The much maligned Conference League arrived at Donaldson Park yesterday with the local side taking on Ballynahinch IIs. The Dee took the opportunity to field an experimental side with only seven of the normal starting line-up playing and both sides served up an extremely entertaining afternoon’s rugby with the home side running out victors by a 29-24 scoreline. Special mention goes to Ricardo Santos who had an almost immaculate afternoon with the boot and the burly right winger who, given time, will surely be pressing for Tommy Bowe’s place on the Irish side. The game then turned out to be a positive experience and congratulations are due to Club Fixtures Secretary Francis Porter for having the foresight to schedule the two CL games at the end of the season after the real business of Q1 and cup rugby has come to an end! The 1st XV’s final game of the season will be on Saturday 14th April when they travel to Eaton Park to take on Ballymena II in the second of the two CL fixtures.
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The carnival atmosphere at Donaldson Park yesterday was certainly enhanced by the Family Fun Day with hundreds of kids & their parents enjoying the sunshine and the rugby with the help of the funfare, BBQ etc. (for photographs see Claire Wood’s post on this page) – many congratulations to the hard working organisers.
Elsewhere it was the final day of Q1 and after spending most of the season firmly locked to the foot of the league table Academy defeated Portadown 39-12 to finish 8th and save themselves from any chance of relegation. This has, however, left Dromore in a perilous 9th place and should CV not go up and Ards come down from AIL then they will join Limavady in making the drop to Q2.
Meanwhile Ards lived to fight another day when they defeated Boyne 15-13 at Hamilton Park. If they beat Navan in two weeks time they will avoid the automatic relegation spot from AIL 2B. If they win that game with a bonus point and Sunday’s Well take nothing from their final two games then Ards will avoid the play-off game against the AIL Round Robin runners-up.
In the AIL Round Robin Clogher Valley beat Monivea 21-20 at The Cran to put themselves in with a chance of the runners up spot should the win away to Richmond in two weeks time.
In Q2 the results were as follows:
Omagh 11 Ballyclare 10
Grosvenor 42 Carrick 7
This leaves both Omagh and UUC locked on 65 points although the students have a game in hand.
