Leinster vs Ulster

Leinster League
Summary 2022/2023
BY BILL DUGGAN
The business end of the Leinster Leagues
is upon us, with all of the five divisions
concluded on 26 March. The only outstanding
business is the promotion/relegation playoff
games scheduled for Sunday the 2 April.
The premier division is Leinster
League Division 1A and for the
second season running Bective
were presented with the trophy
in Gorey RFC a few weeks ago
by our President Debbie Carty. It
was fitting in some ways that it
was at the Wexford club as Gorey
had produced a strong showing to
come second with a homegrown
side which augers well for the club
in the future.
Bective completed the double as their
second XV won the seconds league
as well with Gorey finishing third and
Ashbourne in second place. The top three
sides were separated by only four points.
But in the division, the drama which could
not have been scripted better, was with
the bottom four teams. All four were
playing one another and all four needed
to win to avoid the bottom two places.
Going into the weekend Seapoint were
in pole position on 28 points, with Boyne
on 26, Kilkenny on 25 while Ashbourne
were on 24.
Seapoint, post-Christmas, were a new
team and recovered from being adrift
at the bottom to end up in fourth place
by virtue of 8-3 win over Kilkenny. They
nudged Suttonians out of fourth spot and
gained qualification for the AIL Junior
Cup next season along with Bective,
Gorey and Monkstown. Should Bective
be promoted to the AIL, Suttonians would
take the fourth cup spot.
The bonus point that Kilkenny gained at
Seapoint was not enough to save them
from automatic relegation as Ashbourne
went to North-East neighbours Boyne
and ran out convincing 18-0 winners in
very poor conditions. This guaranteed the
Meath side sixth place and a spot next
season in the division. Boyne stay ahead
of Kilkenny by virtue of a better head to
head record and are in the promotion/
relegation playoff to be played on the
2 April.
Bective now face into the AIL promotion
playoffs. These are being played as a
double header in Coolmine RFC on the
1 April. Bective play Clogher Valley
RFC (kick-off 1.00pm), who are the All-
Ireland Junior Cup champions. It is a big
challenge for the Donnybrook side, but
we wish them well. Should they make it
through to the final, they have two shots at
promotion, and a lot of Leinster sides are
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