Lansdowne centre Paul Kiernan takes on Young Munster's Jack Harrington during the sides' Energia All-Ireland League encounter back in October ©INPHO/Ryan Byrne
Tomorrow’s Energia Bateman Cup final brings together Division 1A rivals Lansdowne, who first lifted this historic trophy 100 years ago, and Young Munster whose one and only title win was back in 1928.
ENERGIA BATEMAN CUP FINAL: Saturday, February 12
LANSDOWNE v YOUNG MUNSTER, Musgrave Park, 1.45pm (live stream on IrishRugby.ie)
* Admission (cash upon entry): adults €10, concession €5 and children under 16 free
There will be a live stream here on IrishRugby.ie with commentary from Dan Mooney and the Club Scene Podcast’s Daragh Frawley.
Energia All-Ireland League Form – Lansdowne: WWWLWLWWWWLW; Young Munster: WWWWWLLWWWLL
Energia All-Ireland League Top Scorers – Lansdowne: Points: Charlie Tector 69; Tries: Cormac Foley, Peter Sullivan, Sean Galvin 5 each; Young Munster: Points: Evan Cusack 105; Tries: Conor Hayes 9
Recent Bateman Cup Finals –
2011 – Bruff 24 Dungannon 18
2012 – Garryowen 24 Ballymena 6
2013 – Cork Constitution 24 St. Mary’s College 19
2014 – Cork Constitution 19 UCD 6
2015 – Cork Constitution 24 Clontarf 9
2016 – Galwegians 19 Cork Constitution 38
2017 – Old Belvedere 13 Cork Constitution 18
2018 – Cork Constitution 12 Lansdowne 32
2019 – Garryowen 45 City of Armagh 21
2020 – Lansdowne & Cork Constitution declared joint winners due to Covid-19-affected season
Paths To The Final –
LANSDOWNE:
Leinster Senior League Cup
– won 31-14 v Terenure College home
– won 41-15 v St. Mary’s College away
– won 13-7 v Dublin University home
– won 34-13 v Clontarf (final at Energia Park)
Bateman Cup semi-final
– won 22-7 v City of Armagh away
YOUNG MUNSTER:
Munster Senior Cup
– won 27-17 v Cork Constitution home
– won 26-14 v Shannon (final at Old Crescent RFC)
Bateman Cup semi-final
– walkover win v Ballina home
Preview: Young Munster are bolstered by returning Ireland Sevens winger Conor Phillips and Munster prop Keynan Knox, with the pair both set to start this mouth-watering Cork clash.
The prestigious Bateman Cup, first contested in 1922 when Lansdowne beat Cork Constitution 6-5 at the old Lansdowne Road, has returned to the club rugby calendar after a Covid-19-enforced break.
Over a century ago, it was presented to the IRFU by Dr. Godfrey Bateman in memory of his sons Reginald and Arthur who were killed during the First World War.
Conor Hayes, the Cookies’ top try scorer in the league, and Ireland Under-20 talent Patrick Campbell are notable absentees from the team for the final, but their rejigged back-line still carries plenty of threat.
Out-half Evan Cusack, Division 1A’s leading scorer with 105 points, should play a key role for Gearoid Prendergast’s side, who welcome back captain Alan Kennedy to the number 8 role.
6ft 7in Munster Academy lock Eoin O’Connor features at blindside flanker, and their back row options include Liam Neilan whose great-great grandfather, Fonnie Neilan, was Munsters’ 1928 cup-winning captain.
Head coach Prendergast commented: “There is a strong affiliation with the club because of the history associated with that (1928) match, and then of course ironically with Lansdowne (being the same opponents), so it’s kind of scripted, isn’t it?
“We have thrived in the cup scenario recently, but we’ve also had disappointment in recent years as well. A lot of them been in the (Munster) Senior Cup and quite a few against Cork Con.
“I suppose you use these stories to motivate you to achieve better things in the cups. We’ve developed a bit of a habit of winning cup games and this is the biggest one yet, so we are really excited about this.”
While Munsters have no recent history with the competition, Lansdowne were 2018 champions, winning down at Cork Con, and were joint winners with Constitution in 2020 after Covid-19 cancelled the final.
Their head coach Mark McHugh has mostly stuck with the winning formula from their recent 46-5 hammering of Garryowen in the league. The Leinster-capped Michael Silvester slots in on the wing.
Leinster Academy scrum half Cormac Foley also strengthens the back-line, while Luke Thompson and Conan Dunne come into the front row, and captain Jack O’Sullivan leads a strong set of loose forwards.
Lansdowne lost 24-20 to Munsters in a memorable league game back in October, with a hat-trick of tries from Hayes inspiring the Limerick side on the Aviva Stadium’s main pitch.
McHugh admitted: “They’re probably the favourites heading into the game and it’ll be a massive test to see if we’ve made improvements and have we been able to get better (since October)?
“Obviously winning rugby matches is important and it will be some people’s measure for success, but a lot of what we’re trying to do is to develop better rugby players.
“I think if we do that we will win more games than we will lose which means we will be there or thereabouts in the league and in things like the Bateman Cup.
“We’ll be doing our upmost to win the game on Saturday, but, win, lose or draw it won’t define us.”
McHugh Looking To Maintain Lansdowne’s Enviable Bateman Cup Record
Prendergast Targets Munsters’ First Bateman Cup In 94 Years
IrishRugby.ie Prediction: Lansdowne to win
LANSDOWNE: Stephen Madigan; Sean Galvin, Andy Marks, Paul Kiernan, Michael Silvester; Peter Hastie, Cormac Foley; Frank Kavanagh, Luke Thompson, Conan Dunne, Dan Murphy, Ruairi Clarke, Clive Ross, Jack O’Sullivan (capt), Mark Boyle.
Replacements: Paddy Nixon, JJ Hession, Ben Popplewell, James Kenny, Michael O’Brien, Joey Szpara, Corey Reid, Eamonn Mills.
YOUNG MUNSTER: Jason Kiely; Conor Phillips, Harry Fleming, Luke Fitzgerald, Stephen Lyons; Evan Cusack, Jack Lyons; David Begley, Dan Walsh, Keynan Knox, Tom Goggin, Sean Rigney, Eoin O’Connor, John Foley, Alan Kennedy (capt).
Replacements: Mark O’Mara, Paul Allen, Conor Bartley, Bailey Faloon, Adam Maher, Cian Casey, Liam Neilan, Conor O’Shaughnessy.
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