And so it has come to pass. The All-Ireland League probably has the final it deserves when the top two in the table for the second season running, St Mary’s and Clontarf, meet in the final at the Aviva Stadium next Sunday.
But not only that, the 1A/1B playoff will be the mother of all shoot-outs for top-flight status between UCD and Dublin University at the UCD Bowl next Saturday. Both coaches, Emmet MacMahon and Tony Smeeth, agree this is the biggest colours match in history. It’s also the only senior rugby match in Dublin next Saturday.
St Mary’s and Clontarf made home advantage tell in front of mostly sun-drenched crowds. The D6W derby drew a record 4,000-plus crowd at Templeville Road, which was rammed an hour before kick-off. Taut, tense and physical, there was never more than a score between them.
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Mary’s had more power in the red zones, Terenure failing to capitalise upon Mick McCormack’s early yellow card before Chris Cosgrave’s penalty. By contrast, Mary’s lock Daniel Leane finished from close-range and despite Adam La Grue’s opportunist try, Conor Dean capped another fine game with a smartly taken try for a 12-10 interval lead.
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Richie Bergin’s try extended the lead, and Caspar Gabriel’s penalty was cancelled out by Mick O’Gara as Mary’s reached a first final since their second title in 2012.
Unlike last year’s semi-final at Castle Avenue, the Clontarf-Lansdowne reprise rained tries. Seeking to avoid a fifth semi-final defeat since 2019, Lansdowne responded to an early try by Fionn Gilbert through Juan Beukes and Bobby Sheehan, but after Cillian Redmond’s yellow card on the half-hour, Clontarf racked up 29 points in 30 minutes.
Jordan Coughlan and Hugh Cooney had smart finishes, before Dan Magner and Dylan Donnellan, his 18th of the season, made it 36-14. After tries by Barry Fitzpatrick and a second by Beukes another Conor Kelly penalty kept Lansdowne at arm’s length as Clontarf look to become the first club since Shannon in 2006 to retain the title.
A nervy UCD trailed Garryowen 19-14 at half-time but, helped by a big impact from Ireland under-20 loosehead Max Doyle, pulled through thanks to tries by Charlie Molony, Daniel Hurley, Paddy Clancy, Duinn Maguire and Thomas Quinn. The classy Clancy’s five conversions included four from the touchline.
Similarly, Trinity overturned a 14-7 half-time deficit to defeat Instonians 32-21 at College Park as tries from Johnny O’Sullivan, Oscar Cawley and Hugh Goddard added to a first-half effort from captain David Walsh.
UCC, 40-10 winners over Corinthians, will host Shannon in an all-Munster Division 1B/2A final next Saturday. Shannon’s 20-year-old Munster academy flanker Oisin Minogue scored all four tries in their 34-22 win over Dungannon.
Sligo’s surprise 16-10 win at Takumi Park, featuring two tries by tighthead Arek Czeck, relegated Old Crescent to next season’s regional divisions, and earned a 2A/2B final away to UL Bohs, 27-15 winners over Clogher Valley.
Weekend results
Division 1A semi-finals: St Marys College 20 Terenure College 13; Clontarf 39 Lansdowne 28
Division 1A/1B semi-finals: UCD 35 Garryowen 24; Dublin University 32 Instonians 21
Division 1B/2A semi-finals: UCC 40 Galway Corinthians 10; Shannon 34 Dungannon 22
Division 2A/2B semi-finals: Old Crescent 10 Sligo 16; UL Bohemians 27 Clogher Valley 15
Division 2C semi-finals: Clonmel 44 Dolphin 17; Bective Rangers 21 Thomond 13
Women’s Division conference final: Wicklow 17 Galwegians 12
Playoff fixtures
Saturday, April 25th
Division 1A promotion/relegation playoff final: UCD v Dublin University, UCD Bowl, 2.30pm
Division 1B promotion/relegations playoff final: UCC v Shannon, the Mardyke, 2.30pm
Division 2A promotion playoff final: UL Bohemian v Sligo, UL 4G pitch, 2.30pm
Division 2C final: Clonmel v Bective Rangers, Ard Gaoithe, 2.30pm
Division 2C promotion/relegation playoff final: Malahide v Boyne, Estuary Road, 2.30pm
Sunday, April 26th
Division 1A final: St Mary’s College v Clontarf, Aviva Stadium, 4pm
Women’s final: UL Bohemian v Blackrock College, Aviva Stadium, 1pm
