‘One More Job To Do Now’ As Donnellan And Clontarf Return To Familiar Territory

For Clontarf captain Dylan Donnellan, Sunday’s Energia All-Ireland League Men’s Division 1A final against St Mary’s College is exactly that, another opportunity, another test, and potentially another chapter in what has already been a remarkable period for the north Dublin club.

There is a calmness to Donnellan when he speaks about finals, but it is not born from complacency. It comes from experience, from having stood on this stage before, from knowing what it takes to win and equally what it feels like to fall short.

Since the 2021/22 season, Clontarf have once again been a constant presence at the business end of the competition, reaching three finals and lifting the trophy twice. Donnellan has been central to that journey, a leader on and off the pitch, and this weekend he leads them into successive deciders, this time with history within reach.

Should Clontarf prevail, they would become the first side since Shannon’s three-in-a-row between 2003 and 2006 to go back-to-back in Division 1A, a feat that underlines not just quality but consistency at the highest level of club rugby in Ireland. It is the kind of achievement that defines teams, and Donnellan is fully aware of what is on the line.

“Pretty sure I told you we’d be here, didn’t I,” he says with a smile, talking about the expectations they set on themselves before the season began.

“It’s obviously what we work for every year, all year. So to see it kind of pay off is absolutely brilliant. One more job to do now.”

That phrase, one more job, captures the mindset within the Clontarf camp. For all the success they have enjoyed in recent seasons, there is no sense of entitlement. Finals are earned, not inherited, and each one presents its own unique challenge.

“Maybe not won enough for my own liking is the only problem” Donnellan adds, reflecting on those previous finals.

“Everyone you get, you just have to cherish and just try to get the job done.”

There is honesty in that admission. Even in success, there is always a desire for more. That hunger has been a driving force behind Clontarf’s sustained presence at the top, and it is something that will be tested again against a St Mary’s side that has had their number this season.

Twice the teams have met, twice Mary’s have come out on top. A 32-21 defeat at Templeville Road in the opening round set the tone, and a narrow 14-10 loss at Castle Avenue in recent weeks reinforced the challenge that lies ahead. For many, those results position St Mary’s as favourites heading into Sunday’s final, in this battle of the top two sides in the standings.

Donnellan, however, is not one to get caught up in narratives.

“You can read into it as much or as little as you want” he says.

“Other people will be looking at it and going, yeah, Mary’s beat us more recently and finished top of the table and they have the advantage. That’s a perfectly reasonable way to look at things”

It is a pragmatic view, one that acknowledges reality without allowing it to dictate mindset.

“So I suppose the advantages of what you make of it and I suppose, having some of us having played finals and been involved in finals over the years, does it stand to you, yeah, if you get the job done, you can look back and say, yeah it stood to us. And if you don’t, then no, it doesn’t” he continues.

That ability to stay grounded has been a hallmark of Clontarf’s approach in recent seasons. They do not get carried away by victories, nor do they dwell excessively on defeats. Instead, they focus on what they can control, their preparation, their performance, and their response.

That was evident in their semi-final victory over Lansdowne. Just weeks earlier, Lansdowne had beaten Clontarf 31-19 on the Aviva back pitch, a result to ask questions going into the final stages of the season.

When the teams met again in Castle Avenue, the stakes were higher, the intensity greater, and the response emphatic. The 39-28 win was not just about reaching another final, it was about proving something to themselves.

“Any time you lose in the Clontarf jersey, there’s disappointment” Donnellan says.

“I think obviously against Lansdowne, we rectified that and we got the job done. It’s really just taking the positives from that and knowing that on our day, we get our stuff right that we can do that.”

It is in those moments, when games hang in the balance, when pressure builds, when decisions matter most, that experience can make the difference. Clontarf have it in abundance. Many of their squad have been through finals, have felt the weight of expectation, and understand what is required to deliver.

The likes of Tadhg Bird, Conor Kelly, Ivan Soroka, and Fionn Gilbert who started the win against Lansdowne, were all there along with Donnellan when they defeated Terenure 29-23 four years ago.

At the same time, there is a fresh energy within the group, brought by players experiencing these occasions for the first time.

“I think that the best thing, obviously, is from the last couple of finals that we’ve been involved in, there’s probably been the lowest amount of turnover, which is great. So there’s a lot of lads there who have the experience. On the other hand, there’s a lot of new guys in the squad as well who have never been to a semi-final or never been to a final.

So, obviously, it’s just trying to not manage the expectations, but obviously just, you know, make sure that they know what’s coming. And I suppose just be excited for it more than anything, because, look, it’s the best day in club rugby, so you have to enjoy it.”

Managing that balance is part of the captain’s role.

That sense of occasion will be amplified by the setting. The Aviva Stadium, a venue steeped in history, provides a stage befitting the occasion. For players, it is an opportunity to perform on the grandest stage. Tarf have the history here, and it also promises a significant crowd. With two Dublin teams involved, the logistics are straightforward, and the interest is high.

“The trip from the north side to the south side, a nice big group attending. I know there’s been kind of some outreach done in schools around the area recently. All the minis, obviously getting down. There’s guys that are flying back from different countries to come to it, no doubt it’ll be a huge, huge group.”

But behind the humour lies a deeper appreciation of what these moments mean to the community in Clontarf. That connection between club and community is something Donnellan values deeply.

“You’re getting messages from people, you’re getting cars beeping at you when you’re walking the dog, walking down the road, there’s cars beeping and hands sticking out the windows and all that, if anything that does spur you on. If you can’t get excited by that and see how much it means to people, then you’re probably in the wrong place.

But I think everyone in the club understands how much of a community is involved and what it means to the people around Clontarf. So I think all we can do is use that to try and spur us on.”

It is a small detail, but it speaks volumes about the place rugby holds within the Clontarf community.

That sense of belonging is mirrored across the city in St Mary’s. Both clubs are deeply rooted in their communities, both have strong links to schools and youth systems, and both have built their success on years of work.

“You look at where they were two years ago and where they’ve come to now. There’s obviously a serious amount of work that’s been done there, a serious amount of effort put in.

You look at the link to the school and success that’s been going on there. Like that stuff doesn’t happen by chance. That’s years and years of work from lots and lots of people.

So looking to see, I suppose, the community kind of aspect they have associated with the club, like no more than ourselves. It’s great to see two clubs like really based in their communities, really involved with their communities in the final, because ultimately that’s what club rugby is all about.”

It is a recognition of the effort and commitment that has gone into building a team capable of competing at this level.

On the pitch, however, sentiment will count for little. St Mary’s bring a blend of physicality, structure and confidence, having finished top of the table and carried momentum through the season.

For Clontarf, the challenge is clear, match that physicality, execute their own game plan, and take their chances when they arise.

Central to that will be Donnellan himself. With 18 tries this season, he has been a prolific scorer, a consistent threat, and a leader by example. His ability to find the try line, particularly in big games, adds another dimension to Clontarf’s attack.

But there is humility in his view of the group and that is what makes him an effective captain. He leads from the front but never loses sight of the collective. Around him, experienced players provide additional leadership, and with a weight of expectation to deliver again, they need that collective to get them over the line.

“I think the weight of expectation is something that maybe people in the club might put on you. And I think when you’re in a club like Clontarf and you’re successful, quite a lot of the time where you’re there, thereabouts, there’s probably a weight of expectation regardless of what’s happened the year before.

Using last year and a bit of cup experience, great, but it’s a new team and it’s a standalone game, new opposition. So you still have to get out and get the job done. It’s expectation again, can be a positive or a negative, depending on how you frame it in your own mind and up to the individual, how they do that.”

Andy Wood’s men have already delivered silverware this season, with the Energia Bateman Cup secured earlier in the campaign, defeating Ballynahinch before Christmas. But they are not finished there.

“It’s nice to always have a piece of silver, I think obviously this one is the one that we’re really looking for, that everyone has kind of set their eyes on from the beginning of the season, all eyes ahead now.”

The Division 1A title represents the pinnacle of club rugby in Ireland. Winning it once is an achievement, defending it is something else entirely.

There is, inevitably, pressure that comes with being the defending champions. Expectations from outside, from within the club, and from themselves. How that pressure is managed can define outcomes.For Clontarf, the focus is on using it as motivation.

That motivation will be crucial against a St Mary’s side that has proven difficult to break down. Their defensive organisation, their ability to control territory, and their composure in tight games have been key to their success this season.

Clontarf, however, will draw confidence from their own ability to respond. The semi-final victory over Lansdowne showed they can learn from defeats, adapt, and deliver when it matters.

As Sunday approaches, the anticipation will continue to build. The narratives will grow, the predictions will come, and the noise will increase. But within the Clontarf camp, the message remains consistent.

Because when the whistle blows, everything else fades away. There will be no talk of past results, no discussion of expectation, no room for distraction. Just two teams, one game, and the opportunity to write their own piece of history.

For Donnellan and Clontarf, it is a chance to cement their place among the great sides in the history books once again. To go back to back, to lift another title, and to reward the community that has backed them every step of the way.

“Definitely looking forward to it, regardless of who’s there against us. Obviously Mary’s got the better of us this year. So nice to be able to try to rectify that in the last one of the season. The weather’s looking good, which will be nice.

Gives both teams a good opportunity to go at each other. So I think it’ll be a pretty good game, fairly exciting. But having watched that semi-final against Terenure as well, physically, I think they’re definitely able to bring it. Looking forward to having the right pop off them.

“I think obviously we were under a lot of pressure at different times in the game (semi-final against Lansdowne). And then maybe that bit of cup experience or whatever it might be kind of prevailed and we managed to kind of make hay while the sun shines so to say. Had it in the back of our minds, look, they’d have beaten us recently. Wanted to fix that, looking to do the same now on Sunday.” he added.

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