AIB League: Round Robin Previews

This weekend will see one club join the AIB League while another club will set themselves up for a crack at Portadown to seal another place in Division 3. IrishRugby.ie previews the final round of matches in the AIB League Provincial League Play-offs.

AIB LEAGUE: PROVINCIAL LEAGUE PLAY-OFFS: Saturday, April 17

CITY OF DERRY (2nd) v RICHMOND (4th), Judge’s Road, 2.30pm

Preview: City of Derry are second in the round robin table, level on five points with Monivea. Saturday is a big opportunity for them to stake a claim to climb back into the AIB League.

They have already picked up the AIB Junior Cup and the Ulster Kukri Qualifying League title this season and their league form shows they are tough to beat at home.

Visitors Richmond are out of the running, having lost their opening two games, but the Limerick side are still capable of causing an upset having come through strongly in the Munster Junior League.

To top the table, City of Derry need Monivea to beat Seapoint in a low scoring game and need a try-scoring bonus point themselves, but if they win they still set up a play-off off with Ulster rivals Portadown with an AIB League place at stake.

IrishRugby.ie Prediction: City of Derry to win by 6-10 points

MONIVEA (3rd) v SEAPOINT (1st), Castle Grounds, 2.30pm

Preview: This could be an interesting game. Monivea came through Connacht very strong and enjoyed a big opening win in the play-offs over Richmond.

Home advantage proved no blessing in their second game as City of Derry ran up 33 points to take that game.

Seapoint are the only unbeaten team and look odds on for promotion – the south Dublin side just need to win this one, a game which they have dubbed the ‘biggest in the club’s 75 year history.’

Seapoint have already notched up one bonus point win and while that may not happen on Saturday, they should have enough in the tank to get the required result and join the senior ranks in Division 3 of the AIB League.

IrishRugby.ie Prediction: Seapoint to win by 1-5 points

Related Links –

AIB League Provincial League table

AIB League Provincial League fixtures/results