AIL 2021-2022

https://www.irishrugby.ie/2022/01/15/energia-mens-all-ireland-league-results-round-up-11/

Any thoughts on division 2 Stainalert? You only ever put up division 1 fixtures

2A

Ballymena v Bohs - Ballymena will want to keep pressure on queens in case they slip up and should get good win here

Dolphin v Cashel - Cashel to edge it

Barnhall v Buccaneers - Buccaneers

Crescent v Nenagh - Nenagh had good win last week and may get another here which would bring them in striking distance of Crescent, Bohs to avoid the playoff with Rainey

Queens v Rainey - Should be comfortable win for students who are looking more and more like theyll run away with division

2B

Corinthians v Galwegians - Corinthians in much better form tho form can go out window in derbies like this cant see wegians getting anything tonight

Dungannon v Blackrock - Blackrock have more to play for and are in with good chance of playoff spot so may edge this

Malahide v Ballina - Ballina to put gap between themselves and Malahide at bottom to 11 points with win here

Sligo v Greystones - Should be very good game and Greystones to extend their lead at top

Wanderers v Belfast Harlequins - Wanderers

2C

Bangor v Sundays Well - home win

Bruff v Enniscorthy - league leaders to get away win

City of Derry v Skerries - skerries

Clonmel v Tullamore - tullamore

Midleton v Omagh - midleton

https://www.irishrugby.ie/2022/01/22/energia-mens-all-ireland-league-results-round-up-12/

2A has a fair few think 8 across season which is around same as 1B if not more than it. Division 2 far more geographically spread out so harder for clubs to have friday night games

Easy to have a lot of Friday games in 1A when theres 5 clubs in 1 city, 2 in 2 other cities.

Some turn around for nenagh. Have struggled at times this season and lost to Ballymena before Christmas 46-12 and beat them this afternoon 41-7.

Some gaps emerging in 1A. 12 points now between UCD and bottom 2 hinch, UCC. and UCD are 9 off Garryowen who are 7 off Trinity. Tarf 5 clear of Lansdowne. Con are 4th and their ability to get losing bonus point from every game theyve lost could be key to them making playoffs at seasons end

Wesley now 6 clear at top of 1B. Highfield then 4 clear of Marys next. At bottom Banbridge and Navan both on 14 and 5 adrift of Malone. Could be very interesting how that plays out

Queens look like they could run away with 2A and put 58 on Bohs in Limerick today and are 13 clear of Cashel who took advantage, very late on, of Ballymenas loss. Nenagh are thanks to their win and Bohs big defeat just 3 off the Limerick side and avoiding the relegation playoff.

Greystones are 13 clear of the rest in 2B and scored 59 against Wegians today. very tight behind them with 6 points between the next 5. Corinthians are next on 39 just ahead of Rock on points difference with Wanderers and Belfast Quins 3 behind them and Sligo a further 3 points behind. Wegians 12 points off Ballina who are 9th after Malahides win over Corinthians lifted them out of the 9th/10th playoff.

Some big gaps between top sides in 2C with the bottom very close. Enniscorthy 9 clear of Skerries who are 9 ahead of Tullamore and Bangor and then another 9 points between them and Omagh. While Sundays Well and Clonmel are currently in the drop zone on 13 and Derry are on 15 and Midleton 16.

Bateman Cup final scheduled to be played February 12th in Musgrave Park at 1.45pm

Strange venue for a game between Young Munster and Lansdowne

Fair call to move from Marys but surprised Cork was selected. Portlaoise or Naas would have been better in between both

Neutrality would be new ish concept tho it would have been in play for other finals at different stages.

finished 46-13

Load of real good games this weekend with some big games at top/bottom of several divisions. May get chance to see some of Lansdowne Tarf if work allows me tomorrow night but unlikely see anything saturday.