Mick McCormack, pictured celebrating with Myles Carey, is set to become the latest centurion for Division 1A leaders St. Mary's College ©Seb Daly/Sportsfile
Kicking off the last block of regular season fixtures in Energia All-Ireland League Men’s Division 1A, top four rivals Terenure College and Lansdowne lock horns at Lakelands Park, and title holders Clontarf have a difficult assignment away to Young Munster.
Saturday, March 21
Kick-off 2.30pm unless stated –
Energia All-Ireland League Season’s Form: Cork Constitution: LWWLLLWWWWLWWLL; Nenagh Ormond: LLLLLLLLLLLLLLL
Energia All-Ireland League Top Scorers – Cork Constitution: Points: Dylan Hicks 70; Tries: Jack Kelleher, Danny Sheahan 7 each; Nenagh Ormond: Points: Conor McMahon 44; Tries: Willie Coffey 5
Preview: Following a narrow defeat to Ballynahinch in the last round, Cork Constitution have fallen outside of the top four again. This Munster derby, at home to an already-relegated Nenagh Ormond, offers them a chance to claw back closer to the sides above them, namely Lansdowne and Terenure College who face off in Dublin.
Aidan Moynihan reverts to out-half in a Con selection that shows three personnel personnel changes. They are boosted by returning centres Sean French and Eoghan Smyth, while prop David Good is promoted from the bench. Munster loosehead Mark Donnelly also starts in the front row.
Nenagh have run out of road in their battle to avoid the drop, although they did score an impressive total of 101 points and 16 tries in recent outings against the current top four clubs. Australian full-back Matt Brice features as one of Nenagh’s three changes. Player-coach Derek Corcoran continues at out-half.
Recent League Meetings – Saturday, October 11, 2025: Nenagh Ormond 17 Cork Constitution 25, New Ormond Park
IrishRugby.ie Prediction: Cork Constitution to win
Energia All-Ireland League Season’s Form: Old Belvedere: WWLLLLWLWLWWLWL; St. Mary’s College: WWWWWLWWLWDWWWW
Energia All-Ireland League Top Scorers – Old Belvedere: Points: David Wilkinson 91; Tries: Morgan Meredith 6; St. Mary’s College: Points: Mick O’Gara 164; Tries: Myles Carey 8
Preview: There have been a few candidates for the match of the season in Division 1A, and Old Belvedere’s epic 14-try encounter with Clontarf last time out is right up there. A superb Hugh O’Sullivan-inspired comeback effort fell just short in a 54-51 defeat for ‘Belvo, who have added so much on their return to the top flight.
Having diced with finishing in the bottom two, Quenton O’Neale’s charges regained their form in resilient fashion from January onwards. Toppling the league leaders may prove beyond them, but they will field a strong line-up which has Leinster Academy back rower Josh Ericson at number 8.
St. Mary’s College look in rude health entering the regular season’s final run-in. They ran nine tries past UCD a fortnight ago, making it six games unbeaten and moving within touching distance of a second successive home semi-final. Ever-reliable tighthead Mick McCormack will join St. Mary’s 100-cap club.
Recent League Meetings – Saturday, January 27, 2024: Old Belvedere 33 St. Mary’s College 35, Ollie Campbell Park; Saturday, October 11, 2025: St. Mary’s College 34 Old Belvedere 17, Templeville Road
IrishRugby.ie Prediction: St. Mary’s College to win
Energia All-Ireland League Season’s Form: Terenure College: WLWWWWLLLWLWLWW; Lansdowne: WLLWWWWLWLLLWWW
Energia All-Ireland League Top Scorers – Terenure College: Points: Chris Cosgrave 93; Tries: Aran Egan 10; Lansdowne: Points: James Tarrant 62; Tries: Bobby Sheehan 9
Preview: This is a shaping up to be a crucial contest in the race to finish in the top four. Terenure College are just a point ahead of Lansdowne in third place, the Dublin rivals having almost identical records with nine wins and six defeats each, and Lansdowne’s scoring difference of +92 compared to Terenure’s +90.
Terenure now face into three home games in a row, owing to their clubhouse redevelopment which forced them on the road in the early part of the campaign. Leinster’s Caspar Gabriel swaps places with Aran Egan, reverting to out-half, and they welcome back Max Russell, Harrison Brewer, and Ethan Reilly to the starting XV.
Stung by a 34-13 home loss to ‘Nure in October, as well as losing to them in this season’s Bank of Ireland Leinster Senior Cup final, Lansdowne will feel they owe them one. They are backing an unchanged team from their 31-13 dismissal of Young Munster, while former captain Jack Cooke is a welcome addition to the bench.
Recent League Meetings – Saturday, March 22, 2025: Lansdowne 32 Terenure College 0, Aviva Stadium back pitch; Friday, October 10, 2025: Lansdowne 13 Terenure College 34, Aviva Stadium back pitch
IrishRugby.ie Prediction: Terenure College to win
Energia All-Ireland League Season’s Form: UCD: LWLLLWLWLLWLLLL; Ballynahinch: WLWWLWLLLLDWWLW
Energia All-Ireland League Top Scorers – UCD: Points: Paddy Clancy 83; Tries: Daniel Hurley 8; Ballynahinch: Points: Conor Rankin 105; Tries: Aaron Sexton 8
Preview: Second-from-bottom UCD are all but destined for the promotion/relegation play-offs after four defeats on the bounce, including a big beating at table-topping St. Mary’s in the last round. The absence of their Triple Crown-winning Ireland Under-20 internationals during the Six Nations period has hit the students hard.
For tbe visit of Ballynahinch, young winger Maxim Aschenbrenner will make his All-Ireland League debut. UCD boss Emmet MacMahon also brings in Daragh Gilbourne at out-half and Paul Gerard at number 8, with Aschenbrenner and Gilbourne having both played in last week’s Leinster Metro League Premier 1 final defeat to Clontarf.
Ballynahinch are winless on the road since mid-November, but could still finish in mid-table or even mount a late push for the top four. John Dickson and Joe Mawhinney swap in as the starting props, Daniel Bennett slots in on the right wing, and the presence of Bradley Luney and Zack McCall further strengthens their pack.
Recent League Meetings – Saturday, January 25, 2025: UCD 10 Ballynahinch 22, UCD Bowl; Saturday, October 11, 2025: Ballynahinch 57 UCD 19, Ballymacarn Park
IrishRugby.ie Prediction: Ballynahinch to win
Energia All-Ireland League Season’s Form: Young Munster: LLLLWLLWWWWLWLL; Clontarf: LWWWWWWWWWWLLWW
Energia All-Ireland League Top Scorers – Young Munster: Points: Shane O’Leary 128; Tries: Shay McCarthy 10; Clontarf: Points: Conor Kelly 124; Tries: Dylan Donnellan 15
Preview: Young Munster have been difficult opponents for Clontarf in recent seasons, with ‘Tarf claiming two tight wins either side of a 27-14 reversal in the corresponding fixture in Limerick last year. However, back-to-back losses to Old Belvedere and Lansdowne have dented Munsters’ hopes of reaching this season’s play-offs.
They are sixth in the table, with seven points to make up on Lansdowne in fourth spot. Hubert Gilvarry switches to his old position of scrum half, owing to an injury to Jake O’Riordan, while the Cookies’ three changes in personnel are Munster winger Andrew Smith, Paul Allen, and Oran O’Reilly.
Defending champions Clontarf, who sit just a point off the summit, have a home semi-final in their sights. Leinster prop Niall Smyth, Jim Peters, Richie Whelan, Michael Moloney, and Noah Sheridan come in as their five changes, along with Ireland Sevens international Hugo Lennox’s move back to full-back.
Recent League Meetings – Saturday, February 8, 2025: Young Munster 27 Clontarf 14, Tom Clifford Park; Saturday, October 11, 2025: Clontarf 28 Young Munster 26, Castle Avenue
IrishRugby.ie Prediction: Clontarf to win
Eoin Deegan, who captained Old Wesley in the last round, takes on Instonians out-half Ruairi O’Farrell at Energia Park ©Tyler Miller/Sportsfile
Three of Division 1B’s leading four teams are on their travels on Saturday afternoon, including newly-crowned Bank of Ireland Munster Senior Challenge Cup champions Highfield who visit City of Armagh. Elsewhere, Instonians and Garryowen go head-to-head.
Saturday, March 21
Kick-off 2.30pm unless stated –
Energia All-Ireland League Season’s Form: Blackrock College: LLWWWLLLLLWLWWL; Queen’s University: LDLLWLLLLLLLLLL
Energia All-Ireland League Top Scorers – Blackrock College: Points: Tim Corkery 80; Tries: Harry Waters 7; Queen’s University: Points: Henry Walker 60; Tries: Henry Walker 12
Preview: Eighth-placed Blackrock College are the meat in the sandwich between Naas and UCC, as they continue their fight to preserve their Division 1B status. James Blaney’s men picked up two bonus points at Garryowen in the last round, and have two home matches out of their three closing fixtures.
A brave bid to avoid relegation petered out for Queen’s University, who had picked up points in their opening five matches of the campaign, including a 20-18 home loss to Blackrock. Ireland Under-20 international Daniel Green will make his return from injury at out-half, in a much-changed starting XV for the students.
Similarly, Leinster Academy centre Jack Deegan, an Ireland U-20 prospect, returns from his spell on the sidelines. He will pair up with Darragh Farrell in a new-look Blackrock midfield, with Matthew MacCarthy, Dave Fortune, and Inigo Cruise O’Brien also coming into the line-up. Ciarán Mangan shifts to full-back.
Recent League Meetings – Saturday, February 15, 2025: Blackrock College 28 Queen’s University 7, Stradbrook; Saturday, October 11, 2025: Queen’s University 18 Blackrock College 20, Dub Lane
IrishRugby.ie Prediction: Blackrock College to win
Energia All-Ireland League Season’s Form: City of Armagh: LWWWLLWWWLWLLLW; Highfield: WWLLWLLWWWWLWWL
Energia All-Ireland League Top Scorers – City of Armagh: Points: Owen O’Kane 104; Tries: James McCormick 9; Highfield: Points: Shane O’Riordan 77; Tries: Nicky Greene 7
Preview: This clash at the Palace Grounds could have a big bearing on how the race for the top four finishes up. Highfield make the trip in flying form after scoring two late tries against Shannon last weekend to win the Bank of Ireland Munster Senior Challenge Cup for the first time since 1958.
James Cronin’s charges lost narrowly to Naas last time out in the league, so will be determined to bounce back and take a firmer grip on fourth position. Compared to the team that took to the pitch against Shannon, Ben Murphy, Aidan Keane, and promising teenage scrum-half James Brugger all come in as starters.
Armagh are only two places and four points behind Highfield, and have won the sides’ last four meetings in this division. Fit-again Ulster Academy winger Aitzol Arenzana-King will make his debut for the club in a rejigged back-line, which has New Zealander Rocky Olsen redeployed at out-half.
Recent League Meetings – Saturday, February 25, 2023: Highfield 21 City of Armagh 23, Woodleigh Park; Saturday, October 11, 2025: Highfield 19 City of Armagh 36, Woodleigh Park
IrishRugby.ie Prediction: City of Armagh to win
Energia All-Ireland League Season’s Form: Naas: LLLWLWLWLLLWLWW; Dublin University: WLWWWLWLWWLWWWW
Energia All-Ireland League Top Scorers – Naas: Points: Paddy Taylor 129; Tries: Paddy Taylor 10; Dublin University: Points: Matty Lynch 128; Tries: Noah Byrne 8
Preview: Battle-hardened Naas have found form at just the right time, climbing up to seventh in the standings after overcoming Queen’s and Highfield in back-to-back games. Johne Murphy’s men have a very difficult run-in, though, as they have to play the current top three clubs over consecutive weeks.
First up for them is second-placed Dublin University, who are on a four-match winning run. Matty Lynch, Trinity’s top scorer and their match winner against UCC a fortnight ago, is reunited with Oscar Cawley at half-back, while there only change in personnel sees Alex Finlay start on the right wing.
Prop Callum Coyne will make his first All-Ireland League start for Naas, following six appearances off the bench. Former Scotland age-grade hooker Brad Clements is the only other change to the team that edged out Highfield 24-21, in a game in which centre Dylan O’Keeffe scored a hat-trick of tries.
Recent League Meetings – Friday, February 7, 2025: Naas 33 Dublin University 12, Forenaughts; Saturday, October 11, 2025: Dublin University 21 Naas 18, College Park
IrishRugby.ie Prediction: Dublin University to win
Energia All-Ireland League Season’s Form: UCC: LLLLLWWLWWLWWLL; Old Wesley: WWWLWWWWWWWWLLL
Energia All-Ireland League Top Scorers – UCC: Points: Charlie O’Shea 70; Tries: Ben O’Connor, Kamil Nowak, Neville O’Leary, Dawid Nowak, Mark Hetherington 4 each; Old Wesley: Points: Tom Larke 140; Tries: Kieran O’Shea 9
Preview: These are two teams at opposite ends of the table, but with similar ambitions to pick up as many points as possible over the next few weeks. UCC were unable to build on a 12-point half-time lead against Trinity, losing by a point in the end to fall back into the bottom two, occupying the promotion/relegation play-off spot.
For the visit of title-chasing Old Wesley, the Cork outfit are without Munster Academy duo Ben O’Connor and Seán Edogbo who have travelled with the province’s senior squad to South Africa. Three of their five changes are up front, in the form of Danny Rock, Dawid Nowak, and Ted O’Callaghan.
Wesley’s lead at the top has been cut to a single point after three winless outings, including a nine-try tussle with Instonians. Hooker Kieran O’Shea returns to captain Morgan Lennon’s men from the front row. The matchday squad includes four Leinster Academy players – Paidi Farrell, Billy Corrigan, Mahon Ronan, and Stephen Smyth.
Recent League Meetings – Saturday, February 8, 2025: Old Wesley 44 UCC 41, Energia Park; Saturday, October 11, 2025: Old Wesley 31 UCC 29, Energia Park
IrishRugby.ie Prediction: Old Wesley to win
Energia All-Ireland League Season’s Form: Instonians: WWLWLWWWLWLWLLW; Garryowen: WDWLLWLLLLWLWWW
Energia All-Ireland League Top Scorers – Instonians: Points: Josh Eagleson 66; Tries: Bradley McNamara 11; Garryowen: Points: Lachlan Stewart 72; Tries: Max Clein 9
Preview: In this later kick-off, Instonians will be aiming to keep the pressure on the top two and show how much they have improved since going down 37-14 to Garryowen in October. They are back at Shaw’s Bridge for the first time since their remarkable 33-match winning run at home was ended by Dublin University.
Three straight wins mean Garryowen have a pep in their step, and a top four finish to play for. Jack Delaney, Ben Leahy, and Dean Fanning are their three changes, while Instonians have Ulster prop Callum Reid continuing at loosehead, and there are also starts for Craig Gilroy, Josh Eagleson, Robert Whitten, and Kian Mulholand.
Speaking ahead of their penultimate home match, Inst’s elusive full-back Bradley McNamara said: “I think after Wesley a couple of bodies were a bit sore. In terms of this week coming up, we went down to Garryowen back in October and it was an extremely tough game, and I think we took a lot of lessons from it.”
Recent League Meetings – Saturday, October 11, 2025: Garryowen 37 Instonians 14, Dooradoyle
IrishRugby.ie Prediction: Instonians 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.
This website uses cookies.
Read More