The 2010/2011 All-Ireland League promises to be one of the most exciting and hard-fought in many seasons. This is the last season under the current structure and league positions will be vital in determining next season’s leagues.
Division 1A:
The new All-Ireland League season will kick-off on Saturday, October 2. In Division 1A, reigning champions Cork Constitution open their title defence with a trip to Blackrock College, while beaten finalists St. Mary’s College will be at home to newly-promoted Dublin rivals Old Belvedere.
Perennial favourites Shannon are away to Dolphin on the opening day. Garryowen will play host to another newly-promoted side this time in a Limerick derby as Young Munster come calling.
At the end of the season, two clubs will be promoted from Division 1B while the team finishing last in Division 1A will play off against the third-placed team from Division 1B to complete the ten-team top division for the 2011/12 season.
The top three sides in Division 1A and the top team in Division 1B will play off for the overall Division 1 title as they did last season.
Division 1B will see four clubs promoted from Division 2 and a play-off between the team in last place and the fifth-placed team in Division 2.
The same applies between Divisions 2 and 3 and there will be no relegation from Division 3 at the end of the season. The four provincial Qualifying League winners will be automatically promoted to the All-Ireland League.
Division 1B:
Two of the new teams in Division 1B will face each other on the opening weekend as promoted Bruff travel to Castle Avenue to face a Clontarf side keen to bounce back to the top tier.
The other promoted side, Lansdowne, are on the road to Dubarry Park to play Buccaneers, while UL Bohemians, relegated from Division 1A, will be at home to Galwegians who finished fourth last season.
In the final game of the opening round, UCC will host Dungannon.
Division 2:
Four clubs will be promoted from Division 2 at the end of the 2010/11 campaign and it looks like being a really exciting division.
Terenure College, who finished last season in third place, and Bective Rangers, amongst others, will have their eye on promotion, while recently-relegated Ulster duo Ballynahinch and Ballymena will be aiming for an immediate bounce back to higher echelons.
‘Hinch open their campaign with a trip to Corinthians, one of four teams that finished level on 39 points last season, while the Braidmen face an intriguing tie against newly-promoted Midleton, who only lost one game during last season’s league.
Free-scoring Queen’s University will have a student showdown at College Park against Dublin University for their opening game and will hope they can build on last season’s promotion and consolidate their position.
Division 3:
Like Division 2, the top four will gain promotion at the end of the season with Nenagh Ormond, Banbridge and Sunday’s Well likely to be pushing for honours based on how they finished last season.
Highfield and Greystones drop down and both face tough games first up with the Cork side travelling to Nenagh and the Wicklow outfit on the road to Sunday’s Well.
There is no relegation from Division 3 this season and the four provincial Qualifying League winners will all be promoted.
The newly-promoted Seapoint face former Junior side and AIB Junior Cup winners Rainey Old Boys in their first game, while City of Derry are back to face Connemara on the opening day.
All-Ireland League Fixtures – click here.
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