Semi-Finalists Bringing Plenty of Firepower To #EnergiaAIL Play-Offs

The opening Energia All-Ireland League Men’s Division 1A semi-final  at Temple Hill on Saturday will see some of the top flight’s leading scorers go head-to-head.

Clontarf captain Dylan Donnellan closed out the regular season with his 20th try, helping them to a 31-19 bonus point win over relegated Dublin University. Finishing third in the table, ‘Tarf visit Cork Constitution in this weekend’s semis.

Having already finished as the division’s top try scorer in 2021/22 (19 tries) and 2022/23 (22), Donnellan is set to do so again. The current campaign has also seen the prolific hooker play twice for Leinster in the BKT United Rugby Championship.

Donnellan missed just one game for Clontarf, scoring in 13 of his 17 Division 1A appearances. One of his closest challengers, Matthew Bowen, is part of the Cork Con team aiming to come out on top at Temple Hill tomorrow (kick-off 2.30pm – live on Irish Rugby TV).

Former UCC and Terenure College winger Bowen has taken his season’s haul to 13 tries, hitting a rich vein of form in the lead up to the play-offs. He has run in nine tries in his last five outings for Con, including hat-tricks against both Shannon and Lansdowne.

Hooker Claytan Milligan, from fifth place finishers Ballynahinch, also impressed in the try-scoring stakes with 13 tries, followed by his team-mate, Ulster’s Aaron Sexton, on 10, and Cork Con’s Daniel Hurley bagged a brace at City of Armagh to move onto a total of nine tries.

Meanwhile, despite missing the last two rounds, UCD scrum half Michael Moloney (178 points) remains out in front as Division 1A’s leading points scorer.

His nearest rivals are title-chasing out-halves James Taylor (141, pictured below) and Conor Kelly (131), who will be in action for Con and ‘Tarf respectively this weekend.

Defending champions Terenure College, who have won their last 12 league matches, host Lansdowne in the other semi-final at Lakelands Park on Saturday (kick-off 4.30pm – live on Irish Rugby TV).

‘Nure’s Aran Egan scored 19 points, including his second try of the season, against Ballynahinch last time out to pass the century mark, while Lansdowne’s influential centres, Andy Marks and Rory Parata, have scored eight tries each.

Tickets for the final at the Aviva Stadium on Sunday, April 28 – the first ever #EnergiaAIL Men’s and Women’s finals double header – are on sale now from Ticketmaster – buy here.

Keep up to date with all the latest news in our dedicated website hub at www.irishrugby.ie/energiaail and follow #EnergiaAIL on social media channels.

ENERGIA ALL-IRELAND LEAGUE MEN’S DIVISION 1A – TOP SCORERS AFTER ROUND 18:

POINTS –

178 – Michael Moloney (UCD)

141 – James Taylor (Cork Constitution)

131 – Conor Kelly (Clontarf)

104 – Aran Egan (Terenure College)

100 – Dylan Donnellan (Clontarf)

97 – Mike Cooke (Shannon)

94 – Stephen Madigan (Lansdowne)

92 – Conor Rankin (Ballynahinch)

65 – Matthew Bowen (Cork Constitution), Brayden Laing (City of Armagh), Claytan Milligan (Ballynahinch)

62 – Callum Smith (Terenure College)

56 – Shane O’Leary (Young Munster)

54 – Shea O’Brien (City of Armagh)

50 – Aaron Sexton (Ballynahinch)

45 – Daniel Hurley (Cork Constitution)

42 – Harry Colbert (Dublin University)

40 – Andy Marks (Lansdowne), Stephen McLoughlin (Young Munster), Jack Murphy (Clontarf), Rory Parata (Lansdowne)

38 – Rob Hedderman (Cork Constitution)

37 – Matthew Lynch (Dublin University), Conor McKee (Ballynahinch)

35 – Zach Baird (Dublin University), Tom Barry (Lansdowne), Alan Bennie (Terenure College), Luke Clohessy (Terenure College), Ross Deegan (UCD), Caolan Dooley (Terenure College), Sean Galvin (Lansdowne)

34 – George Coomber (Cork Constitution), Charlie Tector (Lansdowne)

30 – Cian Casey (Young Munster), Davy Colbert (Dublin University), Jack Cooke (Lansdowne), Billy Crowley (Cork Constitution), Neil Faloon (City of Armagh), Jack Kelleher (Cork Constitution), James Kenny (Lansdowne), Donnchadh O’Callaghan (Young Munster), Ruairi Shields (UCD), Peter Sullivan (Lansdowne)

26 – James Tarrant (UCD)

25 – Tim Corkery (UCD), Lewis Finlay (City of Armagh), Fionn Gibbons (Young Munster), James Horrigan (Young Munster), Aitzol King (Clontarf), Donough Lawlor (Lansdowne), Bradley Luney (Ballynahinch), James O’Brien (Young Munster), Jordan Prenderville (Shannon), Tony Ryan (Clontarf), Billy Scannell (Cork Constitution)

23 – Tony Butler (Young Munster)

22 – Chris Cosgrave (UCD)

20 – Craig Adams (Terenure College), Declan Adamson (Clontarf), Juan Beukes (Dublin University), Kelvin Brown (Shannon), Ruadhan Byron (Clontarf), Jordan Coghlan (Terenure College), Aaron Coleman (Dublin University), Matt D’Arcy (Clontarf), Harry Donnelly (UCD), Cathal Eddy (Lansdowne), Adam La Grue (Terenure College), Peter Maher (Clontarf), Jack Matthews (Lansdowne), Dylan Nelson (City of Armagh), Conor Phillips (Terenure College), Peter Sylvester (Terenure College), Andrew Willis (City of Armagh)

16 – Sam Cunningham (City of Armagh), John O’Sullivan (Shannon), Mark O’Sullivan (Clontarf)

15 – Charlie Beckett (Dublin University), Harrison Brewer (Terenure College), Aaron Cairns (Ballynahinch), Niall Carville (City of Armagh), Hugh Cooney (Clontarf), Colm de Buitléar (Terenure College), Barry Finn (City of Armagh), Matthew Hooks (City of Armagh), Stephen Kiely (Shannon), Diarmuid McCormack (Dublin University), Hugo McLaughlin (Lansdowne), Jonny Morton (City of Armagh), Gearoid Mulcahy (Young Munster), Lee Nicholas (Shannon), Daniel Okeke (Shannon), Will Reilly (Shannon), Bobby Sheehan (UCD), Shay Storey (Ballynahinch), Jack Treanor (City of Armagh), Hardus van Eeden (Lansdowne), Levi Vaughan (Terenure College)

14 – Te Atawhai Mason (Cork Constitution)

10 – Dan Barron (Dublin University), Kegan Christian-Goss (Young Munster), Ruairi Clarke (Lansdowne), Evin Crummie (City of Armagh), John Dickson (Ballynahinch), James Dillon (Dublin University), Cameron Doak (City of Armagh), Barry Fitzpatrick (Lansdowne), Harry Fleming (Young Munster), Ethan Graham (Ballynahinch), Ben Griffin (Clontarf), Gus Harrington (Shannon), Dan Hurley (Shannon), Rob Jermyn (Cork Constitution), Jade Kriel (Shannon), Matisse Lamarque d’Arrouzat (Cork Constitution), Rory McGuire (UCD), Steve McMahon (Lansdowne), Tim McNiece (City of Armagh), Chris Moore (Young Munster), Ben Murphy (Clontarf), Conan O’Donnell (Terenure College), Cian O’Halloran (Shannon), Hugo O’Malley (UCD), Stephen O’Neill (Terenure College), Harry O’Riordan (Cork Constitution), Ronan O’Sullivan (Cork Constitution), Conor O’Tighearnaigh (UCD), Sam Owens (Clontarf), George Pringle (Ballynahinch), Ruadhan Quinn (Young Munster), Luke Rigney (Shannon), Danny Sheahan (Cork Constitution), Noah Sheridan (Clontarf), John Vinson (Dublin University)

9 – Paul Kerr (Ballynahinch)

7 – Aidan Shortall (Young Munster)

5 – Max Abbott (Cork Constitution), Harrison Allan (Young Munster), Victor Allen (Dublin University), Sam Berman (Terenure College), Mark Best (Ballynahinch), Tadhg Bird (Clontarf), Sam Birrane (Shannon), Adam Boland (Lansdowne), Conall Boomer (Terenure College), Jack Boyle (UCD), Matthew Caffrey (Terenure College), Dan Campbell (UCD), Oscar Cawley (Dublin University), Dominic Clapcott (Ballynahinch), Tom Coghlan (Terenure College), Fintan Coleman (Young Munster), Michael Colreavy (UCD), Josh Costello (Shannon), Brian Deeny (Clontarf), Wilhelm de Klerk (UCD), Cuan Doyle (Dublin University), Sean Egan (UCD), Kyle Faloon (City of Armagh), Finn Fehnert (City of Armagh), Jules Fenelon (Dublin University), Yago Fernandez Velar (Terenure College), John Foley (Young Munster), John Forde (Cork Constitution), Liam Forster (Lansdowne), Kyle Gill (Ballynahinch), Rob Gilsenan (UCD), John Glasgow (City of Armagh), Taylor Gleeson (Dublin University), Fintan Gunne (Terenure College), Matt Healy (UCD), Alessandro Heaney (Cork Constitution), Aran Hehir (Shannon), Conall Henchy (Dublin University), Mark Hernan (UCD), Gerry Hill (UCD), Declan Horrox (Ballynahinch), Callum Irvine (Ballynahinch), Cormac Izuchukwu (Ballynahinch), Alex Johnston (City of Armagh), Greg Jones (Ballynahinch), Alan Kennedy (Young Munster), George Kenny (Lansdowne), Cormac King (Dublin University), Keynan Knox (Young Munster), Harry Long (Shannon), Adam Maher (Cork Constitution), David Maher (Shannon), Diarmuid Mangan (UCD), Gus McCarthy (UCD), Paddy McCarthy (Dublin University), Shay McCarthy (Young Munster), James McCormick (City of Armagh), Louis McDonough (Dublin University), Mikey McGiff (Clontarf), Ethan McIlroy (Ballynahinch), John McKee (Terenure College), James McNabney (City of Armagh), Jack Milligan (Ballynahinch), Michael Milne (UCD), Martin Moloney (Clontarf), Ruben Moloney (UCD), Luke Moylan (Shannon), Paul Mullen (City of Armagh), Josh Murphy (Clontarf), Luke Murphy (Shannon), Tadhg O’Brien (Shannon), JJ O’Dea (Clontarf), Jack O’Donnell (Shannon), Hugh O’Kennedy (Dublin University), Callum O’Reilly (Dublin University), Louis O’Reilly (Clontarf), Andrew Osborne (UCD), Jim Peters (Clontarf), Cillian Redmond (Lansdowne), Seni Reilly Ashiru (Clontarf), Arron Roulston (Young Munster), Stephen Ryan (Clontarf), Aidan Shortall (Young Munster), Nigel Simpson (City of Armagh), Ivan Soroka (Clontarf), Alan Spicer (UCD), Alex Usanov (Clontarf), Ryan Wilson (Ballynahinch)

4 – Tom Gavigan (Lansdowne)

2 – Tadhg Bennett (Young Munster), Sam Wisniewski (Clontarf)

TRIES –

20 – Dylan Donnellan (Clontarf)

13 – Matthew Bowen (Cork Constitution), Claytan Milligan (Ballynahinch)

10 – Aaron Sexton (Ballynahinch)

9 – Daniel Hurley (Cork Constitution)

8 – Andy Marks (Lansdowne), Stephen McLoughlin (Young Munster), Rory Parata (Lansdowne)

7 – Zach Baird (Dublin University), Tom Barry (Lansdowne), Alan Bennie (Terenure College), Luke Clohessy (Terenure College), Ross Deegan (UCD), Sean Galvin (Lansdowne)

6 – Alan Bennie (Terenure College), Davy Colbert (Dublin University), Jack Cooke (Lansdowne), Billy Crowley (Cork Constitution), Neil Faloon (City of Armagh), Jack Kelleher (Cork Constitution), James Kenny (Lansdowne), Donnchadh O’Callaghan (Young Munster), Ruairi Shields (UCD), Peter Sullivan (Lansdowne)

5 – Tim Corkery (UCD), Lewis Finlay (City of Armagh), Fionn Gibbons (Young Munster), James Horrigan (Young Munster), Aitzol King (Clontarf), Donough Lawlor (Lansdowne), Bradley Luney (Ballynahinch), James O’Brien (Young Munster), Jordan Prenderville (Shannon), Tony Ryan (Clontarf), Billy Scannell (Cork Constitution), James Taylor (Cork Constitution)

4 – Craig Adams (Terenure College), Declan Adamson (Clontarf), Juan Beukes (Dublin University), Kelvin Brown (Shannon), Ruadhan Byron (Clontarf), Jordan Coghlan (Terenure College), Aaron Coleman (Dublin University), Chris Cosgrave (UCD), Matt D’Arcy (Clontarf), Harry Donnelly (UCD), Cathal Eddy (Lansdowne), Adam La Grue (Terenure College), Peter Maher (Clontarf), Jack Matthews (Lansdowne), Dylan Nelson (City of Armagh), Shea O’Brien (City of Armagh), Conor Phillips (Terenure College), Peter Sylvester (Terenure College), Andrew Willis (City of Armagh)

3 – Charlie Beckett (Dublin University), Harrison Brewer (Terenure College), Aaron Cairns (Ballynahinch), Niall Carville (City of Armagh), Hugh Cooney (Clontarf), Colm de Buitléar (Terenure College), Barry Finn (City of Armagh), Rob Hedderman (Cork Constitution), Matthew Hooks (City of Armagh), Stephen Kiely (Shannon), Diarmuid McCormack (Dublin University), Hugo McLaughlin (Lansdowne), Jonny Morton (City of Armagh), Gearoid Mulcahy (Young Munster), Lee Nicholas (Shannon), Daniel Okeke (Shannon), Will Reilly (Shannon), Bobby Sheehan (UCD), Shay Storey (Ballynahinch), Jack Treanor (City of Armagh), Hardus van Eeden (Lansdowne), Levi Vaughan (Terenure College)

2 – Dan Barron (Dublin University), Kegan Christian-Goss (Young Munster), Ruairi Clarke (Lansdowne), George Coomber (Cork Constitution), Evin Crummie (City of Armagh), Sam Cunningham (City of Armagh), John Dickson (Ballynahinch), James Dillon (Dublin University), Cameron Doak (City of Armagh), Aran Egan (Terenure College), Barry Fitzpatrick (Lansdowne), Harry Fleming (Young Munster), Ethan Graham (Ballynahinch), Ben Griffin (Clontarf), Gus Harrington (Shannon), Dan Hurley (Shannon), Rob Jermyn (Cork Constitution), Conor Kelly (Clontarf), Jade Kriel (Shannon), Matisse Lamarque d’Arrouzat (Cork Constitution), Rory McGuire (UCD), Tim McNiece (City of Armagh), Chris Moore (Young Munster), Ben Murphy (Clontarf), Conan O’Donnell (Terenure College), Cian O’Halloran (Shannon), Hugo O’Malley (UCD), Stephen O’Neill (Terenure College), Harry O’Riordan (Cork Constitution), Mark O’Sullivan (Clontarf), Ronan O’Sullivan (Cork Constitution), Conor O’Tighearnaigh (UCD), Sam Owens (Clontarf), George Pringle (Ballynahinch), Ruadhan Quinn (Young Munster), Conor Rankin (Ballynahinch), Luke Rigney (Shannon), Danny Sheahan (Cork Constitution), Noah Sheridan (Clontarf), James Tarrant (UCD), John Vinson (Dublin University)

1 – Max Abbott (Cork Constitution), Harrison Allan (Young Munster), Victor Allen (Dublin University), Sam Berman (Terenure College), Mark Best (Ballynahinch), Tadhg Bird (Clontarf), Sam Birrane (Shannon), Adam Boland (Lansdowne), Conall Boomer (Terenure College), Jack Boyle (UCD), Matthew Caffrey (Terenure College), Dan Campbell (UCD), Cian Casey (Young Munster), Oscar Cawley (Dublin University), Dominic Clapcott (Ballynahinch), Tom Coghlan (Terenure College), Fintan Coleman (Young Munster), Michael Colreavy (UCD), Mike Cooke (Shannon), Josh Costello (Shannon), Brian Deeny (Clontarf), Wilhelm de Klerk (UCD), Cuan Doyle (Dublin University), Sean Egan (UCD), Kyle Faloon (City of Armagh), Finn Fehnert (City of Armagh), Jules Fenelon (Dublin University), Yago Fernandez Vilar (Terenure College), John Foley (Young Munster), John Forde (Cork Constitution), Liam Forster (Lansdowne), Kyle Gill (Ballynahinch), Rob Gilsenan (UCD), John Glasgow (City of Armagh), Taylor Gleeson (Dublin University), Fintan Gunne (Terenure College), Matt Healy (UCD), Alessandro Heaney (Cork Constitution), Aran Hehir (Shannon), Conall Henchy (Dublin University), Mark Hernan (UCD), Gerry Hill (UCD), Declan Horrox (Ballynahinch), Callum Irvine (Ballynahinch), Cormac Izuchukwu (Ballynahinch), Alex Johnston (City of Armagh), Greg Jones (Ballynahinch), Alan Kennedy (Young Munster), George Kenny (Lansdowne), Paul Kerr (Ballynahinch), Cormac King (Dublin University), Keynan Knox (Young Munster), Harry Long (Shannon), Matthew Lynch (Dublin University), Adam Maher (Cork Constitution), David Maher (Shannon), Diarmuid Mangan (UCD), Te Atawhai Mason (Cork Constitution), Gus McCarthy (UCD), Paddy McCarthy (Dublin University), Shay McCarthy (Young Munster), James McCormick (City of Armagh), Louis McDonough (Dublin University), Mikey McGiff (Clontarf), Ethan McIlroy (Ballynahinch), Conor McKee (Ballynahinch), John McKee (Terenure College), James McNabney (City of Armagh), Jack Milligan (Ballynahinch), Michael Milne (UCD), Martin Moloney (Clontarf), Michael Moloney (UCD), Ruben Moloney (UCD), Luke Moylan (Shannon), Paul Mullen (City of Armagh), Josh Murphy (Clontarf), Luke Murphy (Shannon), Tadhg O’Brien (Shannon), JJ O’Dea (Clontarf), Jack O’Donnell (Shannon), Callum O’Reilly (Dublin University), Louis O’Reilly (Clontarf), Andrew Osborne (UCD), John O’Sullivan (Shannon), Jim Peters (Clontarf), Cillian Redmond (Lansdowne), Seni Reilly Ashiru (Clontarf), Arron Roulston (Young Munster), Stephen Ryan (Clontarf), Aidan Shortall (Young Munster), Nigel Simpson (City of Armagh), Callum Smith (Terenure College), Ivan Soroka (Clontarf), Alan Spicer (UCD), Alex Usanov (Clontarf), Ryan Wilson (Ballynahinch)