Leinster Senior Cup
Clontarf offer a glimpse of the future. Their presence in tonight's Leinster Senior Cup Final in which they face Terenure College at Donnybrook (7.0) is a vindication of a squad unencumbered by representative players.
While other clubs could bemoan the absence of provincially contracted players, Clontarf were able to enjoy a more comprehensive preparation for the start of next week's AIB League Division One campaign: their players had no other commitments and for coach Alex Wyllie that provided an opportunity to develop patterns.
A by-product of this has been a place in the Leinster Cup final where they oppose a Terenure College side, similarly undisturbed during the Leinster Senior League and Cup campaigns.
Clontarf welcome former Leinster full back Kevin Nowlan and brother, Rod from Wanderers, while the pack has been strengthened by the return of the prodigal Peter McQuillan and the arrival of Donal Sheehan, Bobby Baggot and Shane McEntee.
A week in Bahrain and now happily reunited with their playing gear, should have fine tuned their preparation. A strong pack, allied to the boot of outhalf Richard Murphy represents a formidable package, augmented by the elusive running of Kevin Nowlan at full back.
Terenure too boast a fine pack particularly the young front five that are both a season older and wiser. Centre Mark O'Kelly is an exciting prospect and both Shane Cullen and Richard Governey are accomplished place-kickers. It promises to be a very close tussle, where an edge up front could ultimately be reflected on the scoreboard.
CLONTARF: K Nowlan; R Nowlan, A Reddan, D O'Brien, O Winchester; R Murphy, R O'Reilly; A Clarke, T Kearns, P McQuillan; D Sheehan, B Geffing; D Quinn, B Baggot (capt), S McEntee.
TERENURE COLLEGE: R Governey; D Coleman, M O'Kelly, M Smyth, J Tracey; S Cullen, D Mahony; S Barretto, J Blaney, J Campbell; R Sheriff (capt), D Quinn; P O'Malley, C Long, L Hammond.
Ulster Senior Cup
Dungannon's international and provincial contingent, comprising of Jonathan Bell, Tyrone Howe, David Humphreys, Justin Fitzpatrick, Allen Clarke, Paddy Johns and Tony McWhirter, will miss tonight's Ulster Senior Cup Final against Belfast Harlequins at Ravenhill (7.0).
Coach Willie Anderson though is a practical man and much of his season to date has been conducted without the services of the aforementioned players. The three Alaisters, Hood, Clarke and Redpath are all experienced club players while Stephen Bell's recovery from injury is a big boost.
Harlequins are without Ulster wing Sheldon Coulter through injury but will rely on representative players Robin Morrow, Niall Malone and Andy Matchett behind the scrum. They boast an all-Ulster front row in Simon Best, Richie Weir and Clem Boyd and are captained by New Zealander and number eight, Ger O'Loan.
Dungannon will start as slight favourites and should vindicate that belief with victory.
DUNGANNON: B Cunningham; A Hood, A Clarke, A Redpath, R Mercer; M Bradley, S Ball; R Mackey, N Brady, G Leslie (capt); B Price, K Walker; A Boyd, R Stafford, A Hughes.
BELFAST HARLEQUINS: P Hancock; R Collins, S Dick, B Dick, R Morrow; N Malone, A Matchett; S Best, R Weir, C Boyd; K Rabie, A Robinson; C Galway, G O'Loan (capt), N Best.
Munster Senior Cup
Munster captain Mick Galwey is expected to be on the replacements bench for Shannon's clash with Young Munster in the Munster Senior Cup Final at Thomond Park on Sunday (3.0). He has not played since picking up a knee injury in Munster colours against Bath at the Recreation Ground.
Peter Stringer, John Hayes and Anthony Foley have been rested. Andrew Thompson, who spent last season with English club Bedford, captains the team from outhalf.
SHANNON: J Lacey; J Hayes, J Davis, M McNamara, J O'Neill; A Thompson (capt), C O'Loughlin; M Horan, F Roche, G McNamara; B Buckley, J Langford; R Collins, D Quinlan, A Quinlan.
Leinster Schools
Scoil Eoin, Athy - 15, De La Salle, Churchtown - 11
Outhalf Dessie Lawler ran this Leinster schools section A Junior Cup game as if he had been doing so for years in Clondalkin yesterday.
Lawler set-up numerous chances for his team-mates and eventually got on the score sheet to make it 10-3 to Scoil Eoin. Before half-time Scoil Eoin centre Peter Dunne went over for a try. It was enough to give his side a 5-0 lead at the break.
In fact Dunne had a second try midway through the second-half as the Athy boys looked to be cruising to victory, but De la Salle centre Noel Barnes kicked two penalties and wing Richard Harford got over in injury time to make the game closer than it should have been.
SCOIL EOIN, ATHY: Patrick Dunne; R Bell, M Delaney, Peter Dunne, D Craig; D Lawler, M Beaver; W Doyle, K Tynan, C Smith, C Lawler, J Mulhall, B Cardiff, D Tynan, C Curtis. Replacement: T Lawlor for Curtis (43 mins).
DE LA SALLE, CHURCHTOWN: D Spring; K Power, J Moran, N Barnes, R Harford; C O'Brien, B Devitt; K Cassidy, S O'Hare, E Claxton, C Boland, G Twamley, K Whitty, K Kennedy, D Cluskey. Replacements: J Quinn for Claxton (19 mins), T Wall for Power (half-time), G Fitzpatrick for O'Hare (52 mins).
Referee: B Jenkinson (ARLB).
