#EnergiaAIL Men’s Divisions 1A & 1B: Round 10 Previews

ENERGIA ALL-IRELAND LEAGUE MEN’S DIVISION 1A – ROUND 10:

Saturday, January 10

Kick-off 2.30pm unless stated –

LANSDOWNE (3rd) v ST. MARY’S COLLEGE (2nd), Aviva Stadium back pitch, tonight, 7.30pm

Energia All-Ireland League Season’s Form: Lansdowne: WLLWWWWLW; St. Mary’s College: WWWWWLWWL
Energia All-Ireland League Top Scorers – Lansdowne: Points: James Tarrant 55; Tries: Andy Marks, Bobby Sheehan 5 each; St. Mary’s College: Points: Mick O’Gara 96; Tries: Aaron O’Sullivan 4

Preview: Lansdowne have won their last two meetings with St. Mary’s College, most notably knocking them off the summit with a 14-0 away win before Christmas. They bookended the first half with tries from James Tarrant and Greg McGrath, and defended smartly to prevent St. Mary’s from responding.

Declan Fassbender’s men held Mary’s scoreless despite their six visits to the 22 and four line breaks. Tonight’s rematch gives them the chance to move above their second-placed Dublin rivals in the table, or for Mark McHugh’s side to bounce back and begin 2026 with a slice of revenge.

Mick O’Gara, Division 1A’s top scorer with 96 points, will be aiming to have a big say for Mary’s. Finn Burke covers Dan Goggin’s absence in the visitors’ back row, while prop Oisin Michel is promoted from the bench, and Steven Kilgallen, Myles Carey, and Rob Gilsenan come into the back-line.

Recent League Meetings – Saturday, January 11, 2025: St. Mary’s College 5 Lansdowne 26, Templeville Road; Saturday, December 13, 2025: St. Mary’s College 0 Lansdowne 14, Templeville Road

IrishRugby.ie Prediction: St. Mary’s College to win

BALLYNAHINCH (7th) v CLONTARF (1st), Ballymacarn Park

Energia All-Ireland League Season’s Form: Ballynahinch: WLWWLWLLL; Clontarf: LWWWWWWWW
Energia All-Ireland League Top Scorers – Ballynahinch: Points: Conor Rankin 42; Tries: Ethan Graham 6; Clontarf: Points: Conor Kelly 66; Tries: Dylan Donnellan 7

Preview: A renewal of the recent Energia Bateman Cup final which Ballynahinch led for 67 minutes before Clontarf took a tight 21-16 verdict thanks to replacement Ivan Soroka’s late try. As well as lifting the prestigious trophy for the first time, ‘Tarf moved four points clear at the top of Division 1A.

They last visited Ballymacarn Park 13 months ago, coming away as 32-12 winners on a day when ever-reliable out-half Conor Kelly scored a try and kicked 12 points. Sharpening up their home record is a must for Ballynahinch, who have lost five of their last 10 league matches at their County Down base.

However, ‘Hinch have been boosted by retaining the Bank of Ireland Ulster Senior Cup just after Christmas, and the news that their own Adam Craig will continue to coach the Ireland Club XV this year. Quinn Armstrong and Daniel Bennett step up to start at inside centre and on the right wing, respectively.

Recent League Meetings – Saturday, January 18, 2025: Clontarf 45 Ballynahinch 16, Castle Avenue; Saturday, December 13, 2025: Clontarf 21 Ballynahinch 16, Castle Avenue

IrishRugby.ie Prediction: Clontarf to win

CORK CONSTITUTION (5th) v UCD (9th), Temple Hill

Energia All-Ireland League Season’s Form: Cork Constitution: LWWLLLWWW; UCD: LWLLLWLWL
Energia All-Ireland League Top Scorers – Cork Constitution: Points: Dylan Hicks 38; Tries: Jack Kelleher 7; UCD: Points: Paddy Clancy 60; Tries: Daniel Hurley 6

Preview: Putting together back-to-back wins has proven beyond UCD so far this season. That was the case last time out when their 19-10 half-time lead was overturned by Cork Constitution in Belfield. Talismanic back rower Jack Kelleher’s seventh try of the campaign helped the Leesiders to prevail.

That result left Cork Con level on 27 points with fourth-placed Terenure College, and UCD in the bottom two despite playing some excellent rugby at times. Con won all three games in the final block before Christmas, tellingly conceding just two final-quarter tries across the first nine rounds.

In contrast, UCD have leaked 12 tries during the 60th and 80th minutes of their matches to date. They do look to have a gem of a young out-half in Paddy Clancy, a Leinster Schools Senior Cup winner with Blackrock College last year. He has scored 60 points and amassed a division-high 2012 kicking metres.

Recent League Meetings – Saturday, January 11, 2025: UCD 17 Cork Constitution 26, UCD Bowl; Saturday, December 13, 2025: UCD 19 Cork Constitution 36, UCD Bowl

IrishRugby.ie Prediction: Cork Constitution to win

NENAGH ORMOND (10th) v YOUNG MUNSTER (6th), New Ormond Park

Energia All-Ireland League Season’s Form: Nenagh Ormond: LLLLLLLLL; Young Munster: LLLLWLLWW
Energia All-Ireland League Top Scorers – Nenagh Ormond: Points: Conor McMahon 36; Tries: Angus Blackmore 3; Young Munster: Points: Shane O’Leary 50; Tries: Hubert Gilvarry 9

Preview: An opportunity for Nenagh Ormond to wipe the slate clean and start afresh in the new year. The first half of their debut Division 1A campaign saw them suffer nine straight losses and fail to pick up a league point. Young Munster piled on the misery by beating them 57-10 before Christmas.

Once again, it was in the second half where Nenagh fell away. Of the 50 tries they have conceded, 35 of them have come during the final quarter of their games. On the plus side, Angus Blackmore and Willie Coffey have had 83 tackle breaks between them, with Blackmore also scoring three tries and making 10 line breaks.

Munster’s Evan O’Connell, Conor Bartley, and Luke Murphy return to the Young Munster team, along with Oisin Pepper who stands in for in-form winger Hubert Gilvarry. Sean O’Brien will bring professional experience to Nenagh’s midfield alongside Blackmore. Rob Buckley is added to the back row.

Recent League Meetings – Saturday, December 13, 2025: Young Munster 57 Nenagh Ormond 10, Tom Clifford Park

IrishRugby.ie Prediction: Young Munster to win

TERENURE COLLEGE (4th) v OLD BELVEDERE (8th), Lakelands Park

Energia All-Ireland League Season’s Form: Terenure College: WLWWWWLLL; Old Belvedere: WWLLLLWLW
Energia All-Ireland League Top Scorers – Terenure College: Points: Caspar Gabriel, Aran Egan 35 each; Tries: Dan Martin 6; Old Belvedere: Points: David Wilkinson 64; Tries: Ryan McMahon, Jack Keating 3 each

Preview: The Christmas break came at a good time for Terenure College, who fell to three successive defeats before the festive period. In the last round, they fought back from 15-5 and 22-19 down at Old Belvedere, before a terrific breakaway try from Morgan Meredith decided the Dublin derby in Belvedere’s favour.

Buoyed by that 30-24 success, ‘Belvo will field an unchanged pack tomorrow, while there are starts behind the scrum for Johnny Kiely and Daragh O’Dwyer, the latter replacing David Wilkinson at out-half. The Leinster-capped Josh Ericson continues at openside flanker for the eighth-placed side.

Terenure, who last hosted Belvedere in a league clash back in March 2017, have Peter Sylvester returning at inside centre for their 2026 opener. Max Russell reverts to the hooker role, and Adam Tuite, Will Hickey, and Ed Kelly are the other personnel changes made by former All Black Carlos Spencer.

Recent League Meetings – Saturday, March 11, 2017: Terenure College 24 Old Belvedere 20, Lakelands Park; Saturday, December 13, 2025: Old Belvedere 30 Terenure College 24, Ollie Campbell Park

IrishRugby.ie Prediction: Terenure College to win

The leading three teams in Energia All-Ireland League Men’s Division 1B all have home advantage this weekend, with five points the gap between table toppers Old Wesley and their closest challengers, Instonians, the beaten finalists in the recent Bank of Ireland Ulster Senior Cup final.

ENERGIA ALL-IRELAND LEAGUE MEN’S DIVISION 1B – ROUND 10:

Saturday, January 10

Kick-off 2.30pm unless stated –

INSTONIANS (2nd) v CITY OF ARMAGH (4th), Shaw’s Bridge, 2pm

Energia All-Ireland League Season’s Form: Instonians: WWLWLWWWL; City of Armagh: LWWWLLWWW
Energia All-Ireland League Top Scorers – Instonians: Points: Bradley McNamara 40; Tries: Bradley McNamara 8; City of Armagh: Points: Owen O’Kane 70; Tries: James McCormick 7

Preview: Instonians’ Christmas break was very short compared to others, given they played Ballynahinch in the Ulster Senior Cup final two weeks ago before last Saturday’s rescheduled league match against City of Armagh. Armagh took the spoils, winning 23-17 with lock Noah Bell scoring his fifth try.

Second-placed Instonians were the division’s top try scorers across the first half of the season with 39, eighteen of which originated from lineouts and fourteen from turnovers. They will be without their top try scorer tomorrow, as Bradley McNamara is set for his first senior start for Ulster against the Toyota Cheetahs on Sunday.

In McNamara’s absence, Mark Keane switches to full-back for Inst who bring Simon McMaster and ex-Ulster and Ireland winger Craig Gilroy into their back-three. Anton Lupari, Oli Clark, and Ali Burke are restored to the tight five, while Armagh are without James McCormick, their seven-try hooker, who is on Ulster’s bench.

Recent League Meetings – Saturday, January 3, 2026: City of Armagh 23 Instonians 17, Palace Grounds

IrishRugby.ie Prediction: Instonians to win

DUBLIN UNIVERSITY (3rd) v QUEEN’S UNIVERSITY (10th), College Park

Energia All-Ireland League Season’s Form: Dublin University: WLWWWLWLW; Queen’s University: LDLLWLLLL
Energia All-Ireland League Top Scorers – Dublin University: Points: Matty Lynch 83; Tries: Noah Byrne 8; Queen’s University: Points: Daniel Green, Henry Walker 25 each; Tries: Henry Walker 5

Preview: The first leg of this intervarsity match-up was disappointingly one-sided, as Dublin University ran in seven tries to win 52-12 in Belfast. It could have been an even bigger winning margin as they had a total of 17 attacking entries into the hosts’ 22, compared to three for bottom side Queen’s.

Trinity have won four of their last six league games to sit third in the table, with influential out-half Matty Lynch taking his season’s haul to 83 points. Mark Walsh and Artur Smykovskiy have also been hugely reliable for Tony Smeeth’s youngsters, accumulating 1418 match minutes between them.

One win could turn the season around for Queen’s, who have six points to make up on Blackrock College, and seven on UCC. Despite struggling for results, Ulster Academy hooker Henry Walker has been a standout performer with five tries, 111 successful tackles, including 14 dominant hits, and 77 ball carries.

Recent League Meetings – Saturday, March 1, 2025: Queen’s University 33 Dublin University 14, Dub Lane; Saturday, December 13, 2025: Queen’s University 12 Dublin University 52, Dub Lane

IrishRugby.ie Prediction: Dublin University to win

GARRYOWEN (6th) v HIGHFIELD (5th), Dooradoyle

Energia All-Ireland League Season’s Form: Garryowen: WDWLLWLLL; Highfield: WWLLWLLWW
Energia All-Ireland League Top Scorers – Garryowen: Points: Tom Wood 34; Tries: Alex Wood 5; Highfield: Points: Shane O’Riordan 56; Tries: Nicky Greene, Noah Patterson 3 each

Preview: Having been unbeaten during the opening three rounds, Garryowen have suffered a series of knocks with five defeats in their last six league outings. Their latest setback was a 33-19 loss to Highfield, leaving them seven points behind their Munster rivals in the middle of the Division 1B table.

For tomorrow’s return fixture at Dooradoyle,  the Light Blues are able to call on Diarmuid Kilgallen again. The Munster back will start on the left wing, with their seven personnel changes comprised of Fionn Rowsome, Tom Ironside Wickham, Alex Wood, their leading try scorer with five, George Hadden, Max Clein, and Bill Hayes.

Despite his brace of tries the last day, Mark Fitzgerald makes way for Conor Kennelly in Highfield’s second row. Player-coach James Cronin starts again at loosehead prop, and Nicky Greene and Conor Galvin, the division’s top tackler with 164 so far, complete the trio of changes for the Corkmen.

Recent League Meetings – Saturday, April 6, 2024: Garryowen 31 Highfield 10, Dooradoyle; Saturday, December 13, 2025: Highfield 33 Garryowen 19, Woodleigh Park

IrishRugby.ie Prediction: Garryowen to win

OLD WESLEY (1st) v BLACKROCK COLLEGE (9th), Energia Park

Energia All-Ireland League Season’s Form: Old Wesley: WWWLWWWWW; Blackrock College: LLWWWLLLL
Energia All-Ireland League Top Scorers – Old Wesley: Points: Tom Larke 110; Tries: Kieran O’Shea 7; Blackrock College: Points: Tim Corkery 57; Tries: Ciarán Mangan, Harry Waters 4 each

Preview: It is first plays second-from-bottom, and Old Wesley are chasing a season’s double over Blackrock College after Niall Carroll’s crucial late try in their last clash. Blackrock had more possession (55%) and territory (51%), more ball carries (145) and metres made (534.9), but could not make it count on the scoreboard.

Although Blackrock are on a four-match losing run, teenage winger Harry Waters has impressed with four tries, and a recent appearance for Leinster ‘A’, alongside club-mates Oliver Coffey and Ciarán Mangan. Old Wesley’s own Billy Corrigan, Paidi Farrell, and Mahon Ronan were involved in that draw away to Munster ‘A’.

All three of those players will start for Wesley tomorrow, with Leinster Academy duo Corrigan and Ronan packing down together in the second row. Ben Popplewell returns at tighthead prop for Morgan Lennon’s men, and the fit-again Stephen Smyth, listed as a replacement, is set for his first appearance for Wesley since October.

Recent League Meetings – Saturday, April 5, 2025: Blackrock College 40 Old Wesley 28, Stradbrook; Saturday, December 13, 2025: Blackrock College 20 Old Wesley 26, Stradbrook

IrishRugby.ie Prediction: Old Wesley to win

UCC (8th) v NAAS (7th), the Mardyke

Energia All-Ireland League Season’s Form: UCC: LLLLLWWLW; Naas: LLLWLWLWL
Energia All-Ireland League Top Scorers – UCC: Points: Charlie O’Shea 56; Tries: Ben O’Connor, Kamil Nowak 4 each; Naas: Points: Paddy Taylor 72; Tries: Paddy Taylor 6

Preview: These sides shared out eight tries before Christmas when UCC emerged with a valuable 34-24 bonus point victory. The Cork students certainly found a nice bit of form between November and December, posting three wins out of four as they attempt to move away from relegation trouble.

As things stand, seventh-placed Naas are just one spot and one point above UCC in the standings. They won at Garryowen last month and will be hoping for a similar result at the Mardyke, boosted by Paddy Taylor, Tom Bohan, Muiris Cleary, and Darragh Murphy as their four changes.

Compared to UCC’s selection in round nine, there are three alterations as Mark Hetherington and Jack Casey slot into the back-line, and Ireland Under-20 squad member Michael O’Sullivan comes in for Sean Edogbo at blindside flanker. Kamil Nowak has joined Ben O’Connor on four tries for the season so far.

Recent League Meetings – Saturday, February 15, 2025: UCC 29 Naas 24, the Mardyke; Saturday, December 13, 2025: Naas 24 UCC 34, Forenaughts

IrishRugby.ie Prediction: UCC to win

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