Clontarf lock Fionn Gilbert is tackled by Young Munster's David Begley and Stephen McLoughlin. The two teams are currently riding high at the top of the Division 1A table ©INPHO/Laszlo Geczo
Clontarf and Young Munster, the only two unbeaten teams left in Division 1A, are both on the road this weekend as they look to make it three wins out of three in the opening block of Energia All-Ireland League fixtures.
Saturday, October 5
Kick-off 2.30pm unless stated –
Energia All-Ireland League Season’s Form: Cork Constitution: LW; Young Munster: WW
Energia All-Ireland League Top Scorers – Cork Constitution: Points: James Taylor 16; Tries: Scott Buckley 3; Young Munster: Points: Julian Leszczynski 23; Tries: Shay McCarthy 2
Preview: An acid test of Young Munster’s early season progress as they pay a visit to the defending champions. Claiming the scalp of Cork Constitution, on the back of beating Terenure College last week, would be a real statement of intent from the Cookies.
Cork Con got back to winning ways against Ballynahinch, and have been particularly potent from mauls with Munster hooker Scott Buckley already bagging three tries. Winger Joe O’Leary and forwards Billy Scannell and Eoin Quilter are Con’s three personnel changes.
With Alan Kennedy ruled out for Munsters, hooker Stephen McLoughlin takes over the captaincy, and head coach Ger Slattery brings in Tom Goggin at lock and Donnchadh O’Callaghan at scrum half. Former Ireland Under-19 international Ihechi Oji has been added to the bench.
Recent League Meetings – Saturday, December 16, 2023: Young Munster 22 Cork Constitution 21, Tom Clifford Park; Saturday, January 13, 2024: Cork Constitution 23 Young Munster 13, Temple Hill
IrishRugby.ie Prediction: Cork Constitution to win
Energia All-Ireland League Season’s Form: Ballynahinch: WL; St. Mary’s College: LW
Energia All-Ireland League Top Scorers – Ballynahinch: Points: Conor Rankin 8; Tries: Matthew Booth, Kyle McCall, Aaron Sexton, Bradley Luney 1 each; St. Mary’s College: Points: Mick O’Gara 19; Tries: Leandro Ramirez 2
Preview: Fresh from opening their win account in Armagh, St. Mary’s College head north again for their first trip to Ballymacarn Park since April 2019. Mary’s scored two of their four tries last week from cross-field kicks, delivered by stand-in captain Conor Dean and Mick O’Gara.
Ireland U-19 international Zack Hopkins is one five personnel changes for Mark McHugh’s third-placed side, with Adam McEvoy, Tom O’Reilly, Howard Noonan, and Ian Wickham also restored to the starting XV.
Ballynahinch have won five of their six Division 1A home matches since last January. Head coach Adam Craig has freshened up the front row for Saturday with the inclusion of props Matthew Burke, who was one of Connacht’s departing players at the end of last season, and Tom McAllister.
Recent League Meetings – Saturday, October 6, 2018: St. Mary’s College 37 Ballynahinch 27, Templeville Road; Saturday, April 13, 2019: Ballynahinch 41 St. Mary’s College 15, Ballymacarn Park
IrishRugby.ie Prediction: Ballynahinch to win
Energia All-Ireland League Season’s Form: Garryowen: WL; City of Armagh: LL
Energia All-Ireland League Top Scorers – Garryowen: Points: Kelvin Langan 15; Tries: Colm Hogan, Gordon Wood 2 each; City of Armagh: Points: Kyle Faloon 12; Tries: Neil Faloon, Kyle Faloon, Evin Crummie 1 each
Preview: Alex Wood will join his younger brother Tom in Garryowen’s starting line-up for this third round clash with City of Armagh. The eldest of the three Wood brothers starts on the right wing, with Colm Hogan reverting to full-back, in place of the injured Jamie Heuston.
George Hadden’s Emerging Ireland call-up means Mikey Veale comes into the Light Blues’ front row. Munster Academy scrum half Jack Oliver is set for his seasonal debut off the bench. Garryowen famously beat Armagh 45-21 to win the Energia Bateman Cup in 2019.
Matthew Hooks and Josh McKinley return as Armagh’s two changes, with head coach Chris Parker commenting: “We were in the same position last season at this stage. We had two close losses in the first two games and then we went to Shannon and won, so hopefully lighting can strike twice.”
Recent League Meetings – N/A
IrishRugby.ie Prediction: Garryowen to win
Energia All-Ireland League Season’s Form: Terenure College: WL; Lansdowne: LW
Energia All-Ireland League Top Scorers – Terenure College: Points: Aran Egan 22; Tries: Fintan Gunne, Henry McErlean 2 each; Lansdowne: Points: Stephen Madigan 20; Tries: Jack Cooke, Andy Marks, James Kenny, Jack Treanor, Cathal Eddy 1 each
Preview: This is a repeat of last season’s semi-final which was an epic encounter at Lakelands Park. Lansdowne brilliantly fought back from 19 points down before Aran Egan kicked a last-gasp winner for Terenure, the 31-28 victors.
Terenure have licked their wounds following last week’s reversal at the hands of Young Munster. Egan reverts to out-half with Chris Cosgrave and Jules Fenelon forming a new centre pairing, and Jordan Coghlan makes his seasonal bow at number 8. Levi Vaughan also starts at hooker.
Lansdowne boss Declan Fassbender has made six personnel changes to the team that finished 15 points clear of UCD. The Lawlor brothers, Donough and Ireland Under-19 international Todd, will line out together, and there are also starting jerseys for Harry O’Riordan, Steve McMahon, Tom Connolly, and experienced flanker Clive Ross.
Recent League Meetings – Saturday, February 17, 2024: Lansdowne 20 Terenure College 27, Aviva Stadium back pitch; Saturday, April 20, 2024: Semi-Final – Terenure College 31 Lansdowne 28, Lakelands Park
IrishRugby.ie Prediction: Terenure College to win
Energia All-Ireland League Season’s Form: UCD: LL; Clontarf: WW
Energia All-Ireland League Top Scorers – UCD: Points: Michael Moloney 10; Tries: Andrew Osborne, Michael Moloney, Ruairi Shields, Charlie Molony, Tom Murtagh 1 each; Clontarf: Points: Conor Kelly 20; Tries: Dylan Donnellan 3
Preview: Leinster Academy full-back/winger Ruben Moloney will anchor the UCD back-three as the two teams at the opposite ends of the table go toe-to-toe. The students also welcome back Gerry Hill in the second row, meaning a move to number 8 for the versatile Michael Colreavy.
Promising winger Aitzol King is back in Clontarf colours, just a week on from scoring his first senior try for Leinster. Fellow Academy player, 19-year-old prop Niall Smyth, packs down at tightead for the table toppers, and Will Reilly, Callum Smith, and Richie Whelan complete the visitors’ changes.
An Emmet MacMahon-coached UCD won the corresponding fixture last season, prevailing 38-32 in typically breathless fashion. Ruairi Shields grabbed a hat-trick for them, Dylan Donnellan bagged a brace for ‘Tarf, and UCD half-back Michael Moloney, who is currently injured, kicked 13 crucial points.
Recent League Meetings – Saturday, October 21, 2023: Clontarf 43 UCD 19, Castle Avenue; Saturday, March 23, 2024: UCD 38 Clontarf 32, UCD Bowl
IrishRugby.ie Prediction: Clontarf to win
Five-try winger Jack Keating will be chasing more scores when Division 1B leaders Old Belvedere host Blackrock College on Saturday, while the Colours match between Queen’s University and UCC is a key fixture for both teams.
Saturday, October 5
Kick-off 2.30pm unless stated –
Energia All-Ireland League Season’s Form: Old Belvedere: WW; Blackrock College: LL
Energia All-Ireland League Top Scorers – Old Belvedere: Points: Jack Keating 25; Tries: Jack Keating 5; Blackrock College: Points: Conor O’Shaughnessy 24; Tries: Derry Moloney 2
Preview: Table-topping Old Belvedere are going the right way about building a strong challenge for promotion. Back-to-back bonus point wins, six tries-to-two in both games, but they will not be getting carried away as the University sides they faced have had high player turnover.
Unsurprisingly, ‘Belvo head coach Quenton O’Neale has kept the changes to a minimum, with young prop Liam Granville starting up front. Hugh Flood switches to the tighthead side. Successive losses have Blackrock College at the wrong end of the table.
Last October’s corresponding match was an electric 12-try thriller which ‘Belvo won 43-40. The ‘Rock selection shows four changes from last week’s tight defeat to Nenagh Ormond, including a move to scrum half for Jack Ringrose, who partners Ireland Under-18 Schools out-half Conor O’Shaughnessy.
Recent League Meetings – Saturday, October 21, 2023: Old Belvdere 43 Blackrock College 40, Ollie Campbell Park; Saturday, March 23, 2024: Blackrock College 21 Old Belvedere 17, Stradbrook
IrishRugby.ie Prediction: Old Belvedere to win
Energia All-Ireland League Season’s Form: Old Wesley: WL; Nenagh Ormond: WW
Energia All-Ireland League Top Scorers – Old Wesley: Points: Ian Cassidy 27; Tries: Cathal Kelly 2; Nenagh Ormond: Points: Conor McMahon 30; Tries: Josh Rowland, Conor McMahon 2 each
Preview: January 2015 was the last time that Old Wesley and Nenagh Ormond met, when both clubs were in Division 2A. A lot has changed since then, particularly down Nenagh way where Derek Corcoran’s charges have started life in the second tier in brilliant fashion.
Unbeaten and sitting second in the table, Nenagh face Dublin opposition for the third week running. Their goal-kicking winger Conor McMahon has emerged as the division’s leading scorer (30 points), having starred with a 23-point haul against Blackrock last weekend.
Old Wesley lost the first leg of the McCoy-Tucker Trophy, going down 23-13 at Shannon. Back on home turf this week, it is set to be a formidable battle between the forwards, and Wesley will need big performances from the likes of Cronan Gleeson, Shane Cawley, and in-form flanker Cathal Kelly.
Recent League Meetings – Saturday, February 21, 2009: Nenagh Ormond 16 Old Wesley 11, New Ormond Park; Saturday, January 31, 2015: Old Wesley 17 Nenagh Ormond 15, Donnybrook
IrishRugby.ie Prediction: Nenagh Ormond to win
Energia All-Ireland League Season’s Form: Queen’s University: WL; UCC: LW
Energia All-Ireland League Top Scorers – Queen’s University: Points: Ben McFarlane 11; Tries: Ryan Street, Henry Walker 2 each; UCC: Points: Daniel Squires 21; Tries: Jack Casey 2
Preview: This Colours encounter has important Energia All-Ireland League points on the line, as well as seeding for the Dudley Cup. Mixed results so far with a home win and a heavy defeat on the road for both, but UCC will travel with renewed confidence after beating Highfield 39-14.
Centre Evan Clarke and lock Conor Ryan come in as the two changes made by UCC head of rugby Tomás O’Leary. The Cork outfit won twice against Queen’s University last season, including a commanding 41-10 victory at Dub Lane.
Derek Suffern’s Queen’s side will certainly be all out for revenge, and eager to put last week’s 40-point loss to Naas behind them. Ulster scrum half Michael McDonald is set to make his debut for the club, and Lorcan McLoughlin and Tom Brigg are back to bolster the hosts’ pack.
Recent League Meetings – Saturday, November 18, 2023: UCC 29 Queen’s University 27, the Mardyke; Saturday, February 10, 2024: Queen’s University 10 UCC 41, Dub Lane
IrishRugby.ie Prediction: Queen’s University to win
Energia All-Ireland League Season’s Form: Shannon: LW; Naas: LW
Energia All-Ireland League Top Scorers – Shannon: Points: John O’Sullivan 13; Tries: Adam Moloney 2; Naas: Points: Peter Osborne 28; Tries: Paddy Taylor, Eoin Walsh, Charlie Sheridan, Jack Sheridan 2 each
Preview: Naas and Shannon are leading the chasing pack behind early frontrunners Old Belvedere and Nenagh. Johne Murphy’s Cobras showed their attacking firepower last week when running nine tries against Queen’s, including two each from brothers Charlie and Jack Sheridan.
Naas travel to Limerick with an unchanged team, which includes AIL centurions Peter Osborne, Will O’Brien, their captain, and Ryan Casey. A Jake Flannery-inspired Shannon secured promotion back to the top flight in April 2022 when they beat Naas 30-15 in the play-off final in Coonagh.
Hooker Adam Moloney, who has scored two tries during the first fortnight, is the only survivor in Shannon’s tight five, as Aaron McNamara, Tony Cusack, Cian McCann, and Jack Brady are all handed starts. Darren Gavin and the Munster-capped Stephen Kiely come into the back-three.
Recent League Meetings – Saturday, January 29, 2022: Naas 38 Shannon 29, Forenaughts; Saturday, April 30, 2022: Promotion Play-Off Final – Shannon 30 Naas 15, Coonagh
IrishRugby.ie Prediction: Naas to win
– Match postponed to Saturday, October 12 (kick-off 2.30pm)
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