It’s been a typically hectic off-season in player movement among the Division 1A clubs in the Energia All-Ireland League, be it prized players from last season’s schools cup competitions or stalwarts of the club game forming new allegiances or renewing old ones.
The coaching tickets have remained largely settled, save for Rhys Ruddock being promoted from assistant coach to head coach at Lansdowne, while Hugh Hogan has become head coach at Belvo with Quenton O’Neale concentrating on his director of rugby role.
Lansdowne, who stormed to the Leinster Senior Cup by beating St Mary’s 36-19 in the final a fortnight ago, have recruited heavily. Notable among their signings is the former Irish Under-20s centre Wilhelm de Klerk, who has joined from the Ulster academy to add some ballast to their backline.
They also have pace aplenty on the edge with Daniel Hurley acquired from UCD as well as the Sligo-born Hubert Gilvarry, whose prolific form for Young Munster earned him some training time with Munster.
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Donegal winger Mark McGlynn has joined from Sligo and looked very sharp when scoring two tries in that final two weeks ago, while lock John Forde has joined from Con and scrumhalf Michael Moloney from Clontarf.
St Mary’s look like they will miss Greg Jones this season but are excited about the signing of Australian openside Michael Icely and hooker Stephen McLoughlin from Young Munster, as well as two starters from last season’s senior cup winning side in outhalf Paul Neary and lock Max Egan.
Neighbours Terenure College welcome back Jordan Coghlan from Clontarf, as well as another of their 2023 AIL-winning side, Peter Sylvester, from his sojourn to the United States, while Seán French’s arrival from Con adds yet more firepower to their backline. Outhalf Matty Lynch has also joined from Trinity, as has the Ulster prop Bryan O’Connor.
Clontarf, entering a jam-packed 150th anniversary season, have offset Coghlan’s loss by acquiring ex-Connacht backrower Oisín McCormack from Terenure College and the Australian Jackson Bevin.
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Young Munster have seen a fair few players depart, but have acquired the prospective Irish Under-20s lock James Walsh, the Munster academy backrower Oisín Minogue (son of Rosie Foley and nephew of Anthony), Brock Gallagher, a Canadian Test scrumhalf and the Irish Under-20s centre Rob Carney.
Seán Edogbo heads an interesting list of UCC players taking the well-worn route to Con, UCD have had what looks like a healthy injection, while Ballynahinch, Old Belvedere and Old Wesley are also encouraged by their incomings in what looks like being an even more competitive campaign than last season.
All-Ireland League Division 1A
Ballynahinch
Ins: Jack Stapley (Nottingham), Conor McAuley (Australia), Jack Wells (Campbell College), Joshua Young (Ballyclare), Ronan McCusker (Rainey Old Boys), Jordan Williams (Monivea), Mahon Ronan (Old Wesley), Joe Hopes (Queen’s).
Outs: Matthew Burke (Ballina), Ben Carson (City of Armagh), Reuben Crothers (Scotland), Kyle Gill (Instonians), Ethan Graham (City of Armagh), Peter Heasley (Dromore), James Humphreys (Ealing), Ben Moxham (Ballymena), Marcus Rea (Ballymena).
Clontarf
Ins: Oisín McCormack (Terenure College), Jackson Bevin (Cottesloe, Perth, Australia), Aidan O’Kane (Naas), David Shanahan (Ulster), Mathew Brennan (Castleknock College), Jamie O’Grady (return from Australia).
Outs: Charlie Coghlan (Blackrock College), Jordan Coghlan (Terenure College), Conor Gibney (Wanderers), Michael Moloney (Lansdowne).
Cork Constitution
Ins: Darragh McSweeney (Nenagh Ormond), Seán Edogbo, Conor Ryan, Ben O’Connor, Charlie Quinn, Evan Clarke (all UCC), Tom Tobin (Cashel), Bobby O’Callaghan, Frankie Óg Sheahan (both PBC Cork).
Outs: Ronan Byrd (UCC), Seán French (Terenure College), Jack Kelleher (Ealing), Bruce Matthews (Bective Rangers), Darragh French (abroad), Ronan O’Sullivan (Old Belvedere).
Lansdowne
Ins: Michael Moloney (Clontarf), Daniel Hurley (UCD), David Walsh (Trinity), Hubert Gilvarry (Young Munster), Wilhelm de Klerk (Queen’s/Ulster academy), Seán Dunne (UCC), Isaac Reid (Wesley College), Marcus McCarthy (Belvedere College), Mark McGlynn (Sligo), Dylan O’Keefe (Naas), Ciarán Mangan (Blackrock College), Donough Lawlor (Syracuse University), John Forde (Blackrock College).
Outs: Cian Eddy (Blackrock College), Luke Fagan (Blackrock College), Jack Matthews (Roslyn Park), Cillian Redmond (Naas), Mark Roche (retired), Jack Treanor (Blackrock College), Julian Valleise (Italy), Tom Daly (retired).
Old Belvedere
Ins: Ed Byrne (Leinster), Rob Russell (Gloucester), George Hadden (Garryowen), Jhy Legg (Eastwood, Australia), Sam Wisniewski (Stade Montois, France), Alex Mullan (Blackrock College).
Outs: Charlie McConnell (UCD), James O’Dwyer (UCD), David Wilkinson (sabbatical), Morgan Meredith (Australia), George Methven (Australia), Tom Mulcair (sabbatical).
Old Wesley
Ins: David Maher (Terenure College), Luke Kerr (Nenagh Ormond), Matias Jensen (Randwick, Australia), Thomas Nowlan (Rugby Vicenza, Italy), Ben Guerin (Blackrock College), Ronan Kelly, Jack McGowan (both St Gerards), Cian Butler (Portlaoise), Liam Grover (Sydney Univ), Jack Reidy Walsh (St Mary’s).
Outs: Mahon Ronan (Ballynahinch), Eoin Deegan (Australia), Lachlan Stewart (Australia).
St Mary’s College
Ins: Michael Icely (Eastwood Rugby, Sydney), Luke McGill (UCD), Stephen McLoughlin (Young Munster), Paul Neary, Max Egan (both St Mary’s College school).
Outs: Josh Gimblett (New Zealand), Jack Reidy Walsh (Old Wesley).
Terenure College
Ins: Jordan Coghlan (Clontarf), Seán French (Cork Constitution), Michael O’Reilly (UCD), Dylan Murphy (Nenagh Ormond), Matty Lynch (Dublin University), Bryan O’Connor (Ulster).
Outs: Chris Cosgrave (Malone), Edward Kelly (Bective Rangers), David Maher (Old Wesley), Oisín McCormack (Clontarf), Mark Nicholson (Wicklow), Ethan Reilly (abroad), William Reilly (Portlaoise), Lochlann Wardick (UCD).
UCD
Ins: Charlie McConnell (Old Belvedere), James O’Dwyer (Old Belvedere), Lochlann Wardick (Terenure College), Jonathan Cunningham Ash (Exeter), Jonathan Cunningham (Exeter), Max Holmes (Corinthians), Arthur Ashmore (Terenure College), Joe Christal, Andrew McGauran (both St Mary’s school), Bernard White, Luke Coffey (both Blackrock College school)
Outs: Daniel Hurley (Lansdowne), Luke McGill (St Mary’s College), Donnacha McGuire (Blackrock College), Andrew O’Mahony (Wanderers), Michael O’Reilly (Terenure College), Thomas Quinn (Blackrock College), Duinn Maguire (Galwegians/Connacht).
Young Munster
Ins: Fionn O’Meara (Nenagh Ormond), Jamie Walsh (Bruff), Oisín Minogue (Shannon), Brock Gallagher (Canada), Benn Dalle Cort (Brothers, Queensland), Rob Carney (Cashel).
Outs: Bailey Faloon (Old Crescent), Alex Flanagan Smith (abroad), Fionn Gibbons (abroad), Hubert Gilvarry (Lansdowne), Leo Langbridge (abroad), Stephen McLoughlin (St Mary’s College), Luke McCready (abroad), Shane O’Leary (abroad), John Poland (abroad).
