Winner takes all

IT really is a case of winner takes all in Togher this Sunday afternoon. At 3pm Portlaoise face off with Roscrea as to who will be promoted to play Division 2A rugby in the Leinster League next season.

Coming into this game, the most crucial for Portlaoise in recent years, the home side have lost just one game in their league campaign, and that on the very first day of the season to Sunday’s opponents. Roscrea have all their games.

Ever since Portlaoise got the better of Portarlington four weeks ago it became apparent that automatic promotion would come down to a final day shoot out between Portlaoise and Roscrea.

But there would have been a back door for Sunday’s losers who would go into a playoff against the second from bottom team in Division 2A.

But that has now all changed.

Because Malahide are going to be relegated from the AIL and replace the relegated team in Leinster League Division 1A (Wexford Wanderers), there will not now be any playoffs – unless.

That ‘unless’ is, should the team that tops Division 1A of the Leinster League go on to win the round robin playoff between the four provincial league winners and be promoted to the AIL, then there will be playoffs for the Leinster Leagues.

Sound complicated.

That remains a very improbable scenario as anyone I have spoken to can recall when the province that had a team relegated from the AIL had a team promoted from the round robin to replace them.

The simple fact remains that if Portlaoise want to play Division 2 rugby next season they have to beat Roscrea.

The call has gone out from the club summoning all supporters to get out to Togher on Sunday and cheer on the team.

“This Sunday Portlaoise take on Roscrea in the Leinster League Division 2B promotion final. After a long season it all comes down to one game in Togher. The players have done their part all year — now it’s time for the Portlaoise supporters to turn Togher into a fortress.”