Number 8 David Hyland captained Cork Constitution to a memorable Division 1A final win over Terenure College last April ©INPHO/Ben Brady
Just under five months on from their seismic final showdown, Cork Constitution and Terenure College renew rivalries on the opening day of action in Energia All-Ireland League Men’s Division 1A.
Saturday, September 21
Kick-off 2.30pm unless stated –
Preview: Ballynahinch won both of their Division 1A clashes with City of Armagh last season, and will hope to maintain the status quo here. Armagh look a stronger unit this year, though, and put some big scores on Rainey, Instonians, and Banbridge in the Ulster Rugby Premiership.
Ulster duo Ben Moxham and Marcus Rea will both start for Ballynahinch, who are captained by Bradley Luney at number 8. Head coach Adam Craig can call on new signings, Tom McAllister and Ronan McCusker, to provide impact off the bench.
Armagh bolstered their coaching group in the summer with Gareth Steenson (backs & attack) and Daryl Maxwell (forwards) coming on board. Ulster Academy newcomer Sam Berman will start at outside centre tomorrow, and New Zealander Rocky Olsen combines with Lewis Finlay at half-back.
Recent League Meetings – Saturday, December 16, 2023: City of Armagh 18 Ballynahinch 29, Palace Grounds; Saturday, January 13, 2024: Ballynahinch 36 City of Armagh 12, Ballymacarn Park
IrishRugby.ie Prediction: Ballynahinch to win
Preview: Garryowen won their last five games of the 2023/24 campaign, including two high-pressure play-offs, to bounce straight back up to the top flight. This will be a thorough test first up for them, with Lansdowne back finishing in the top four last season.
Lynchpin centre Bryan Fitzgerald, who has been in with Munster on a short-term contract, leads the Garryowen back-line, with fellow co-captain Donnacha Byrne stationed at number 8. Connacht’s Shane Jennings and Dutch hooker Lars Linnenbank are also part of the starting line-up.
Rhys Ruddock and Craig Ronaldson are now assisting Lansdowne head coach Declan Fassbender. Narrowly beaten by Clontarf in the recent Leinster Senior Cup final, they have made some savvy signings in Tadhg Brophy, Rob Hedderman, Juan Beukes, Jerry Cahir, and Liam Molony.
Recent League Meetings – Saturday, November 26, 2022: Lansdowne 47 Garryowen 28, Aviva Stadium back pitch; Saturday, January 28, 2023: Garryowen 21 Lansdowne 17, Dooradoyle
IrishRugby.ie Prediction: Lansdowne to win
Preview: Back in Division 1A for the first time since 2018, St. Mary’s College have been targeting this first match from a long way off. Ace place-kicker Mick O’Gara said: “We need to put that marker down from the first week, showing that we’re a team that wants to compete in this league.”
Former Munster centre Dan Goggin joins O’Gara in Mary’s midfield, and the hosts’ pack has also been freshened up with ex-Ulster back rower Greg Jones and quality scrummager Andy Keating, along with the newly-formed second row pairing of Luc Culliton and Paul Deeny.
Clontarf begin AIL life without the legendary Matt D’Arcy and Tony Ryan, who both bowed out at the end of last season. Try-scoring machine Dylan Donnellan continues as captain, and the Trinity connection rolls on with Aaron Coleman and John Vinson now part of ‘Tarf’s back row ranks.
Recent League Meetings – Friday, September 22, 2017: Clontarf 33 St. Mary’s College 16, Castle Avenue; Saturday, April 7, 2018: St. Mary’s College 30 Clontarf 45, Templeville Road
IrishRugby.ie Prediction: Clontarf to win
Preview: A tough match to call, especially with Cork Constitution suffering a surprise 31-12 Munster Senior Challenge Cup defeat to Nenagh Ormond a fortnight ago. The defending Division 1A champions have welcomed back winger Sean French from his two-year stint with Bedford Blues.
French shone for Bedford as a try scorer, racking up 39 tries in 52 appearances, and forms a dangerous looking back-three tomorrow with Matthew Bowen, who starts at full-back, and Daniel Hurley. After switching from UCC, Munster’s Scott Buckley starts at hooker.
Leinster Academy backs Henry McErlean and Fintan Gunne will both start for Terenure, who team up Peter Sylvester with the Leinster-capped Chris Cosgrave in a new centre partnership. Ireland Under-20 prop Ben Howard gets the nod at loosehead for last season’s table toppers.
Recent League Meetings – Saturday, March 23, 2024: Cork Constitution 23 Terenure College 26, Temple Hill; Sunday, April 28, 2024: Final – Terenure College 22 Cork Constitution 33, Aviva Stadium
IrishRugby.ie Prediction: Terenure College to win
Preview: Keen for a strong start to his second AIL campaign in charge, UCD director of rugby Emmet MacMahon has been able to include four Leinster Academy players – Ruben Moloney, Andrew Osborne, Ben Brownlee, and Rory McGuire – in his team, and a fifth one, Ireland U-20 prop Andrew Sparrow, on the bench.
Young Munster have performed well on their last three visits to Belfield, winning 18-12 and 23-10 in 2021 and 2022 respectively, and falling to a two-point defeat last November. They finished one place, and four points, above UCD last season.
Munster’s Patrick Campbell anchors the Cookies’ back-three, with Sligo native Hubert Gilvarry on the right wing. Argentinian youngster Julian Leszczynski dons the number 10 jersey, and there is a New Zealand-Argentina blend to the club’s new centre pairing of Samson Seinafo and Manuel Covella.
Recent League Meetings – Saturday, November 11, 2023: UCD 26 Young Munster 24, UCD Bowl; Saturday, February 17, 2024: Young Munster 31 UCD 24, Tom Clifford Park
IrishRugby.ie Prediction: UCD to win
Famed for its sheer competitiveness and high-scoring contests, Energia All-Ireland League Men’s Division 1B bursts back into life tonight with Old Wesley hosting Blackrock College in a juicy opener in Donnybrook.
Saturday, September 21
Kick-off 2.30pm unless stated –
Preview: Outgunned by Garryowen in last April’s play-offs, Old Wesley can still take a lot from last season where they won a dozen of their league games to finish second in the table. They begin their latest promotion quest in front of the irishrugby+ cameras.
Ahead of the Emerging Ireland tour squad’s departure, Leinster Academy hooker Stephen Smyth starts in the front row for Wesley, who will be out to avenge last November’s 38-27 home defeat to Blackrock College.
Blackrock have been busy with their summer recruitment, including adding Luke Hickey and Andrew Kealy to their coaching ticket. They lost 31-28 to Naas in the recent Leinster Senior League final. New backs Derry Moloney and Leo McFarlane were both in try-scoring form.
Recent League Meetings – Saturday, November 11, 2023: Old Wesley 27 Blackrock College 38, Energia Park; Saturday, February 17, 2024: Blackrock College 7 Old Wesley 40, Stradbrook
IrishRugby.ie Prediction: Old Wesley to win
Preview: Highfield did the double over Naas either side of last Christmas, including a runaway 50-12 victory at home. As ever, the Corkmen will pack a punch up front, with James Rochford, new captain Travis Coomey, and Miah Cronin remaining cornerstones of the pack.
Having agonisingly missed out on a top four finish due to a final day defeat to Garryowen, Conor Quaid’s side will be doubly determined to push for promotion again. Naas also look like they will back challenging after winning the Leinster Senior League two weeks ago.
A total of eight players could make their All-Ireland League debuts for the Cobras. There are five in tomorrow’s starting XV, including James O’Kane, Paddy Taylor, and Cormac King in the back-line. Dead-eye kicker Peter Osborne, with 152 AIL caps to his name, lines out at out-half.
Recent League Meetings – Saturday, December 16, 2023: Naas 12 Highfield 13, Forenaughts; Saturday, January 13, 2024: Highfield 50 Naas 12, Woodleigh Park
IrishRugby.ie Prediction: Highfield to win
Preview: A first ever All-Ireland League meeting between these clubs. Nenagh Ormond make the step up to Division 1B for the first time in their proud history, and Derek Corcoran’s charges warmed up for the occasion with impressive Munster Senior Challenge Cup wins over Highfield and Cork Constitution.
It will be fascinating to see how they fare against Dublin University, who were relegated from the top flight last season. As ever with University clubs, there has been a fair amount of player turnover in the intervening months, but Zach Baird and Max Dunne start in the tight five.
Australian centre Angus Blackmore, one of Nenagh’s five new recruits, makes his AIL debut in midfield alongside Willie Coffey, the 2023/24 Division 2A Player of the Year. The newly-married Colm Skehan, who doubles as the team’s S&C coach, packs down at tighthead prop.
Recent League Meetings – N/A
IrishRugby.ie Prediction: Nenagn Ormond to win
Preview: Director of rugby Quenton O’Neale now also has the head coach duties at Old Belvedere, following Ben Manion’s departure to Bective Rangers. O’Neale has assembled a strong coaching team which includes Ireland Sevens international Bryan Mollen.
Old Belvedere and UCC had two ding-dong battles last season, with ‘Belvo taking a 34-29 verdict at home, and the Cork students prevailing 22-21 in February’s rematch. Former Munster and Ireland scrum half Tomás O’Leary is now at the helm of UCC.
Ireland Under-19 international Sam Wisniewski will make his league bow for Belvedere at out-half. Canterbury Pasifika’s Tasipale Valavala packs down at number 8 for the hosts, while Munster Academy newcomer Gene O’Leary Kareem (19) pairs up with Daniel Squires in UCC’s midfield.
Recent League Meetings – Saturday, November 11, 2023: Old Belvedere 34 UCC 29, Ollie Campbell Park; Saturday, February 17, 2024: UCC 22 Old Belvedere 21, the Mardyke
IrishRugby.ie Prediction: Old Belvedere to win
Preview: A number of Ulster Academy players will get game-time for Queen’s University in this league opener. Derek Suffern’s young guns fought hard to retain the club’s Division 1B status last season by overcoming Banbridge and MU Barnhall in the play-offs.
Rory Telfer, Ben McFarlane, Jack Murphy, Zac Solomon, Jack Boal, new captain Charlie Irvine, James McKillop, and Tom Brigg are all set to start for Queen’s, who have won their last four league games at home.
Ireland Under-20 internationals Emmet Calvey and Luke Murphy bookend Shannon’s starting pack. Centre Harry Long, who played for the Munster Development XV last season, skippers the Limerick men from inside centre, and 22-year-old Munster-capped prop Kieran Ryan also features.
Recent League Meetings – N/A
IrishRugby.ie Prediction: Queen’s University to win
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