The AIB League first division clubs have written to the IRFU maintaining their demand for no relegation from the top flight this season despite the union's insistence.

However, despite this apparent impasse, the First Division Association have said they are willing to let this weekend's rearranged series of matches proceed, pending further discussions.

The association had submitted a proposal to the union on completing the disrupted AIB league campaign by reducing the first division programme from 15 to 12 matches, and by shelving relegation for a year, thereby increasing next season's top tier from 16 to 18 clubs.

Maintaining that such an expanded division would be unworkable, the union insisted on relegation being adhered to but the First Division Association wrote to the IRFU yesterday, stating: "this proposal was a complete package not subject to acceptance or rejection of individual components".

The clubs said, "it is not acceptable to the first division clubs that the league be completed by each club playing 12 matches with relegation applying". They also stated their unified objection to extending the season into June.

Discussions will thus no doubt resume early next week, but despite the possibility of a damaging face-off which could even conceivably end up in court, union sources remained fairly calm about the impasse yesterday, even though they are equally adamant that relegation must apply. They expect the matter to be resolved next week, with an acceptance of relegation, with either a 15-game format involving midweek matches, or a revised 12-game campaign.

Meanwhile, the 2001 Kinsale Sevens, scheduled for the bank holiday weekend of May 4-6, was cancelled yesterday because of the foot-and-mouth crisis. The decision was taken after consultation with IRFU officials and the Department of Agriculture, given the significant number of overseas teams and visitors expected for the event.

With the epidemic still raging in Britain and mindful of the 30-day incubation period, the decision was made to cancel the Kinsale event, given the lead-in-time required. In explaining the decision Kinsale RFC president Tomas O'Brien said:

"Naturally we are bitterly disappointed at this turn of events as this year's 'sevens was gearing up to be the best yet. We had almost 60 teams confirmed, which was unprecedented at this juncture.

"It is a serious blow to the club's financial situation and to Kinsale," added O'Brien. "The 'sevens is the biggest money-spinning weekend for the town, generating up to €2 million in business. The decision to cancel was not taken lightly."