Rugby's All-Ireland League fixtures

2004-2005 fixtures: Blackrock College will have first crack at defending AIB All-Ireland League Division One champions Shannon…

2004-2005 fixtures: Blackrock College will have first crack at defending AIB All-Ireland League Division One champions Shannon when they travel to Thomond Park on the opening day of the new season, October 16th.

Geoff Moylan's men will be hoping to win a seventh crown. Among their chief rivals will be last year's beaten finalists, Cork Constitution, who take the road to Buccaneers, a repeat of one of last season's semi-finals.

Dublin University, in their first season in the top flight, will travel to Galwegians in the opening round of fixtures, the latter surviving by the skin of their teeth last season. The team that the Galway side sent down to Division Two, St Mary's College, will face Old Crescent in Limerick on the first weekend.

The other side relegated from Division One, Dolphin, will also commence their campaign in Limerick, travelling to Young Munster. Last season's Division Three winners, Highfield, have the luxury of a home tie against Thomond in their first match.

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In Division Three, newly-promoted junior side Bruff, playing senior rugby for the first time, take on Clonakilty in their historic opening match. The three divisional semi-finals will take place on April 30th, with the finals being staged on the same day a week later, on Saturday, May 7th.

DIVISION ONE.

October 16th: Ballymena v Clontarf; Belfast Harlequins v Dungannon; Buccaneers v Cork Constitution; Co Carlow v Garryowen; Galwegians v Dublin University; Shannon v Blackrock College; UCD v Lansdowne.

October 23rd: Blackrock College v Belfast Harlequins; Cork Constitution v Ballymena; Co Carlow v Clontarf; Dublin University v Buccaneers; Dungannon v UCD; Garryowen v Galwegians.

October 30th: Lansdowne v Shannon.

November 6th: Ballymena v Co Carlow; Belfast Harlequins v Dublin University; Buccaneers v Blackrock College; Clontarf v Dungannon; Lansdowne v Galwegians; UCD v Cork Constitution.

November 7th: Shannon v Garryowen.

December 4th: Blackrock College v Ballymena; Cork Constitution v Clontarf; Co Carlow v Buccaneers; Dublin University v UCD; Dungannon v Lansdowne; Galwegians v Shannon; Garryowen v Belfast Harlequins.

December 18th: Ballymena v Dublin University; Belfast Harlequins v Shannon; Buccaneers v Dungannon; Clontarf v Garryowen; Cork Constitution v Galwegians; Lansdowne v Co Carlow; UCD v Blackrock College.

January 8th: Belfast Harlequins v Co Carlow; Blackrock College v Lansdowne; Dublin University v Clontarf; Dungannon v Cork Constitution; Galwegians v Buccaneers; Garryowen v Ballymena.

January 15th: Shannon v UCD

January 22nd: Ballymena v Shannon; Buccaneers v Garryowen; Clontarf v Blackrock College; Co Carlow v Dungannon; Dublin University v Cork Constitution; Galwegians v UCD; Lansdowne v Belfast Harlequins.

January 29th: Belfast Harlequins v Galwegians; Clontarf v Buccaneers; Cork Constitution v Co Carlow; Dungannon v Blackrock College; Garryowen v Lansdowne; Shannon v Dublin University; UCD v Ballymena.

February 5th: Ballymena v Belfast Harlequins; Blackrock College v Dublin University; Buccaneers v UCD; Cork Constitution v Lansdowne; Co Carlow v Shannon; Dungannon v Garryowen; Galwegians v Clontarf.

February 19th: Belfast Harlequins v Buccaneers; Blackrock College v Cork Constitution; Clontarf v UCD; Dublin University v Garryowen; Galwegians v Co. Carlow; Lansdowne v Ballymena; Shannon v Dungannon.

March 26th: Ballymena v Galwegians; Co Carlow v Blackrock College; Dungannon v Dublin University; Garryowen v Cork Constitution; Shannon v Clontarf; UCD v Belfast Harlequins.

March 27th: Lansdowne v Buccaneers.

April 9th: Blackrock College v Galwegians; Buccaneers v Shannon; Clontarf v Lansdowne; Cork Constitution v Belfast Harlequins; Dublin University v Co Carlow; Dungannon v Ballymena; UCD v Garryowen.

April 16th: Ballymena v Buccaneers; Belfast Harlequins v Clontarf; Co Carlow v UCD; Galwegians v Dungannon; Garryowen v Blackrock College; Lansdowne v Dublin University; Shannon v Cork Constitution.

April 30th: Semi-finals.

May 7th: Final.

DIVISION TWO.

October 16th: Barnhall v UL Bohemian; Bective Rangers v Waterpark; Highfield v Thomond; Malone v Terenure College; Midleton v DLSP; Old Belvedere v Ballynahinch; Old Crescent v St Mary's College; Young Munster v Dolphin. UCC (Free).

October 23rd: Ballynahinch v Highfield; Dolphin v Barnhall; DLSP v UCC; St Mary's College v Malone; Terenure College v Old Crescent; Thomond v Midleton; UL Bohemian v Bective Rangers; Waterpark v Young Munster. Old Belvedere (Free).

October 30th: Barnhall v Thomond; Bective Rangers v St Mary's College; Highfield v Dolphin; Malone v Waterpark; Midleton v Terenure College; Old Crescent v UL Bohemian; UCC v Old Belvedere; Young Munster v Ballynahinch. DLSP (Free).

November 6th: Ballynahinch v Barnhall; Dolphin v Old Crescent; Old Belvedere v Bective Rangers; St Mary's College v UCC; Terenure College v Highfield; Thomond v Malone; UL Bohemian v DLSP; Waterpark v Midleton. Young Munster (Free).

December 4th: Barnhall v Waterpark; Bective Rangers v Young Munster; DLSP v Ballynahinch; Highfield v UL Bohemian; Malone v Old Belvedere; Midleton v Dolphin; Old Crescent v Thomond; UCC v Terenure College. St Mary's College (Free).

December 11th: Ballynahinch v Midleton; Dolphin v UCC; Old Belvedere v DLSP; Terenure College v Bective Rangers; Thomond v St Mary's College; UL Bohemian v Malone; Waterpark v Highfield; Young Munster v Barnhall. Old Crescent (Free).

December 18th: Barnhall v Terenure College; Bective Rangers v Old Crescent; DLSP v Dolphin; Highfield v Old Belvedere; Malone v Ballynahinch; Midleton v Young Munster; St Mary's College v Waterpark; UCC v UL Bohemian. Thomond (Free).

January 8th: Ballynahinch v Bective Rangers; Dolphin v Malone; Old Belvedere v Thomond; Old Crescent v Barnhall; Terenure College v DLSP; UL Bohemian v St Mary's College; Waterpark v UCC; Young Munster v Highfield; Midleton (Free).

January 15th: Barnhall v Old Belvedere; Highfield v Old Crescent; Malone v Young Munster; St Mary's College v Terenure College; Thomond v Dolphin; UCC v Ballynahinch; UL Bohemian v Midleton; Waterpark v DLSP Bective Rangers (Free).

January 22nd: Ballynahinch v Thomond; Bective Rangers v Barnhall; DLSP v Highfield; Dolphin v St Mary's College; Midleton v Malone; Old Belvedere v UL Bohemian; Old Crescent v Waterpark; Young Munster v UCC. Terenure College (Free).

January 29th: Barnhall v Midleton; Malone v DLSP; St Mary's College v Old Belvedere; Terenure College v Dolphin; Thomond v Bective Rangers; UCC v Old Crescent; Waterpark v Ballynahinch; Highfield (Free).

January 30th: UL Bohemian v Young Munster.

February 5th: Ballynahinch v St Mary's College; Bective Rangers v Malone; Dolphin v Waterpark; DLSP v Old Crescent; Highfield v Barnhall; Midleton v UCC; Old Belvedere v Terenure College; Thomond v Young Munster. UL Bohemian (Free).

February 19th: Barnhall v DLSP; Malone v UCC; Old Crescent v Ballynahinch; St Mary's College v Midleton; Terenure College v Thomond; Young Munster v Old Belvedere. Waterpark (Free).

February 20th: Bective Rangers v Highfield; Dolphin v UL Bohemian.

March 5th: Ballynahinch v Dolphin; DLSP v Young Munster; Highfield v St Mary's College; Midleton v Bective Rangers; Old Crescent v Old Belvedere; Terenure College v UL Bohemian; Thomond v Waterpark; UCC v Barnhall. Malone (Free).

March 26th: Barnhall v Malone; Bective Rangers v UCC; DLSP v St Mary's College; Midleton v Highfield; Old Belvedere v Dolphin; Waterpark v Terenure College; Young Munster v Old Crescent; Ballynahinch (Free).

March 27th: UL Bohemian v Thomond.

April 9th: Dolphin v Bective Rangers; Malone v Old Crescent; Old Belvedere v Midleton; St Mary's College v Young Munster; Terenure College v Ballynahinch; Thomond v DLSP; UCC v Highfield; UL Bohemian v Waterpark. Barnhall (Free).

April 16th: Ballynahinch v UL Bohemian; DLSP v Bective Rangers; Highfield v Malone; Old Crescent v Midleton; St Mary's College v Barnhall; UCC v Thomond; Waterpark v Old Belvedere; Young Munster v Terenure College. Dolphin (Free).

April 30th: Semi-finals.

May 7th: Final.

DIVISION THREE

October 16th: Ballina v Old Wesley; Banbridge v Wanderers; Bruff v Clonakilty; Connemara v Queens University; Corinthians v Portadown; Greystones v Skerries; Instonians v City of Derry; Sunday's Well v Suttonians. Ards (Free).

October 23rd: City of Derry v Corinthians; Clonakilty v Banbridge; Old Wesley v Connemara; Portadown v Bruff; Queen's University v Greystones; Skerries v Sunday's Well; Suttonians v Ards; Wanderers v Ballina. Instonians (Free).

October 30th: Ards v Skerries; Ballina v Clonakilty; Banbridge v Portadown; Bruff v City of Derry; Connemara v Wanderers; Corinthians v Instonians; Greystones v Old Wesley; Sunday's Well v Queen's University; Suttonians (Free).

November 6th: City of Derry v Banbridge; Clonakilty v Connemara; Instonians v Bruff; Old Wesley v Sunday's Well; Portadown v Ballina; Queen's University v Ards; Skerries v Suttonians. Corinthians (Free).

November 7th: Wanderers v Greystones.

December 4th: Ards v Old Wesley; Ballina v City of Derry; Banbridge v Instonians; Bruff v Corinthians; Connemara v Portadown; Greystones v Clonakilty; Sunday's Well v Wanderers; Suttonians v Queen's University. Skerries (Free).

December 11th: City of Derry v Connemara; Clonakilty v Sunday's Well; Corinthians v Banbridge; Instonians v Ballina; Old Wesley v Suttonians; Portadown v Greystones; Queen's University v Skerries; Wanderers v Ards. Bruff (Free).

December 18th: Ards v Clonakilty; Ballina v Corinthians; Banbridge v Bruff; Connemara v Instonians; Greystones v City of Derry; Sunday's Well v Portadown; Skerries v Old Wesley; Suttonians v Wanderers. Queen's University (Free).

January 8th: Bruff v Ballina; City of Derry v Sunday's Well; Clonakilty v Suttonians; Corinthians v Connemara; Instonians v Greystones; Old Wesley v Queen's University; Portadown v Ards; Wanderers v Skerries. Banbridge (Free).

January 15th: Ards v City of Derry; Ballina v Banbridge; Connemara v Bruff; Greystones v Corinthians; Sunday's Well v Instonians; Queen's University v Wanderers; Skerries v Clonakilty; Suttonians v Portadown. Old Wesley (Free).

January 22nd: Banbridge v Connemara; Bruff v Greystones; City of Derry v Suttonians; Clonakilty v Queens University; Corinthians v Sunday's Well; Instonians v Ards; Portadown v Skerries; Ballina (Free).

January 23rd: Wanderers v Old Wesley.

January 29th: Ards v Corinthians; Connemara v Ballina; Greystones v Banbridge; Old Wesley v Clonakilty; Queen's University v Portadown; Skerries v City of Derry; Sunday's Well v Bruff; Suttonians v Instonians. Wanderers (Free).

February 5th: Ballina v Greystones; Banbridge v Sunday's Well; Bruff v Ards; City of Derry v Queens University; Clonakilty v Wanderers; Corinthians v Suttonians; Instonians v Skerries; Portadown v Old Wesley. Connemara (Free).

February 19th: Ards v Banbridge; Greystones v Connemara; Old Wesley v City of Derry; Queen's University v Instonians; Skerries v Corinthians; Sunday's Well v Ballina; Suttonians v Bruff; Wanderers v Portadown. Clonakilty (Free).

March 5th: Ballina v Ards; Banbridge v Suttonians; Bruff v Skerries; City of Derry v Wanderers; Connemara v Sunday's Well; Corinthians v Queen's University; Instonians v Old Wesley; Portadown v Clonakilty. Greystones (Free).

March 26th: Ards v Connemara; Clonakilty v City of Derry; Queen's University v Bruff; Skerries v Banbridge; Sunday's Well v Greystones; Suttonians v Ballina; Wanderers v Instonians. Portadown (Free).

March 27th: Old Wesley v Corinthians.

April 9th: Ballina v Skerries; Banbridge v Queen's University; Bruff v Old Wesley; City of Derry v Portadown; Connemara v Suttonians; Corinthians v Wanderers; Greystones v Ards; Instonians v Clonakilty. Sunday's Well (Free).

April 16th: Ards v Sunday's Well; Clonakilty v Corinthians; Old Wesley v Banbridge; Portadown v Instonians; Queen's University v Ballina; Skerries v Connemara; Suttonians v Greystones; Wanderers v Bruff. City of Derry (Free).

April 30th: Semi-finals.

May 7th: Final.

John O'Sullivan

John O'Sullivan

John O'Sullivan is an Irish Times sports writer