Ulster Bank Bateman Cup Final Preview: Cork Constitution v UCD

ULSTER BANK BATEMAN ALL-IRELAND CUP FINAL: Saturday, May 3

CORK CONSTITUTION v UCD, Temple Hill, 2.30pm (live RTÉ Two/www.rte.ie/live (worldwide))

Ulster Bank League Form – Cork Constitution: LWLWD; UCD: LWWLW
Ulster Bank League Season’s Record – Cork Constitution: 5th place finish, eight wins and two draws; UCD: 3rd place finish, ten wins

This Season’s League Meetings – Saturday, November 30, 2013: UCD 23 Cork Constitution 17, Belfield; Saturday, January 25, 2014: Cork Constitution 14 UCD 6, Temple Hill

Did You Know?: Cork Constitution have an enviable record in national cup competitions – they were crowned All-Ireland Cup champions in 2006 and 2010 and lifted the Bateman Cup for the first time last year.

UCD were the second top scorers in Division 1A this season with 433 points. Across their six most recent Ulster Bank League outings, the students averaged 30 points per game.

Paths To The Final –

Cork Constitution:

Munster Senior Cup
– won 35-15 v UL Bohemians (away)
– won 21-11 v UCC (away)
– won 9-6 v Garryowen (aet) (final at Thomond Park) (champions for the 25th time)

Ulster Bank Bateman Cup semi-final
– won 46-14 v Queen’s University (home)

UCD:

Leinster Senior League Cup
– won 57-13 v Blackrock College (home)
– won 44-13 v Old Belvedere (away)
– won 29-19 v Lansdowne (away)
– won 57-26 v Old Wesley (home)
– won 23-18 v Terenure College (final at Donnybrook) (champions for the 9th time)

Ulster Bank Bateman Cup semi-final
– won 21-20 v Galwegians (home)

Preview: The RTÉ cameras will be at Temple Hill as the Leesiders look to defend the title they won 12 months ago. Back then, first half tries from Robert Clune and Scott Deasy set them on their way to a 24-19 win over St. Mary’s College.

The Bateman Cup is one of Irish rugby’s oldest competitions, first introduced in 1922 by Dr. Godfrey Bateman from Cork who presented the trophy to the IRFU to honour his sons Reginald and Arthur who both died in the First World War.

The format of the four provincial cup winners going head-to-head was reintroduced in 2011 and Munster clubs have had a stranglehold on the trophy since then with Bruff (2011), Garryowen (2012) and Cork Con (2013) all emerging as champions.

UCD, who were beaten by Bruff at the semi-final stage three years ago, are hoping to become the first Leinster winners in recent years after edging out Galwegians (21-20) in the last-four in January.

The students will be hugely motivated to end the season with All-Ireland silverware. They will be looking to repeat their 23-17 Belfield win over Cork Con last November when out-half James Thornton scored one of the tries of the season.

Bobby Byrne’s youngsters were 14-6 losers when they visited Temple Hill in January, but will be full of confidence after beating Lansdowne, league champions Clontarf and Young Munster in recent weeks.

However, UCD have struggled for wins on the road and Cork Con, with Munster-capped half-backs Johnny Holland and Gerry Hurley directing operations, might have too much nous and scrummaging power for the visitors.

IrishRugby.ie Prediction: Cork Constitution to win by 1-5 points

CORK CONSTITUTION: tbc

UCD: Andrew Boyle; Sam Coghlan Murray, Alex Kelly, Stephen Murphy, Barry Daly; James Thornton, Jamie Glynn; James Tracy, Risteard Byrne, Kieran Moloney, Shane Grannell (capt), Emmet MacMahon, Josh van der Flier, Mark McGroarty, Eoin Joyce.

Replacements: Liam Hyland, Adam Clarkin, Rory Harrison, Brian Cawley, Shane O’Meara, Niall Earls, Tom Fletcher.

Referee: Nigel Correll (IRFU)

Bateman Cup – Recent Finals:

2013 – St. Mary’s College 19 Cork Constitution 24, Templeville Road – Match Report / Post-Match Video
2012 – Ballymena 6 Garryowen 24, Templeville Road – Match Report
2011 – Bruff 24 Dungannon 18, Templeville Road – Match Report / Video Highlights

Related Links –

Semi-Finals Round-Up: Cork Con And UCD To Meet In Bateman Cup Final

YouTube Clip Shows Early Bateman Cup Era

Bateman Cup Final Live On RTÉ Two