Four clubs, three of them from Ulster, have emerged clear at the top of the table and have opened a gap of eleven points between themselves and the chasing pack. Bruff, at the top, are presently six points ahead of the Ulster Three and are due to meet two of them in the run-in. Having just completed a winning streak of 16 games, the Co. Limerick club seem certs for AIBL – 2 next season as it is most unlikely that they will take their feet off the pedals. Instonians are favourites to join them but their game at Corinthians, history tells us, just might be a banana skin. Banbridge and QU-Belfast, on current form, should receive away games in the semis. Who wants to travel to Co. Limerick ? At the bottom of the table, Waterpark and Connemara both have two catch-up games to play and also three games at home. At this point in time, it looks like Waterpark reverting to junior status and City of Derry again involved in a play-off match with a round robin junior club.
On the five recent occasions that their were sixteen clubs in Division Three, the 14th placed ( safe ) club ended up with 24 points ( 2001 ), 24 points ( 2002 ), 26 points ( 2003 ), 24 points, ( 2006 ) and 17 points ( 2007 ).
1. BRUFF - H. QUB. (3) A. NAAS. (7) A. BANB 4)
Remaining games : Have won their last eight home games ; have won their two previous games against Queens in Belfast but suffered their biggest AIBL home defeat ( 13-41 ) at the hands of the Belfast students two seasons ago ; have no track record against Naas who are in their first season back in the AIBL ; have previously visited Rifle Park on two occasions and are unbeaten at the venue.
Forecast : At the moment, the only club enjoying 100 % success in all three League divisions ; the trip to Banbridge may present a few minor problems but Bruff shouldl be past the post by then.
2. INSTONIANS - H. COUNTY CARLOW (9) A. CORS (5) H. C’MARA (14) Remaining games : Have won at home and lost away to Co. Carlow in AIBL games ; beat Co. Carlow 16-15 at home on the only previous occasion (Jan. 1999) that the Barrowsiders came visiting ; have played Corinthians nine times, losing five of their last six games against them; have lost their last three games at Cloonacauneen ; have won four of their last five fixtures with Connemara and are on a hat-trick of home wins over the men of the far west.
Forecast : After ten long seasons in AIBL – 3, promotion prospects are high for the Shaw’s Bridge club. A home semi beckons. If they do finish in second place, as is probable, it will be the fourth time in seven seasons that they have reached the semi-finals but their first time to earn a home one.
3. QUEENS - A. BRUF (1) H. S’WEL (12) H. NENA (11) A. W’PARK (15)
Remaining games : Have lost twice at home to Bruff but beat them 41-13, scoring six tries, on their only previous visit ( Feb. 2006 ) to Co. Limerick ; have lost three of their last four fixtures with Waterpark and are on a hat-trick of losses at Ballinakill ; the first ( Oct. 2004 ) win away to Sundays Well was Queen’s first AIBL victory away in Munster ; have also lost their only AIBL fixture ( 6-8 in Jan. 2006 ) at home to the ‘Well ; also lost ( 13-15 in Dec. 2005 ) their only home fixture to date against Nenagh.
Forecast : Have four Munster clubs to play, two of them at home in Upper Malone. Have an interesting away fixture at Waterpark on Mon. 17th March, three days after the Ireland U-20 squad disband. This is the club’s best AIBL season to date. Like Banbridge, it will be a first time for the student club in the play-offs, if they make it ; and maybe two long springtime trips to Co. Limerick with examinations on the horizon.
4. BANBRIDGE - H. CORS (5) A. M’TON (10) H. BRUF (1) A. C’MARA (14)
Remaining games : Visit Connemara for a re-fixed game on Feb. 23 ; are on a hat-trick of victories over the westerners as, after two defeats at Clifden, they won 16-11 over there in Jan. 2006 ; are also on a hat-trick of wins over Corinthians having won 26-13 in Galway two seasons ago and 10-5 at home last year ; the only previous form away to Midleton is a 9-21 defeat at Towns Park in April 1999 ; have played Bruff three times in the past and have yet to beat them.
Forecast : Under South African coach Andre Bester, Banbridge are enjoying their best AIBL season to date and should appear in the play-offs for the first time ; are due to entertain Bruff on March 29 and may have to travel to them two weeks later. Such is life.
5. CORINTHIANS - A. BANB (4) H. INST (2) H. O.WES (13)
6. RAINEY OB. - H. ARDS (8) A. NENA (11) A. Co.CAR (9)
7. NAAS - A. C’MARA (14) H. BRUF (1) H. ARDS (8)
8. ARDS - A. ROB (6) H. COD (16) A. NAAS (7) A. C’MARA (14)
9. CO. CARLOW - A. INST (2) H. C’MARA(14) H. ROB (6)
10. MIDLETON - A. COD (16) H. BANB (4) H. S.WELL (12)
11. NENAGH - A. O. WES (13) H. ROB (6) A. QUB (3) H. W’PARK (15)
12. SUNDAYS WELL - H. W’PARK (15) A. QUB (3) A. M’TON (10) H. CORS (5)
13. OLD WESLEY - H. NENA (11) A. W’PARK (15) A . CORS (5)
Remaining games : Have a 50% success record against Nenagh in the AIBL ; beat them 33-18 on their only previous ( Feb. 2006 ) visit to Donnybrook ; have W – 2, L – 1 against Waterpark and beat them 23-14 at Ballinakill in Jan. 2002 ; have won five of their eight AIBL fixtures with Corinthians but are presently on a
hat-trick of defeats at Cloonacauneen ; the Donnybrook club are not yet out of the woods.
Forecast : As in 2004 / 05, Old Wesley find themselves in trouble again ; have played more games than the two clubs above and below them ; must beat Nenagh before they go on the road to play their final two games against clubs recently on the move in the right direction ; are nine points clear of automatic relegation……..should be just enough.
14. CONNEMARA - H. NAAS (7) A.CAR (9) A. INST (2) H. BANB (4) H. ARDS (8)
Remaining games : Have two postponed games to play against Banbridge and Ards, both at home ; won their first four encounters with Banbridge but have lost their last two ; lost 11-16 to them when they last visited ( Jan. 2006 ) ; have enjoyed 100 % success in their three fixtures with Naas who lost 9-12 on their only previous (Oct. 2001) visit to Clifden ; have never beaten Ards in four AIBL outings and drew 16-16 at home to them when they last visited ( April 2006 ) ; have no track record against Co. Carlow ; have lost four of their last five fixtures with Instonians and today are on a hat-trick of defeats at Shaw’s Bridge.
Forecast : How come Connemara were left with three home games to begin their run-in to March 29 ? Maybe it is just the way the cards have fallen ? ; should pick up six or so points from these home games and that will be enough ; a tribute should be paid to the management of the Clifden club for steering Connemara through seven
15. WATERPARK - A. WELL (12) H. WES (13) H. COD (16) A. NENA (11) H. QUB Remaining games : Have two catch-up games to play – the first away to Nenagh on Feb. 23, the second at home to Queens on Monday March 17 ; lost 11-17 at home to Nenagh last season and now play their first AIBL game in Co. Tipperary ; lost 10-16 on their only previous ( April 2004 ) AIBL visit to Sundays Well ; have won three of their last four fixtures with Queens and today are on a hat-trick of home successes over them ; lost 14-23 at home to Old Wesley when the Dublin club paid their only previous AIBL visit ( Jan. 2002 ) ; have W – 2, L – 2 against City of Derry and are on a hat-trick of victories over the Ulster club.
Forecast : Spent three seasons in Div. Two before being relegated into AIBL – 3 for the 2006 / 07 season ; maybe there is some light in the tunnel for them as they must face three clubs in the bottom half of the table, not all of whom will be bursting a gut for victory. If City of Derry are below them on the last day of the season, then automatic relegation might be avoided.
16. CITY OF DERRY - H. M’TON (10) A. ARDS (8) A. WATERPARK (15) Remaining games : Beat Midleton 37-13 on the only previous occasion ( April 2001 ) that they entertained them at Judges Road ; have W – 1, D – 1, L – 2 against Ards in the AIBL but have yet to win at Hamilton Park after two AIBL visits ; however, won 21-20 at Ards in the Ulster Senior League earlier on in the season ; lost 10-28 on their most recent ( March ) AIBL visit to Ballinakill having won there in Feb. 1995.
Forecast : Finished second last in the table last season and beat junior club City of Armagh in the play-off to retain their senior status ; are currently propping up the table ; have played seven AIBL games at home so far this season and won not one of them ; are two points inside the automatic relegation zone and need a victory at home to Midleton ; the visit to Waterpark on the last day of the season will sort out the relegation issues.
