Irish Rugby TV: St. Mary’s See Off ‘Belvo in Division 1B Derby

It was another day of drama in Division 1B of the All-Ireland League with seven of the 10 teams trading places in the fight for both promotion and survival. Ballymena remain bottom and Malone stay second despite defeat at home to Buccaneers. The win for Buccs moves them into seventh – their highest position of the season.

Old Wesley’s 22-point beating of Banbridge has allowed them to open up a four-point gap at the top of the table.

Meanwhile, former leaders St. Mary’s College moved from eighth place to fifth and right back into promotion contention with a 10-7 win at home to south Dublin rivals Old Belvedere. Mary’s head coach Steven Hennessy told Irish Rugby TV that no side can afford to take their position for granted.

“We’ve four games left,” he said. “Two home. Two away. Nothing’s going to be easy. They’re all dog-fights. You’re playing for top four, but you’re also looking to make sure you’re out of that bottom two. Everybody wants to be safe, so anything after that for us would be a bonus.”