Clontarf And Cork Constitution – A Rivalry Renewed

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Two of the most successful clubs in the modern era, their match-ups have become a joy to watch at the top tier of Irish club rugby over the past decade. This latest chapter promises another dollop of high drama, tactical intensity, and unforgettable moments.

Over the last ten years, at least one of these two teams has featured in every Division 1A final, underlining the consistency of their squads across a number of seasons. When they meet, it is often a nail-biter.

Of the three previous final encounters between Clontarf and Cork Constitution, two have been decided by four points or fewer. Even their more recent regular-season clashes have been defined by fine margins, only occasionally marked by double-digit scorelines.

Led by long-serving head coach Andy Wood, Clontarf are back in the decider after a two-year absence from the Energia All-Ireland League’s biggest stage.

Having fallen short in the 2023 final against Terenure College, and suffered a semi-final exit at the hands of Cork Constitution last year, ‘Tarf have been on a mission to reclaim their place at the top of Irish club rugby’s tree.

One man who has seen it all is their captain Dylan Donnellan. He has been through the highs and lows with the north Dubliners, the peak being those champagne-stained celebrations in 2022 when Matt D’Arcy lifted the trophy.

A year later he watched on as Dublin rivals Terenure lifted the title, and last season walking off the pitch at Temple Hill, following that 40-34 play-off loss, was a tough pill to swallow.

But for Donnellan, this weekend is not about redemption, it is about a new opportunity. The dynamic hooker, who has again been a talismanic figure for Clontarf throughout the season, spoke with IrishRugby.ie ahead of Sunday’s final.

“Last year we were disappointed not to be in the final,” he admitted. “That just speaks to the quality of the club. We put in a lot of work and the calibre of players we have, we kind of expect to be here (at the Aviva).

“We know how hard we work all year round, so that’s always the goal in the year. There’s no redemption story here. This is a new story. This is a new year. This is just about getting the job done and bringing that trophy back to Castle Avenue.”

Clontarf have every reason to feel confident of bringing the league silverware back home on Sunday. They topped the Division 1A table after a impressive regular season, shrugging off last year’s setbacks to surge back into contention.

After coming through a bruising semi-final against Lansdowne last week, Wood’s charges will make the short trip to Lansdowne Road with momentum and belief.

A large part of Clontarf’s success this year has been due to Donnellan himself. The 31-year-old has not only captained the side with distinction but also contributed a joint-division leading 14 tries, continuing his excellent scoring form from recent seasons.

“The whole season just builds towards this weekend. It’s where you want to be. You set your stall out, in July or whenever you get back to pre-season.

“This is what it all means. 18 matches, a semi-final then just to be here. So there’s a lot of work. A lot of hard work goes into it. So hopefully now we’ll just get the job done.

“We’ve had a great year. There’s a lot of talk in the year that this has been a rebuilding year for Clontarf, so God forbid anyone if this is a rebuilding year for us.

“Really looking forward to Sunday, 19 games just to get here, so hopefully we can just deliver the goods now on Sunday and get the job done.”

Standing between ‘Tarf and their fourth All-Ireland League crown are the reigning champions. Guided by head coach Jonny Holland, Cork Constitution are aiming to become the first club since Shannon in the mid-2000s to win back-to-back Division 1A titles.

A win this weekend would also mark Cork Con’s eighth league triumph overall. The club has produced countless legendary figures of the game, and among their new generation is 19-year-old Mark Skelly, a towering forward who is at the tail-end of his first season with the senior squad.

For Skelly, the journey has already been extraordinary. Just last year he was a supporter in the stands, travelling with fans to see Holland’s men dethrone Terenure in dramatic fashion. Now he is part of the squad preparing for the final.

The young forward developed his game at both Cork Con and CBC Cork, and has some heartbreaking memories of losing successive Munster Schools Senior Cup finals to Christians’ fierce rivals PBC. Those disappointments have made him even hungrier for success at adult level.

“I played with Con all throughout the ranks, and it’s a very proud club. To see how professionally it’s done, coming into a club set-up out of school is amazing in fairness, and it’s kind of 10 times what I expected. That’s only improving in Con,” he said.

“We dipped a small bit during the season (with three defeats in the opening five rounds), and we knew that wasn’t good enough ourselves.

“But as you know in the All-Ireland League, it’s all about momentum. Both teams now will be looking to keep that momentum on Sunday come four o’clock.

“To be involved with this team throughout the year has been class, in fairness. The lads have made me feel so at home, and the community in Con is very good to me. So I can’t complain.”

Con showed their experience and guile in last Saturday’s play-offs, pulling off a hard-fought 16-8 victory away to St. Mary’s College. In doing so, they became the first team to win a top flight semi-final on the road since their own 2018 success at Terenure.

Captain David Hyland’s early second-half try and the ever-reliable right boot of James Taylor, who has scored 129 points this season, were crucial in deciding the outcome of a close contest at Templeville Road.

Taylor, the player-of-the-match in last year’s final, remains a central figure in Constitution’s game-plan. His composure and accuracy under pressure will again be vital if the Leesiders are to prevail.

Despite their pedigree, many had Con down as underdogs for that semi-final clash. But the team thrives under pressure. Anything can happen in the All-Ireland League admits Skelly, and in an exciting week for the club they are looking forward to another tough test.

“We tried to block out as much external noise as possible. There’s no point getting stuck down in that, especially as players. We kind of knew ourselves. We were the underdogs, but as we know in this league, anything can happen.

“Massive week ahead. Lads will be sore, especially after a very physical game against Mary’s, but everyone’s looking forward to it.

“The lads will definitely be well prepared. The coaching staff will have that all taken into account, and they’ve gotten their recovery in. A couple of big pitch sessions this week, and they’ll be looking forward to it,” he added.

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