Things are really heating up in the top Division of the AIL as home semi-final seeding is very much the thoughts of the top four, while at the bottom, City of Armagh and Shannon are locked in a battle for safety. 

1A is even more competitive looking after the weekend, Clontarf sit top by two points, while Cork Con and Lansdowne are only separated by score difference. Terenure strengthened their hold on the fourth place, while at the foot of the table UCD moved further away from the relegation zone.

1A returns this weekend with a host of blockbuster fixtures across the Division, the Bateman Cup rematch between Terenure and Young Munster one of a host of entertaining fixtures.

With a week break in place for Six Nations opening weekend, Clontarf remain top of 1A despite two defeats in a row, the gap between the top five is only a couple of points as we really hit the business end. Elsewhere City of Armagh jumped out of the relegation zones with a win over Young Munster.

The meeting of Cork Con and Clontarf will headline the round 12 action from 1A this weekend, with plenty of other drama in store across the Division with safety and silverware at stake.

Clontarf saw their unbeaten run end at the hands of Lansdowne this weekend, Terenure furthered their hold on fourth spot, while elsewhere Trinity got their first week of the campaign.

The race for top four will be a big one in 1A this weekend, as plenty of change could be on the cards to the standings come Saturday evening, elsewhere Trinity will hope to end this losing streak at home to Shannon in a meeting towards the foot of the table.

With the first round of 1A completed in 2024, no team gained or lost places this weekend, Ballynahinch are still breathing down the necks of Terenure in fifth, while a losing bonus point for Shannon has them four clear of the drop zone.

The AIL is back this weekend and where do you start in 1A as we pick up for a repeat of the pre Christmas round nine run of fixtures, Lansdowne and UCD once again kick it all off on Friday evening.