With two games left in the season Queens remain top of the table, but Blackrock and Nenagh are also in the mix, UL Bohs are seven points behind Old Crescent but are eight points clear of bottom-side Dolphin in the relegation battle.
Cashel (3T) 17-21 (3T) Nenagh Ormond, Spafield
Nenagh were top for less than 24 hours after they overcame Tipp rivals Cashel on Friday night.
The sides were in a ferocious battle in the opening half with Nenagh ahead 7-5, as Willie Coffey got over with Conor McMahon converting.
Cashel started the second half much the better as two tries put them ahead 17-7, but Nenagh responded, John O’Flaherty and Kevin O’Flaherty both scoring tries to give them the win.
Ballymena (3T) 25-22 (3T) UL Bohemian, Eaton Park
A late penalty by Callum Patterson saw Ballymena edge a tight contest with UL Bohs.
Bohs added two tries early to lead 14-0 with Aln Kiely adding their second, before Andrew Ferguson crossed to put Ballymena on the board, they added a penalty before the break to leave it 14-10 at half time.
After the restart James Howe crossed for their second try as they moved a point clear, Sean Madden hit back for the Robins and their four point lead returned, Ferguson managed to get it again as they moved 22-19 ahead with the conversion.
Harry Byrne added a penalty to tie the contest but up stepped Patterson to decide the tie with a late penalty.
Dolphin (4T) 24-46 (6T) Navan, Musgrave Park
Dolphin’s hopes of avoiding relegation to Division 2B are looking slim after their 46-24 home defeat by Navan.
The hosts struck first as Craig O’Connell got over with Tomas Quinlan adding the extras, Navan struck a penalty before a converted try put them ahead 10-7 after 24 minutes. They minutes later they were in again as Dolphin fell ten behind.
Two more tries secured Navan a bonus point and with it a 29-7 lead at the break, after the restart Cian Scott crossed three minutes into the half for a converted try, Phillip Dowling grabbed their third before the hour mark, but a Navn penalty ended their scoring streak as they led 32-19.
Alex Pope grabbed a Dolphin bonus point but two minutes later they were out done again by Navan who added yet another try, no late comeback as a penalty try secured a 22 winning margin for Navan
Old Crescent (3T) 24-38 (5T) Blackrock College RFC, Takumi Park
Blackrock jumped back into second spot after they left Shannonside with a full five points haul at the weekend.
Ronan McKenna edged Crescent ahead after a tight opening quarter of an hour with a penalty, but Blackrock hit their stride with three unconverted tries putting them ahead 21-3 before a penalty try in injury time made it 21-10.
Rock added a fourth and fifth try after a penalty put them on the board early in the second half ahead 38-10, Crescent needed a lifeline, another penalty try was followed by Lee O’Grady getting over for a try but they could not take a losing bonus point from the tie,
Queens University (9T) 57-10 (2T) MU Barnhall, Dub Lane
Queens certainly got the result they needed at the weekend, in turn a statement they wanted the title that slipped by them last year.
They started from the off with a try in the 20th minute putting them ahead, two further tries had them ahead 31-0 before Banrhall got one back, the bonus point was secured however as they were 26-10 ahead at the break.
Into the second half it took until the hour mark for a score but Queens again stayed on top to bag a fifth try, the sixth and seventh followed as they were in cruise control, despite Barnhall notching a second, two late tries ended an emphatic performance as Queens have old Crescent and Dolphin between them and a league title.
Diarmuid Kearney
Diarmuid Kearney is a freelance Sports Journalist based in Co Kerry. He has more than 5 years experience covering domestic and international soccer for different media organisations, while also working for local and national print and digital organisations covering GAA.