Misfiring Shannon living on the edge

Although there are only two rescheduled matches down for consideration today in the first division of the AIB All-Ireland League, such is their significance that by tea-time there'll either be five, six or seven clubs still in contention for a top-four place.

For the misfiring holders, Shannon, today's visit of Buccaneers to Thomond Park constitutes another point of no return, their third in succession effectively, with another one to come (should they win this afternoon) on the last day of the regular campaign at Cork Constitution. They are living on the edge this time.

Anything less than outright victory against Buccaneers (and against Cork) will end Shannon's four-year hold on the title. Buccaneers have marginally greater room for error, although they know that defeat at Thomond Park today will leave them in what would probably be a "playoff for the play-offs" at home to Lansdowne on the final day.

Shannon are again without their hugely influential Kiwi centre, Rhys Ellison (advised to delay his comeback from a neck injury a little longer), as well as their main strike runner, leading try scorer John Lacey, not to mention long-term casualty Paul McMahon.

To compound their woes, hooker Mark McDermott is rendered doubtful with a neck injury. Granted, ready-made replacement John Deegan has four AIL medals to his name, but made only one substitute's appearance last season and this season has been confined to one start in the opening-day mauling at Ballymena.

Admittedly, unchanged Buccaneers have since sustained a couple of long-term casualties in their own back line - Eamonn Molloy and Russell Southam. However their pack is the same as the one which has started their last four wins in succession.

They have also now eroded many of the doubts about their ability to perform on the road with wins at Ballymena and Blackrock while Shannon have since lost much of their mystique at Thomond Park due to the defeat at home to Garryowen. Furthermore, Buccaneers have stood mano-a-mano with Ballymena and Young Munster in recent weeks, they're arguably in better shape that they would have been at the turn of the year. For Ballymena, there is less light at the end of the tunnel given today's visit of Terenure is one of three must-win back matches. For Terenure, the need is as great, given defeat will plunge them into what might effectively be a relegation play-off at home to Clontarf on the last day.

The Division Two promotion race is no less intriguing, where one point covers the top three, Dungannon, DLSP and Malone. All have been kept apart today, and should win, as have the three fringe contenders with games in hand, UCC, Old Crescent and Portadown. Irish assistant coach Philip Danaher will be at Sydney Parade for the Division Three promotion four-pointer between Monkstown and UCD (presumably to watch Ciaran Scally and Brian O'Driscoll), both two points adrift of leaders NIFC, while the biggest game in the five-way tussle for promotion from Division Four is the meeting of third-placed Ballina at home to second-placed Midleton.