1. CORK CON - A. B’MENA (11 ) A. G’WEG (12 ) H. DOLP ( 5 )
Remaining games : Are unbeaten in their last 17 games at home in AIBL – 1 ; have won their last five fixtures against St. Marys, three of these games at home ; have not lost to the Saints at Temple Hill since March 2001 ; have won on five of their seven visits to Ballymena ; have been successful in their last four fixtures with Ballymena including three games away at Eaton Park ; have won all four previous games away to Galwegians ; after three games, all victories, at Musgrave Park, Constitution now get the opportunity to play Dolphin at Temple Hill for the first time in the AIBL.

Forecast : Have reached the play-offs six times in the past ten seasons and are also sure to grace them again in a few months time ; have just done a demolition job at Castle Avenue ; should obtain a home semi-final ; some would say that they were lucky to beat UL-Bohemian last year and unlucky to lose to Garryowen. Be sure that luck will also play a major part in the destination of this season’s trophies; Constitution have not won the title since 1998 / 99.

2. SHANNON - H.T’NURE (13) A. DOLP (5) - A. UCD ( 9) - H.Greystones (14) Remaining games : Have won their last eight homes in the AIBL ; have a clean sheet against Terenure in Limerick but lost to them at Clanwilliam back in Jan. 1999 ; like Con, have won their three previous fixtures with Dolphin and now must meet them for the first time in Cork ; lost their first two games in AIBL – 1 at Belfield but have won on their last AIBL visit to the Bowl ( and also in the AIBC ) ; lost their two previous Div. One clashes with Greystones including 13-15 at Thomond Park in Nov. 1992. But they were different days…..Gaillimh was still in short trousers.

Forecast : Have reached the play-offs five times in the past ten seasons and are odds on to appear in the semis once again this May 3 ; were pipped at the post in the final series of League games last season ; Andrew Thompson missed a few kicks in their bonus point win over Dolphin while few expected Garryowen to put 50 points over Galwegians ; UL-Bohemian were the major benefactors ; have quite a reasonable run-in and are already winners of the Munster Senior Cup this season. Is a 2007 / 08 treble on the cards?

3. GARRYOWEN - A. LANS (15 ) A. G’WEG ( 12 ) H. O.BELV ( 10 ) H. UCD( 9 )
Remaining games : Have won their last six AIBL – 1 games with Lansdowne including their last four in Dublin ; add on a 23-5 AIB Cup second round victory at the RDS on Oct. 13 earlier this season ; the trip to Crowley Park is the third away on the trot ; have beaten Galwegians in their last four encounters and will be hoping for a hat-trick of wins in Galway ; finish up with two home games ; haven’t played Old Belvedere since Dec. 1998 when they beat them 37-22 at Dooradoyle ; have entertained UCD three times before and beaten them on all three occasions.

Forecast : Have reached the play-offs six times in the past ten seasons and are a good bet to become the third Munster club in the semis this season ; are on a charge at the moment as they have won their last six AIBL games. The reigning champions first travel to lowly-placed clubs for their two away matches and should win their two remaining home games; a home semi is not out of the question.

4. CLONTARF - A.DUNGANNON ( 16 ) A.BLACKROCK ( 6 ) H.GALWEGINS( 12 ) Remaining games : The first time to play Greystones in Div. One ; were already promoted into AIBL – 1 when they beat them 34-17 in April 1997 ; have won five of their last seven AIBL games with Dungannon but the Co. Tyrone club are on a hat-trick of victories at home to the Dubliners and the last five AIBL – 1 fixtures between the two clubs have produced home wins ; have won three of their six AIBL fixtures at Stradbrook and are on a hat-trick of victories over ‘ Rock ; have beaten all 15 Connacht AIBL visitors to Castle Avenue including five games against ‘Wegians ; are unbeaten in their last six Div. One games with Galway’s finest .

Forecast: Have reached the play-offs five times in the past ten seasons and look like earning an away semi-final next May 3 ; have been Leinster’s top club in Division One over the past six seasons ; the 29 / 03 match away at Blackrock should be interesting as they will already have visited Stradbrook for an AIBC semi on March 8 / 9 ; have two Munster clubs chasing them for a Top Four finish

5. DOLPHIN - H. DUNGANNON ( 16) H. SHAN ( 2 ) A. St.MYS ( 8 ) A.CORK CON ( 1) )Remaining games : Have a poor record ( W – 1, L – 3 ) against Dungannon in Cork but have not entertained them yet this century ; have lost all three AIBL tussles with Shannon but they had to visit Limerick on each occasion ; on their most recent ( March 1998 ) appearance at Templeville Road they lost 32-36 and were relegated from Division One ; have lost all three AIBL games with Cork Con and now, for the first time, visit Cork’s finest at Temple Hill. Not an afternoon for the feint hearted.

Forecast : Will they overtake Clontarf and make it four Munster clubs in the semis ? Have won all six AIBL games at home so far this season with James Coughlan in try scoring mode at the moment ; need a result against Shannon or Con to realise their ambitions

6. BLACKROCK C. - UCD (9) A. UL-B (7) H. C’TARF (4) H. ST. MARY'S (8)

7. UL-BOHEMIANS - H. B’MENA(1) H. B’ROCK (6) A. G’STNS (14) A. BELVO (10) A. D’GAN( 16 )
With a game in hand, are not out of the hunt for a Top Four place by any means as they don’t have any big guns to play in the coming weeks; have to leave Limerick three times in the coming weeks.

8. ST. MARYS - A. CONS (1) H. T’NURE (13) H. DOLP (5) A. B’ROCK (6)

9. UCD - A. B’ROCK(6) A. G’STNS (14) H. SHAN (2) A. G’OWN(3)

10. BELVEDERE - H. G’WEG (12) H. LANS (15) A. G’OWEN(3) H. UL-B (7)

11. BALLYMENA - A. UL-B (7) H. CONS (1) A. T’NURE (13) H. D’GAN (16)

12. GALWEGIANS - A. O.BEL (10) H. GOWEN (3) H. CONS(1) A. CTARF (4)

13. TERENURE - A. SHAN (2) A. St. MYS (8) H. B’MENA(11)H. LANS (15)Remaining games : Beat Shannon ( 27-8 ) at Clanwilliam in Jan. 1999 but have lost on all three visits to play Shannon in Limerick and today are on a hat-trick of defeats there ; have W – 5, L – 4 in AIBL encounters with St. Marys and today are on a hat-trick of AIBL victories over their neighbours ;have won twice on their five AIBL trips across the parish ; have W – 5, L –5 against Ballymena and after two home defeats have beaten the Braidmen on their last two appearances at Lakelands Park; when Lansdowne appear on the radar, will there be talk of relegation in the air for either or both clubs ? Terenure have won three of their four previous AIBL games at home to the Lansdowne club.

Forecast : Are presently two points off the drop zone having lost more games ( 9 ) than any other club ; are surviving on defeat bonus points ( 6 ); the James Blaney rolling maul tries have been missing this season ; play away to Shannon ( no chance ) and away to St. Marys ( a toss up on the day ); just two seasons back in Division One, the Lakelanders need two wins to avoid relegation.

14. GREYSTONES - A. C’TARF (4) H. UCD (9) H. UL-B (7) A. SHAN (2) Remaining games : This is the first time to play Clontarf in Div. One ; Richie Murphy kicked all 21 points in Co. Wicklow to beat the northsiders in Oct. 1995 but was injured for the return game ( L17-34 ) the following season at Castle Ave. ; also, the first time to face UCD in Div. One ; have played the students twice before at home in the AIBL and failed to record a victory ; entertained UL-Bohemian in Dec. 2000 and won 27-22 in the only previous AIBL fixture between the two clubs ; have the unique record of 100 % success against Shannon in the AIBL ; beat them 15-13 at Thomond Park in Nov. 1992 and 9-6 in Co. Wicklow the following season.

Forecast : Are presently one point away from relegation ; the Seagulls are just back with the elite after thirteen seasons in the lower divisions; have to play two clubs in the Top Four and are away to both of them ; have a difficult run-in ; need to have Cillian Willis available and win their two remaining home games to avoid the drop

15. LANSDOWNE - H. G’OWN (3) A. O.BELV (10) H. D’GANN (16) A. T’NURE (13)Remaining games : have been winless in their last eight AIBL – 1 games ; have been beaten by Garryowen in their last six meetings and have lost to the Light Blues four times on the trot in Dublin plus a 5-20 reversal last Oct. in the AIBC at the RDS ; have beaten Old Belvedere in all three previous AIBL encounters and won 32-6 the last time ( Mar. 1997 ) they fielded in Div. One at Anglesea Road ; the last four games with Dungannon have resulted in home wins and they are seeking a hat-trick of victories over them in Dublin ; have lost their three regulation League games at Lakelands Park but pulled off the big one at the venue……..the 29-13 semi-final victory in 1999 / 2K.

Forecast : Have scored a meagre nine tries since October 27 and are presently in the relegation zone ; don’t have to leave Dublin again this season and can spend Friday nights in their own beds; their original choice of head coach, All Black Mike Brewer has been taking a few sessions lately; have tasted Division Two competition once before ( 1991 / 92 ) and are not anxious to repeat the experience; may escape relegation if they can get their act together but urgently need a backs coach.

16. DUNGANNON - A. DOLP (5) H. C’TARF (4) A. LANS (15) A. B’MENA(11)
H. UL-B (7)
Remaining games : The seventh time to play Dolphin and the fifth time to travel to them in Cork ; have won on three of their four visits to Musgrave Park, most recently 31-23 in March 1999 ; the game against UL-Bohemian was postponed on Jan. 12 ; lost their last two games at home to the Limerick club : 19-26 in the AIBC last October and 18-42 in the AIBL back in March 2006 ; have won just two of their last seven AIBL fixtures with Clontarf but are today on a hat-trick of home victories over them ; have won twice in five visits to Lansdowne in Dublin but are today on a hat-trick of defeats by them ; won 38-11 at Eaton Park in the Ulster Senior league earlier on this season but have won only once in five AIBL visits to the venue and are today on a hat-trick of Div. One defeats there.

Forecast :. Are presently rooted to the bottom of the table ; have a game in hand ( at home to Ul-Bohs ); where the two victories required to avoid relegation will come from is not apparent ; are short on quality players and the club has so many involved in the Ulster senior squad ! ! ; the current situation doesn’t augur well for a club that have been relegated twice before from Div. One – at the end of the 1994 / 95 season after three campaigns in Division One and at the end of 1997 / 98 after two seasons in Div. One ; if they go down, there is a chance that there will be only one Ulster club in Div One next season ; that is of course, if Malone and /or B. Harlequins are not promoted.