Ulster Rugby vs Oyonnax

Kingspan Stadium. The Belfast men responded by defeating the Kukri One leaders at Shaw’s Bridge and close the Seasiders’ lead at the top of the table to five points - and they have a game in hand. It also ensured Clogher Valley and Portadown, who are a further five points behind, were able to close in as well. With only 10 points separating fourth to eighth places, Ballyclare, Omagh, Dromore and Cooke are also able to mount serious challenges to be among the top four finishers - with fifth becoming an option if the overall winners were to achieve promotion to the All Ireland League - but those already in those spots will not be giving them up too easily. This weekend the top flight junior clubs turn their attentions to the second round of the Powerade Towns Cup. And good luck to Instonians in the final of the All Ireland Junior Cup against Enniscorthy on Carrickfergus and Limavady respectively remain unbeaten this season in the league. Carrick have close pressure from Coleraine, who are four points behind and probably the only side who can mount a serious challenge for the Section Two honours, with third placed Enniskillen a further 10 points adrift. Limavady are a remarkable 20 points clear of their nearest challengers University of Ulster, Coleraine, in Section Three. The title is as good as bagged, but the North West men, who are 15 from 15 currently, will want to go all the way and finish with a ‘perfect 22’. Plenty happening all across Ulster in club land, so why not visit your local club! Keep up to date with all the latest on the domestic and All Ireland League fronts in News Letter’s Total Rugby every Tuesday. Saturday 6th February at Ashbourne RFC. Meanwhile, in Sections Two and Three,

men into the promotion play-offs, which would be a deserved way to finish their season. Dungannon and Rainey Old Boys slipped further down the Division 2A table to the dangerzone, although ninth placed Rainey are 14 points ahead of winless Seapoint. The key for both Rainey and Dungannon to avoid ninth place, which would see them dragged into a relegation play-off with the second to fourth placed teams in Division 2C. Ulster can ill afford to have any clubs relegated. With the European Champions Cup and British and Irish Cup the main focus for the provinces over this and last weekend, the Division 1A and 1B clubs have had some down time. However, Ballynahinch, who won the First Trust Ulster Senior Cup before Christmas when they defeated Ballymena at Kingspan Stadium, did compete in the All Ireland Senior Bateman Cup semi-final - losing agonisingly to Galwegians in Galway, 35-31. The Senior Cup success coincided with the Co Down club kick-starting their All Ireland League campaign, registering their first win of the season against Lansdowne and they also went on to defeat Galwegians. They still remain bottom of the table, but are only five points behind Terenure College and seven adrift of Galwegians, so all is not lost in spite of the poor first half to the season. Derek Suffern and the squad will be putting their full focus into hauling themselves off bottom spot at least and if they were unable to pull off a great escape at least a ninth place finish would give them a lifeline in the relegation/promotion play-offs. Ballymena continues to battle head-to-head with Division 1B leaders, St. Mary’s College - two points separate them - for automatic promotion back to Division 1A. All roads will obviously lead to Eaton Park on Saturday 6th February, when Andy Graham’s side face the Dubliners. Belfast Harlequins position at the bottom of Division 1B remains perilous, although they finally broke their duck and won against Blackrock College, which will be a serious confidence booster as they bid to improve their chances of survival. They have games to come against the two sides directly above them in the relegation zone, but they are relying on not only a change in fortune for themselves, but for a lot of other results to go in their favour. For now the clubs turn their attentions to the SONI Ulster Senior League over the weekend. Moving to the Kukri Qualifying League, get ready for a dramatic conclusion as the teams in Section One battle it out, not only for the title but the top four places to secure a spot in next season’s All Ireland Junior Cup. Bangor secured the first major honours of the season by winning the Millar McCall Wylie Junior Cup with a win over Instonians at

DOMESTIC RUGBY UPDATE

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