### Division 1A
Relegation Play-off 2nd Leg, Ballynahinch \[21\] v UCC \[17\], Ballymacarn Park, 2:30
Ballynahinch hold a four-point lead at the halfway stage in the Division 1A relegation play-off. First half tries from Josh Hanlon and George Pringle guided them to a 21-17 first leg victory at UCC.
The Cork students, who had assistant coach Cian Bohane lining out at out-half, replied to an early penalty when scrum half Andrew O’Mahony sniped through for a converted try after a lineout steal.
Ireland Under-20 hooker Hanlon crossed from a ‘Hinch maul, five minutes later, and with the visitors’ scrum getting on top, Conor McAuley sent centre Pringle over in the 28th minute.
Turning around with a 15-7 deficit, UCC had a dream start to the second half when Matthew Bowen was taken out by Ronan Patterson as he attempted to chase his own kick. The ‘Hinch winger saw yellow and also harshly conceded a penalty try.
Daniel Squires tagged on a 50th-minute penalty for a 17-15 home lead, but ‘Hinch used their superior scrum to storm back, providing the platform for penalties from Conor Rankin after 60 and 69 minutes.
Adam Craig’s side should have finished further in front, though, and the tie still remains in the balance. Greg Hutley hit the post with a drop goal attempt and missed out on a try due to a tremendous cover tackle from Bowen.
### Division 1B
Relegation Play-off 2nd Leg, Banbridge \[25\] v Navan \[17\], Rifle Park, 2:30
Centre Ben Carson, a recent Grand Slam winner with the Ireland Under-20s, got amongst the tries as Banbridge won their relegation play-off first leg against Navan.
Late scores from Conor Field and Carson gave Bann a priceless 25-17 win at Balreask Old, leaving Navan, whose scrum half Mark Farrell kicked four penalties, with an uphill task next week.
### Division 2A
Promotion Play-off Final, QUB v Buccaneers, Dub Lane, 2:30
Queen’s reached the final with a victory that showed the full range of their attacking abilities: a 12-try trouncing of their Ulster rivals Ballymena that ended 82-14. They led 35-0 at half-time and had 63 points on the board before Ballymena could respond.
It was a gallant effort from the Braidmen, who closed out their season with a try from Ireland Under-20 Grand Slam-winning hooker James McCormick.
Graham Curtis impressed for the students with a second half hat-trick of tries, while Conor McKee, who ran in a couple of long range scores, Robbie Johnson and full-back Michael Orr all bagged braces.
McCormick’s Ireland U-20 colleague Lorcan McLoughlin, Andy Magrath and Gary Dillon were the other try scorers for Queen’s, who had six conversions from out-half Richie McMaster and five from Ulster Academy out-half James Humphreys.
Relegation Play-off 2nd Leg, Nenagh Ormond \[17\] v Rainey OB \[17\], New Ormond Park, 2:30
It is all-square in the division’s relegation play-off, Rainey Old Boys recovering from a shaky start at Hatrick Park to draw 17-all with Nenagh Ormond.
Nenagh edged ahead when Nicky Irwin gathered Derek Corcoran’s grubber kick and brilliantly turned the cover defence inside out for the opening try.
With McGibney receiving attention, Conor McMahon took over the kicking and duly converted. Rainey leaked a second seven-pointer when John O’Flaherty attacked off a scrum and fed influential centre Willie Coffey for a typically strong finish.
Trailing 14-0 at the break, Rainey regrouped and they dominated in the air in the second half, hoovering up their own lineout and causing havoc on Nenagh ball.
Within 10 minutes of the restart, Ian McKinley’s charges had cut the gap to just four points. McLean landed a penalty and converted a well-taken try from back rower Conor Smyth.
Scrum half Irwin made a timely break in the 65th minute, the Rainey defence coughing up a penalty which centre McMahon turned into three points with a fine kick.
A late Rainey penalty put them just metres from the whitewash, and with Nenagh captain O’Flaherty then sin-binned for an illegal sack of a maul, the strong-carrying Smyth completed his brace. McLean levelled with the boot.
### Division 2C
Relegation Play-off 2nd Leg, City of Derry \[17\] v Clonmel \[33\], Judge's Road, 2:30
Clonmel take a 33-17 lead up to Judge’s Road for the second leg of their relegation play-off against City of Derry. The south Tipperary club enjoyed a dream finish to the game, scoring 15 points in the final 10 minutes.
Luke Hogan, who bagged a brace of tries, touched down to spark Clonmel’s late surge. His own break led to Greg Carroll’s 75th-minute converted score and Dylan Cadogan tagged on a closing penalty.
Centre Hogan was also key figure early on for Ian Keatley’s charges, breaking the defensive line with aplomb to run in a 15th-minute converted try. Winger Conor Pearson added five more points, seven minutes later.
Two well-executed moves off scrums in the hosts’ 22 saw Derry move into a 17-12 half-time lead, with David Lapsley and Paddy Blennerhassett both bursting through to score from strong runs.
Centre David Graham’s yellow card for a high tackle was the beginning of Derry’s undoing. Two Cadogan penalties edged Clonmel back in front and their late spurt puts them in a strong position for their final outing of the season.
Richard McCarter’s Derry team are hoping to turn the tie around with a big performance at home this weekend. They have won their last three games at Judge’s Road with an average winning margin of just under 11 points.