Top five push for final berth

Division three teams go into the final phase of their season when the table is split into two groups of five teams - an A and B section - and play off against each other in a round-robin format. In short, the top five teams are now playing for promotion to Division Two and the bottom teams for survival.

The top five sides - NIFC, who topped the table with seven wins from nine games, Monkstown, UCD, Instonians and Bohemians - can now, however, try to build from their original table placings from the first phase of the season. Although the competition essentially begins anew, points from this section of games are added to points obtained from the first nine league matches. The A section sides are seeking a top two finish, which will automatically gain promotion. For the lower-placed sides in section B - Dublin University, Richmond, Highfield, County Carlow and Corinthians - a similar format will begin with the obvious scramble being to avoid the two relegation places. None of the bottom five teams, at this juncture, can jump into the top section regardless of their results and none of the top section sides can drop into the lower group.

Highfield, with just one win from nine matches, look the most vulnerable, with Trinity, who finally finished second bottom, also looking for a change in form. Hopeful that the better weather and firmer ground will help their quest to stay out of division four, the students, who had five players on the Irish Universities side last weekend, meet Richmond in an interesting encounter at College Park.

Richmond welcome back their Tongan international back row Matt Te Pou, who missed the Instonians game two weeks ago because he was playing against Georgia in a World Cup qualifying match in Nuku'alofa. Tonga easily won 37-6 and play Georgia next. The winner of that match will play either Korea of Holland in a final qualifier.

Te Pou could become the first player from an All-Ireland League Division Three side to play in a World Cup finals.

In the first of the section A matches, UCD face Instonians at Belfield with North hosting a depleted Monkstown, who have back rows Conal Upton and Mick Gillen injured, as well as captain Dave O'Brien. Highfield entertain Carlow in section B.

In Division Four, Ballina and Banbridge continue to set the pace at the top of the table, although with Ballina sitting out this week their Ulster rivals have a chance of taking a clear lead if they win against bottom-placed CIYMS.

Mid-table Queen's University are at home to Omagh in a match they must win to stay clear of trouble. Queen's welcome back Robert Dunlop to the front row after a six-week lay-off due to injury.

Omagh have beaten Queen's twice in the Ulster league and are in dire need of points.