YMCA's win over The Hills on Tuesday night finally bought the league trophy to Claremont Road after a 21 year wait. Slightly less heralded has been YM's fifth week as the number one club on the island. With Waringstown losing to Instonians, YM have a little bit of breathing space, and should now end the season as number one, the first Leinster club to do so since Railway Union in 2010. However Waringstown may still have a chance and play Instonians again on September 13th to decide the the NCU Ulster Bank Premier League.
There was a distinct lack of movement in the to p5 though, with Clontarf closing the gap on Merrion (but not passing them), and Instonians similarly coming up on Clontarf's heels after two good wins last week.
The Hills must still be wondering how their season ended in relegation, and the rankings do nothing to soothe their heads. Although they slip one place to 7th, they are still one of the best teams around, as one would expect of the Bob Kerr Irish Senior Cup champions. The fact that they will be playing in Division 2 next year doesn't change that.
In the North West it was a case of "after you - no, after you", as all the league contenders won and lost. Brigade lost to Donemana before beating Coleraine, Coleraine also beat Bready, whilst Donemana also lost to Strabane.
The biggest winners this week were Eglinton who managed to jump over Carrickfergus, Muckamore, Lurgan and Downpatrick on the back of a win over Ardmore. In NCU Section 1, Bangor surprised Lurgan, and jumped up three places to 41st.
There is still plenty of action left this year, with Waringstown striving to be crowned as the best team on the island for the fourth consecutive year. YMCA will be hoping they can stay ahead, and as they have finished their season, they can only watch from beyond the boundary