#EnergiaAIL Men’s Division 1A Final Preview: Clontarf v Cork Constitution

ENERGIA ALL-IRELAND LEAGUE MEN’S DIVISION 1A FINAL:

Sunday, April 27 –

CLONTARF (1st) v CORK CONSTITUTION (3rd), Aviva Stadium, 4pm (live TG4/TG4 Player)

Tickets for the #EnergiaAIL finals double header at the Aviva Stadium are on sale from Ticketmaster.ie – buy now.

#EnergiaAIL Finals – Match Day Information

For supporters coming to the Aviva Stadium, please note the following gates will be open:

For the West Stand, please enter via C
For the South Stand via Q
For the East Stand via O
For Accessible seating via A

Energia All-Ireland League Season’s Form: Clontarf: WWWLWWLWWWWLWWWWLWW; Cork Constitution: LWWLLWDWWWWWWLLWWWW
Energia All-Ireland League Top Scorers – Clontarf: Points: Conor Kelly 195; Tries: Dylan Donnellan 14; Cork Constitution: Points: James Taylor 129; Tries: Sean French, Matthew Bowen 8 each

Previous Energia All-Ireland League Titles – Clontarf: 3 (2013/14, 2015/16, 2021/22); Cork Constitution: 7 (1990/91, 1998/99, 2007/08, 2009/10, 2016/17, 2018/19, 2023/24)

Preview: Memories of these clubs’ three Energia All-Ireland League finals in a four-year span come flooding back, starting with Clontarf’s stirring 2016 Joey Carbery-inspired success. Cork Constitution then gained revenge to reign supreme at the Aviva Stadium in both 2017 and 2019.

Lansdowne and Terenure College have both squeezed in title wins along the way, but in terms of consistency, Clontarf and Cork Con continue to set the bar high for Irish Rugby’s elite clubs. Since the play-offs returned in 2015, either ‘Tarf or Con, or both of them, have played in each Division 1A final.

After beating Terenure with 14 men in last year’s epic decider, Constitution recovered from a difficult start to the current campaign to finish third in the table. Jonny Holland’s men put themselves within reach of an eighth AIL crown for the club with a dogged 16-8 semi-final victory at St. Mary’s College.

As he did during last week’s clash, George Coomber replaces the injured Billy Crowley at full-back, but this time it is from the start. Their only other change to the team is at loosehead prop where Munster’s Mark Donnelly, a second-half replacement in Cardiff last night, is set to feature.

Con’s back row of Jack Kelleher, last season’s Division 1A Player of the Year, Ronán O’Sullvan, and captain David Hyland is a formidable combination, as is their centre pairing of Sean French, who returned to the club this season, and former skipper Niall Kenneally.

French and flying winger Matthew Bowen have led their try-scoring with eight each, while out-half James Taylor (129 points) is top of the list in terms of potential match winners. He delivered a player-of-the-match performance at this stage last year, kicking 18 points as Holland’s side overcame Terenure despite John Forde’s red card.

Munster Academy hooker Danny Sheahan, who scored the clinching try in that 33-22 triumph, has been added to the bench again. The Leesiders have that experience of 2024 in the bank, but know how difficult Clontarf are to beat after losing twice to them during the regular season.

Second-half tries from Tadhg Bird, a tricky runner from full-back, and Leinster’s Aitzol Arenzana-King saw Andy Wood’s charges prevail 20-16 at Temple Hill back in October.

The rematch at Castle Avenue in mid-February was also a close run thing, ‘Tarf coming from behind once more to take a 15-13 verdict thanks to replacement Will Reilly’s opportunist converted try right at the death.

Clontarf captain Dylan Donnellan has been a menace again from mauls and close-in carries, scoring a joint-division leading 14 tries. Tighthead Ben Griffin took up the baton in last week’s semi-final against Lansdowne, scoring a try and setting up another with a brilliant break and pass.

A calf injury picked up during that hard-fought 17-15 home win means Leinster-capped loosehead Ivan Soroka will miss tomorrow’s showdown. Tullow man Charlie Ward replaces him, and Paris Olympian Andrew Smith, who is currently on loan from Connacht to Munster, will also start.

Smith slots in on the right wing, and Leinster talent Hugh Cooney continues at outside centre in a back-line directed by Ireland Club XV number 10 Conor Kelly, who is out on his own at the top of the division’s scoring charts this year. He is just five points short of the 200-point mark.

‘Tarf have their own dynamic back row to rival that of their opponents. Australian John Vinson has had a huge season at number 8, filling the void left by the legendary Tony Ryan. Openside Aaron Coleman has been ever-present and another savvy addition after three years with Dublin University.

The north Dubliners finished top of the table in 2022 before going on to win league title number four. They led the league too the following season but missed out on the silverware to first-time winners Terenure. Constitution then turned the tables on ‘Nure twelve months ago.

A second consecutive final victory for the Corkmen would see them become the first back-to-back champions since Shannon in the mid-2000s. Clontarf will be doing their utmost to deny them, and are chasing their own All-Ireland double after their U-20s’ recent Fraser McMullen Cup win.

CLONTARF: Tadhg Bird; Andrew Smith, Hugh Cooney, Connor Fahy, Peter Maher; Conor Kelly, Sam Owens; Charlie Ward, Dylan Donnellan (capt), Ben Griffin, Fionn Gilbert, Jim Peters, Callum Smith, Aaron Coleman, John Vinson.

Replacements: Declan Adamson, Conor Bateman, Luke Brady, Will Reilly, Stephen Ryan, James Conroy, Oran Walsh, Alvin Amaniampong.

CORK CONSTITUTION: George Coomber; Daniel Hurley, Sean French, Niall Kenneally, Matthew Bowen; James Taylor, Adam Maher; Mark Donnelly, Billy Scannell, Luke Masters, Sean Duffy, John Forde, Jack Kelleher, Ronán O’Sullvan, David Hyland (capt).

Replacements: Danny Sheahan, David Good, Charlie Connolly, Eoin Quilter, Jacob Sheahan, Louis Kahn, Eoghan Smyth, Rob Jermyn.

Referee: Keane Davison (IRFU)

Pre-Match Links –

Clontarf Show Defensive Steel To Reach #EnergiaAIL Decider

Cork Con Edge Past Mary’s To Book #EnergiaAIL Final Date

In Pics: Energia All-Ireland League Finals Day Launch

Clontarf: Route To The #EnergiaAIL Final

Cork Constitution: Route To The #EnergiaAIL Final

Clontarf And Cork Constitution – A Rilvary Renewed

Recent League Meetings – Saturday, October 26, 2024: Cork Constitution 16 Clontarf 20, Temple Hill; Saturday, February 15, 2025: Clontarf 15 Cork Constitution 13, Castle Avenue

IrishRugby.ie Prediction: Clontarf to win

Keep up to date with all the latest news in our dedicated website hub at www.irishrugby.ie/energiaail, and follow #EnergiaAIL on social media channels.