They have already this season been beaten by the four other Munster clubs in Division One
* Will former Garryowen stalwart Killian Keane have the UCD back-line up for it this weekend?
* Are in a much better position currently than they were heading into the final day of Division One’s regulation phase last season
* The story on the road in Division One so far this season is played 6, won 2 and lost 4. Last time out in Division One, they lost 45-14 at home to Shannon

TOP AIB LEAGUE POINTS SCORER THIS SEASON: Killian Lett 91
TOP AIB LEAGUE TRY SCORER THIS SEASON: Cian Aherne 8

OLD BELVEDERE (10th) v UL BOHEMIANS (7th), Anglesea Road, 2.30pm
Referee: Mark Hermin (Ulster)

Previous AIB League Meetings: 3 (Old Belvedere won 1, UL Bohemians won 2); At Anglesea Road: 2 (Old Belvedere won 1, UL Bohemians won 1)

Last Season: No game played as Old Belvedere were in Division Two

AIB League Form: Old Belvedere (most recent games on left hand side): LWLWL
UL Bohemians: WLLLW

OLD BELVEDERE – NOTES: * This is their last of two home matches against Munster clubs this season and the last of their eight home games
* They first played AIB League rugby against UL Bohemians in October 2000 – they won 31-25 at home to them. This weekend they are playing UL Bohs for the first time in Division One
* They have won 22 of their previous 41 AIB League fixtures at home to clubs from Munster. They have already this season been beaten by the four other Munster clubs in Division One
* If they score eight more points on Saturday, Belvo will have topped 4000 points in the all-time AIB League
* They have gathered the most bonus points (9) in Division One so far this season. Can congratulate themselves on a fine campaign on their return to the top flight
* The story at home in Division One so far this season is played 7, won 4 and lost 3. Last time out in Division One, they lost 34-17 away to Garryowen

TOP AIB LEAGUE POINTS SCORER THIS SEASON: Richie Murphy 90
TOP AIB LEAGUE TRY SCORER THIS SEASON: Felix Jones 5

UL BOHEMIANS – NOTES: * This is the last of their four trips to Leinster in this season’s AIB League and the last of their eight games on the road
* They won 24-7 on their most recent AIB League visit to Angelsea Road in April 2004. They are on a hat trick of league victories over Belvo
* Have won twelve of their previous 33 AIB League fixtures away in Leinster
* They have lost three of their last four Division One matches. This weekend they are playing their third consecutive fixture against a Leinster club in Division One
* The next try the club scores will be their 450th in the all-time AIB League. They had a lean January-February period and dropped out of the play-off race
* The story on the road in Division One so far this season is played 7, won 3 and lost 4. Last time out in Division One, they won 38-15 away to Greystones

TOP AIB LEAGUE POINTS SCORER THIS SEASON: Fergal Lawlor 98
TOP AIB LEAGUE TRY SCORER THIS SEASON: Tommy O’Donnell, Fergal Lawlor, Martin McPhail 4 each

SHANNON (2nd) v GREYSTONES (16th), Coonagh, 2.30pm
Referee: Jonathan Peak (Ulster)

Previous AIB League Meetings: 2 (Shannon won 0, Greystones won 2); At Thomond Park: 1 (Shannon won 0, Greystones won 1)

Last Season: No game played as Greystones were in Division Two

AIB League Form: Shannon (most recent games on left hand side): WLWWW
Greystones: LWLLW

SHANNON – NOTES: * This is the last of their three home matches against Leinster clubs in this season’s AIB League and the last of their seven home games
* They first played AIB League rugby against Greystones in November 1992 – lost 15-13 at home to them
* The eight-time league champions have not yet avoided defeat by Greystones in the competition
* Their current backs coach Ian Sherwin was a star scrum half for Greystones during his AIB League playing career
* They have won 38 of their previous 48 AIB League fixtures at home to clubs from Leinster
* They have won four of their last five Division One games. They won the AIB Cup final 12-9 against Blackrock College at Dubarry Park last weekend
* With two down and one to go, the senior treble is still very much on for the Parish club this season
* The story at home in Division One so far this season is played 6 and won 6. Last time out in Division One, they won 45-14 away to UCD

TOP AIB LEAGUE POINTS SCORER THIS SEASON: Andrew Thompson 106
TOP AIB LEAGUE TRY SCORER THIS SEASON: Stephen Kelly 9

GREYSTONES – NOTES: * This is the last of their two trips to Munster in this season’s AIB League and the last of their seven games on the road
* They won 9-6 when they last met Shannon in Division One in October 1993
* This weekend they are on a hat trick of AIB League victories. Have lost 17 of their previous 36 league games away in Munster
* They have lost three of their last four Division One matches. Their Leinster-contracted scrum half Cillian Willis fractured his cheekbone recently playing against UCD
* They have conceded the most points (333) and the most tries (40) in Division One so far this season. They are all but relegated unless they can cause a huge upset at Coonagh
* The story on the road in Division One so far this season is played 6, won 2 and lost 4. Last time out in Division One, they lost 38-15 at home to UL Bohemians

TOP AIB LEAGUE POINTS SCORER THIS SEASON: James Power 69
TOP AIB LEAGUE TRY SCORER THIS SEASON: David McKechnie 5

TERENURE COLLEGE (12th) v LANSDOWNE (15th), Lakelands Park, 2.30pm
Referee: Alain Rolland (Leinster)

Previous AIB League Meetings: 10 (Terenure College won 5, drawn 2, Lansdowne won 3); At Lakelands Park: 4 (Terenure College won 3, Lansdowne won 1)

Last Season: Saturday, January 20, 2007 – Lansdowne 3 Terenure College 7, Lansdowne Road

AIB League Form: Terenure College (most recent games on left hand side): WWLLL
Lansdowne: WLLLL

TERENURE COLLEGE – NOTES: * This is the last of their three home matches against Leinster clubs in this season’s AIB League and the last of their seven home games
* They first played AIB League rugby against Lansdowne in November 1992, losing 32-3 away to them. They have won all three home games against Lansdowne in the league’s regulation phase
* They have won 22 of their previous 38 AIB League matches at home to other Leinster clubs. The two Mahonys, Mark and Kevin, are first cousins and both scored tries recently
* Out-half David McAllister is one of five Leinster club players who have scored more than 100 points in Division One this season
* Like their opponents this weekend, they have kicked more penalty goals than they have scored tries so far in the league this season
* Got their act together over the last few rounds and are now safe from relegation
* The story at home in Division One so far this season is played 6, won 3 and lost 3. Last time out in Division One, they won 14-12 at home to Ballymena

TOP AIB LEAGUE POINTS SCORER THIS SEASON: David McAllister 102
TOP AIB LEAGUE TRY SCORER THIS SEASON: John Bollard, Mark Mahony 3 each

LANSDOWNE – NOTES: * This is the last of their four away games in Leinster in this season’s AIB League and the last of their eight games on the road
* They lost 27-23 on their most recent AIB League visit to Lakelands Park in March 2002
* In the 1999/00 Division One semi-final, they won 29-13 away to Terenure thanks to 24 points from then out-half Barry Everitt
* Have won only one of their last four league encounters with Terenure. Have lost 15 of their previous 43 AIB League fixtures at away venues in their own province
* They have won only one of their last eleven Division One matches. Have scored the least points (154) and the least tries (11) in Division One so far this season
* To avoid relegation, they must win or draw this weekend and hope that Dungannon pick up no points away to Ballymena
* The story on the road in Division One so far this season is played 7, won 1, drawn 1 and lost 5. Last time out in Division One, they won 6-0 at home to Dungannon

TOP AIB LEAGUE POINTS SCORER THIS SEASON: Luke Cozens 40
TOP AIB LEAGUE TRY SCORER THIS SEASON: Neil Walsh, Justin Meagher 2 each