Ballynahinch prop Matthew Burke makes a carry during their Division 1A tussle with St. Mary's College last month ©John Dickson/Dickson Digital
It is top against bottom in the latest round of Energia All-Ireland League Men’s Division 1A action, with Nenagh Ormond making their first ever trip to Clontarf’s Castle Avenue fortress. Elsewhere, could UCD and Lansdowne be set for another high-scoring affair?
Saturday, January 24
Kick-off 2.30pm unless stated –
Energia All-Ireland League Season’s Form: Clontarf: LWWWWWWWWW; Nenagh Ormond: LLLLLLLLLL
Energia All-Ireland League Top Scorers – Clontarf: Points: Conor Kelly 70; Tries: Dylan Donnellan 7; Nenagh Ormond: Points: Conor McMahon 36; Tries: Angus Blackmore, Willie Coffey 3 each
Preview: Chasing their tenth win in a row, leaders Clontarf welcome back Dylan O’Grady for his first outing since November. He returns at full-back with fellow Ireland Sevens international Hugo Lennox moving to the left wing. Michael Moloney is preferred to Sam Owens at scrum half.
Aaron Coleman, who missed ‘Tarf’s 24-20 victory at Ballynahinch, slots back in at openside flanker. Registering their first league point – courtesy of four tries against Young Munster – was a monkey off Nenagh Ormond’s back, but they face a huge task to get out of the bottom two, with a 19-point gap to eighth-placed Old Belvedere.
James Finn, older brother of Ireland Women’s squad member Caitríona, steps up at out-half for Nenagh. It will be his first start at this level, filling the boots of Charlie O’Doherty who impressed against the Cookies with 16 points. Willie Coffey reverts to outside centre, with his younger sibling, Joe, added to the back row.
Recent League Meetings – Saturday, December 6, 2025: Nenagh Ormond 12 Clontarf 28, New Ormond Park
IrishRugby.ie Prediction: Clontarf to win
Energia All-Ireland League Season’s Form: Old Belvedere: WWLLLLWLWL; Cork Constitution: LWWLLLWWWW
Energia All-Ireland League Top Scorers – Old Belvedere: Points: David Wilkinson 64; Tries: Morgan Meredith 4; Cork Constitution: Points: Dylan Hicks 44; Tries: Jack Kelleher 7
Preview: Ollie Campbell Park is sure to draw a big crowd for this double header involving Old Belvedere’s Men’s and Women’s teams. Key backs David Wilkinson, Justin Leonard, and Jayden Beckett return to the starting XV, reuniting the 10-12-13 axis from Belvedere’s 21-15 defeat away to Cork Constitution last month.
Second row Fionn McWey is the only other change for ‘Belvo’s first home clash with Constitution since October 2016. Josh Ericson and James Dillon also feature, fresh from lining out for the Leinster Academy side against the Toulouse Espoirs. Con travel to the capital seeking a fifth straight win.
Con’s firepower up front has been tough for teams to dealt with, and it is no surprise that their top three try scorers are all forwards – Jack Kelleher with seven, following by Danny Sheahan (6) and Peter Hyland (5). Sheahan has also made a division-high eight breakdown steals, a tally only matched by Old Belvedere’s Hugo O’Malley.
Recent League Meetings – Saturday, March 4, 2017: Cork Constitution 16 Old Belvedere 10, Temple Hill; Saturday, December 6, 2025: Cork Constitution 21 Old Belvedere 15, Temple Hill
IrishRugby.ie Prediction: Cork Constitution to win
Energia All-Ireland League Season’s Form: St. Mary’s College: WWWWWLWWLW; Ballynahinch: WLWWLWLLLL
Energia All-Ireland League Top Scorers – St. Mary’s College: Points: Mick O’Gara 104; Tries: Aaron O’Sullivan 4; Ballynahinch: Points: Conor Rankin 50; Tries: Ethan Graham 6
Preview: Ballynahinch have been on the slide since losing at Lansdowne in late November. It is four defeats on the trot for Adam Craig’s men, albeit that three of those were by eight points or less. They have been drawn into a battle in the bottom half of the table and really need a result here to get back on track.
Second-placed St. Mary’s College made up for a rare home defeat to Lansdowne by winning the rematch a fortnight ago. Loosehead prop Tom O’Reilly comes in as their only change, while Dan Goggin is poised for an impact role off the bench. Mick O’Gara’s the top flight’s leading scorer, is through the century mark with 104 points.
The Ballynahinch selection shows five changes in personnel, and they are boosted by the inclusion of Ulster’s Ethan McIlroy, Ben Moxham, and Marcus Rea. The 24-year-old Moxham makes a welcome return from his ACL injury, starting at outside centre. McIlroy returns from a rib injury at full-back, and Bradley Luney captains the visitors from the second row.
Recent League Meetings – Saturday, March 22, 2025: St. Mary’s College 34 Ballynahinch 21, Templeville Road; Saturday, December 6, 2025: Ballynahinch 0 St. Mary’s College 14, Ballymacarn Park
IrishRugby.ie Prediction: St. Mary’s College to win
Energia All-Ireland League Season’s Form: UCD: LWLLLWLWLL; Lansdowne: WLLWWWWLWL
Energia All-Ireland League Top Scorers – UCD: Points: Paddy Clancy 62; Tries: Daniel Hurley 6; Lansdowne: Points: James Tarrant 55; Tries: Andy Marks, Bobby Sheehan 5 each
Preview: Two teams gunning for their first win of 2026 after losing starts to the new year in round 10. They served up undoubtedly the match of the season so far in early December, an epic 11-try battle which saw UCD prevail 43-38. Winger Daniel Hurley helped himself to two tries that night.
Lansdowne lost narrowly to St. Mary’s in their last outing, and head coach Declan Fassbender has made three changes for tomorrow’s trip to Belfield. The absence of their top scorer James Tarrant at out-half is covered by Stephen Madigan, while Harry O’Riordan and Hardus van Eeden. Leinster’s Cormac Foley is set for some game-time as a replacement.
Back-to-back defeats to Cork Con have left Emmet MacMahon’s students in the bottom two. A winning performance on home soil would be timely with six of their players included in the Ireland Under-20 squad for the U-20 Six Nations. Among them is hooker Duinn Maguire, who has scored four tries in seven games.
Recent League Meetings – Saturday, March 29, 2025: UCD 7 Lansdowne 25, UCD Bowl; Friday, December 5, 2025: Lansdowne 38 UCD 43, Aviva Stadium back pitch
IrishRugby.ie Prediction: Lansdowne to win
Energia All-Ireland League Season’s Form: Young Munster: LLLLWLLWWW; Terenure College: WLWWWWLLLW
Energia All-Ireland League Top Scorers – Young Munster: Points: Shane O’Leary 63; Tries: Hubert Gilvarry 9; Terenure College: Points: Chris Cosgrave 44; Tries: Dan Martin 6
Preview: Young Munster and Terenure College always seem to serve up tasty encounters, and the Limerick men are aiming for a season’s double after their impressive 29-19 bonus point success at Lakelands Park last month. Ger Slattery’s side are wintering well with three wins on the bounce.
Munster’s Andrew Smith will make his Young Munster debut on the right wing, returning from the knee and hamstring injuries he suffered in October. Leo Langbridge is their only other change, his inclusion in the back row comes with Ajae Hanson moving to lock alongside captain Alan Kennedy.
Third-placed Terenure got back on the winning trail at home to Old Belvedere. A strong start was crucial that day, and Carlos Spencer’s charges will want to be quick out of the traps again in Greenfields. Former Cookie Pa Ryan starts at inside centre, with Leinster’s John McKee also coming in at hooker.
Recent League Meetings – Saturday, March 29, 2025: Terenure College 12 Young Munster 20, Lakelands Park; Saturday, December 6, 2025: Terenure College 19 Young Munster 29, Lakelands Park
IrishRugby.ie Prediction: Young Munster to win
Ireland Sevens international Rory Woods is pictured in possession for Garryowen against Munster rivals Highfield two weeks ago ©Mike Power
An exciting round of Division 1B matches is spread across three of the provinces. The top three teams, Old Wesley, Instonians, and Dublin University, are all on their travels, with Wesley heading to Belfast to play bottom side Queen’s University.
Saturday, January 24
Kick-off 2.30pm unless stated –
Energia All-Ireland League Season’s Form: Blackrock College: LLWWWLLLLL; Instonians: WWLWLWWWLW
Energia All-Ireland League Top Scorers – Blackrock College: Points: Tim Corkery 63; Tries: Harry Waters 5; Instonians: Points: Josh Eagleson 44; Tries: Bradley McNamara 8
Preview: Ulster forwards Callum Reid and Lorcan McLoughlin come into the Instonians pack as they look to build on their recent 29-14 bonus point victory over provincial rivals City of Armagh. Paul Pritchard’s charges have won three of their last four games to lie just five points behind leaders Old Wesley.
Bradley McNamara, the division’s joint-top try scorer with eight, also returns at full-back for Inst, who will field a new half-back pairing made up of Ruairi O’Farrell and Matt Neill. Both home and away, Blackrock College ran Wesley close, performing impressively but losing out by six points on both occasions.
It goes without saying that James Blaney’s side need to pick up as many points as possible during this block of games, with UCC and Naas in the next two rounds. Top scorer Tim Corkery (63 points) and Paddy Moore, an Ireland Under-20 international last year, have been their most used players, with 754 and 737 match minutes respectively.
Recent League Meetings – Saturday, December 6, 2025; Instonians 42 Blackrock College 18, Shaw’s Bridge
IrishRugby.ie Prediction: Instonians to win
Energia All-Ireland League Season’s Form: City of Armagh: LWWWLLWWWL; UCC: LLLLLWWLWW
Energia All-Ireland League Top Scorers – City of Armagh: Points: Owen O’Kane 74; Tries: James McCormick 7; UCC: Points: Charlie O’Shea 70; Tries: Ben O’Connor, Kamil Nowak 4 each
Preview: City of Armagh have plenty of recent history with UCC, and will not have forgotten last April’s promotion play-off defeat at home. They gained some revenge for that result with a well-judged 34-24 triumph at the Mardyke in early December, which saw young out-half Owen O’Kane kick a crucial 12 points.
Armagh lock Josh ‘Hightower’ McKinley remains the division’s dominant lineout forward with 73 takes and 16 steals. The set-piece battle could go a long way to deciding the outcome tomorrow, and UCC will make the trip buoyed by doing the double over Naas, scoring 10 tries in the process.
UCC’s two Ireland Under-20 call-ups, Charlie O’Shea and Christopher Barrett, are absent so Harry Murphy and Paddy Gaffney will link up together at half-back. Munster development lock Conor Ryan is one of four other changes, while Ireland U-20 prospect James O’Leary returns from injury on the bench.
Recent League Meetings – Saturday, April 19, 2025: Promotion/Relegation Play-Off Semi-Final: City of Armagh 10 UCC 17, Palace Grounds; Saturday, December 6, 2025: UCC 24 City of Armagh 34, the Mardyke
IrishRugby.ie Prediction: City of Armagh to win
Energia All-Ireland League Season’s Form: Highfield: WWLLWLLWWW; Dublin University: WLWWWLWLWW
Energia All-Ireland League Top Scorers – Highfield: Points: Shane O’Riordan 61; Tries: Nicky Greene 4; Dublin University: Points: Matty Lynch 101; Tries: Noah Byrne 8
Preview: to follow
Recent League Meetings – Saturday, March 22, 2025: Dublin University 23 Highfield 28, College Park; Saturday, December 6, 2025: Dublin University 19 Highfield 26, College Park
IrishRugby.ie Prediction: Highfield to win
Energia All-Ireland League Season’s Form: Naas: LLLWLWLWLL; Garryowen: WDWLLWLLLL
Energia All-Ireland League Top Scorers – Naas: Points: Paddy Taylor 85; Tries: Paddy Taylor 7; Garryowen: Points: Lachlan Stewart 37; Tries: Alex Wood 5
Preview: to follow
Recent League Meetings – Saturday, February 17, 2024: Garryowen 56 Naas 5, Dooradoyle; Saturday, December 6, 2025: Garryowen 19 Naas 24, Dooradoyle
IrishRugby.ie Prediction: Naas to win
Energia All-Ireland League Season’s Form: Queen’s University: LDLLWLLLLL; Old Wesley: WWWLWWWWWW
Energia All-Ireland League Top Scorers – Queen’s University: Points: Henry Walker 35; Tries: Henry Walker 7; Old Wesley: Points: Tom Larke 117; Tries: Kieran O’Shea 7
Preview: to follow
Recent League Meetings – Saturday, January 11, 2025: Old Wesley 51 Queen’s University 38, Energia Park; Saturday, December 6, 2025: Old Wesley 63 Queen’s University 5, Energia Park
IrishRugby.ie Prediction: Old Wesley to win
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