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Division Two Final: The bones of last years All-Ireland under-20 winning Dublin University side will look to overcome this season…

Division Two Final: The bones of last years All-Ireland under-20 winning Dublin University side will look to overcome this season's most consistent Division Two side in the league final today. Well, the most consistent until the last week of the campaign, writes Gavin Cummiskey

The fact both teams are drawn from universities, UL-Bohemians being an amalgamation, is proof the scholarship scheme in the way forward for aspiring professional players in Ireland.

The sides met on day one of the season in College Park, with Trinity producing a remarkable 25-point turnaround to prevail 35-28. Both sides have changed markedly since then, whether through injury or selection policy. Either way, neither side has since looked back and the two best teams in the division cross swords again today.

Trinity may have secured their top-flight status for next season but they will be keenly aware of the revenge factor that will spur on UL-Bohs.

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Eleven of last year's underage side line out for Trinity this afternoon, with only centre Barry Kinsella, Canadian tight-head Forrest Gainer, captain Martin Garvey and openside Hugh Hogan players of relative maturity. The oldest on the side is the 23-year-old Gainer.

Their best player is number eight Jamie Heaslip; if UL-Bohs can stifle the Ireland under-21's charges they will deny Trinity a vital platform.

The Limerick side have plenty of pace, with current and former Ireland under-21 flyers Breffni O'Donnell and Barry Murphy on the wings. Inside them is the talented Munster part-timer Martin McPhail. If they can achieve parity up front, they have the flair out wide to cause damage.

DUBLIN UNIVERSITY: T Horner; P Howard, B Kinsella, B Hastings, E Condren; K McGowan, C McShane; N Conlon, M Crockett, F Gainer, M Garvey, M Warburton, E Molloy, H Hogan, J Heaslip.

UL-BOHEMIANS: C Garvey; B O'Donnell, M McPhail, C Finn, B Murphy; P Treacy, L O'Connell; M Harty, G Ryan, K Flanagan, R Hartigan, A Hartigan, A O'Gorman, P Van Esbeck, J O'Neill.

Gavin Cummiskey

Gavin Cummiskey

Gavin Cummiskey is The Irish Times' Soccer Correspondent