Bruff remain unbeaten in the AIL still this season but the league looks like going right down to the wire after the 10 all draw in Ards over the weekend.
Now trying to make some sense of the tables after the weekend:
If you are of a sensitive nature or your mind boggles with permutations then please stop reading now.
If Bruff beat Queens at home then we go to 56/57 points with Queens remaining on 43/44 and Banbridge possibly the same. Instonians possibly on 49/50.
Banbridge on a possible finish of 59 (39 plus 4 wins with bonus points) so that means we have to get 60 points (Eight out of our last three games) to guarantee qualification.
Queens have a possible finish of 63 (with four bonus point wins) but that means beating us and getting a bonus.
If we lose to Queens but get a bonus or two, To top the division we need 11 points from three games (Queens can possibly finish on 63) . Then it doesn’t matter what any other team gets, we’ll be on top.
If we beat Queens at home next weekend then a total of 59 points will do us to secure promotion, (as long as they don’t get two bonus points, seven points out of three games including next weekend will do us) a Total of 61 will give us the league without any doubt, 60 will probably see us through on top spot on score difference (if Instonians get three bonus point wins). This is the tightest it has been in a number of years. If we win next weekend the Naas match could give us the league (9 points between the two games), and the Banbridge game would be irrelevant (To us).
The bottom line is that it won’t be solved next weekend, but we have to beat Queens, otherwise it’s out of our hands and in the lap of the gods. It’s all very far from over yet, we never seem to get an easy ride do we?
Remaining games: We have Queens (H) then we go on the road for the last two games to Naas and Banbridge.
Queens have Bruff(A), Waterpark (A) , Sundays Well (H) and Nenagh Ormond (H) left.
Instonians have Co. Carlow (H), Corinthians (A) and Connemara (H)
Banbridge have Connemara (A), Corinthians (H), Midleton (A) and finally Bruff (H).