#EnergiaAIL Men’s Divisions 1A & 1B: Round 8 Previews

ENERGIA ALL-IRELAND LEAGUE MEN’S DIVISION 1A – ROUND 8:

Saturday, December 7

Kick-off 2.30pm unless stated –

GARRYOWEN (10th) v CORK CONSTITUTION (5th), Dooradoyle, 2pm

Energia All-Ireland League Season’s Form: Garryowen: WLLLLLL; Cork Constitution: LWWLLWD
Energia All-Ireland League Top Scorers – Garryowen: Points: Kelvin Langan 29; Tries: Donnacha Byrne, Gordon Wood 3 each; Cork Constitution: James Taylor 48; Tries: Scott Buckley 4

Preview: After their Energia Bateman Cup dreams were dashed by Instonians, Garryowen have to refocus on league matters with two crunch derbies over the next two weekends. Munster rivals Cork Constitution visit them tomorrow afternoon, before next week’s tussle with Young Munster.

Along with his three-try contribution, Garryowen captain Donnacha Byrne has landed 96 successful tackles – the second highest across the division – and won five breakdown steals. Munster’s Brian Gleeson, Liam Coombes, George Hadden, Ronan Foxe, and Jack Daly are all set to start.

Cork Con led 20-10 and 27-20 but ended with drawing with St. Mary’s College last time out. Points are at the premium with only five between themselves and third-placed Clontarf. Munster’s Scott Buckley will start at Dooradoyle, with the Sheahan cousins, Danny and Jacob, on the bench.

Recent League Meetings – Saturday, October 29, 2022: Cork Constitution 33 Garryowen 16, Temple Hill; Saturday, March 4, 2023: Garryowen 21 Cork Constitution 29, Dooradoyle

IrishRugby.ie Prediction: Cork Constitution to win

BALLYNAHINCH (1st) v CLONTARF (3rd), Ballymacarn Park

Energia All-Ireland League Season’s Form: Ballynahinch: WLWWWWW; Clontarf: WWWLWWL
Energia All-Ireland League Top Scorers – Ballynahinch: Points: Conor Rankin 37; Tries: Claytan Milligan 6; Clontarf: Points: Conor Kelly 63; Tries: Dylan Donnellan 4

Preview: These sides could not be separated when they met at Ballymacarn Park last season, playing out a 24-all draw. Another tight tussle is expected as Ballynahinch look to extend their winning streak to six games. Terenure College were the last team to beat them at home in April.

‘Hinch hooker Claytan Milligan has moved to the top of the division’s try-scoring charts after his brace against UCD made it six tries in seven appearances. Clontarf captain Dylan Donnellan is not far behind him on four, with 13 of ‘Tarf’s 20 tries so far coming from lineout plays.

Recent Ireland debutant Cormac Izuchukwu was a try scorer for ‘Hinch when they hosted Clontarf in November of last year. Hugh Cooney, Alex Usanov, and Jack Murphy, who all joined Izuchukwu on this season’s Emerging Ireland tour, were part of the north Dubliners’ squad that day.

Recent League Meetings – Saturday, November 18, 2023: Ballynahinch 24 Clontarf 24, Ballymacarn Park; Saturday, February 10, 2024: Clontarf 45 Ballynahinch 24, Castle Avenue

IrishRugby.ie Prediction: Ballynahinch to win

CITY OF ARMAGH (7th) v LANSDOWNE (8th), Palace Grounds

Energia All-Ireland League Season’s Form: City of Armagh: LLWLWLW; Lansdowne: LWLWLLW
Energia All-Ireland League Top Scorers – City of Armagh: Points: Kyle Faloon 58; Tries: Dylan Nelson, Kyle Faloon, Niall Carville 2 each; Lansdowne: Points: Stephen Madigan 31; Tries: Andy Marks 5

Preview: City of Armagh resume their All-Ireland League season as the newly-crowned Ulster Rugby Premiership Division 1 champions, while Lansdowne were also busy during the break in fixtures. They secured home advantage for next month’s Energia Bateman Cup final against Instonians.

Neither team has been able to put together back-to-back wins in the league so far this season, so this could be an important fixture in terms of building momentum. Five-try centre Andy Marks continues to catch the eye for Lansdowne, with a division-high 12 line breaks and 34 tackle breaks.

Speaking about the league’s fine margins, Armagh head coach Chris Parker said: “I think if you could go on any sort of a run, if you could string sort of three wins together on the bounce, you’d rocket yourself up the table. But at the same time, if you were to string three losses together, you’d fall down pretty quickly. It’s hugely competitive.”

Recent League Meetings – Saturday, October 14, 2023: City of Armagh 26 Lansdowne 29, Palace Grounds; Saturday, March 30, 2024: Lansdowne 64 City of Armagh 31, Aviva Stadium back pitch

IrishRugby.ie Prediction: City of Armagh to win

ST. MARY’S COLLEGE (2nd) v YOUNG MUNSTER (6th), Templeville Road

Energia All-Ireland League Season’s Form: St. Mary’s College: LWLWWWD; Young Munster: WWLLWLL
Energia All-Ireland League Top Scorers – St. Mary’s College: Points: Conor Hayes 47; Tries: Conor Hayes, Dan Goggin, Leandro Ramirez, Michael Silvester, Myles Carey 3 each; Young Munster: Points: Julian Leszczynski 58; Tries: Hubert Gilvarry 5

Preview: St. Mary’s followed up their three recent wins with a tenacious performance to draw with defending champions Cork Con. Mark McHugh’s charges have quietly gone about their business to move from fourth up to second, and are now the division’s top scorers in both points (205) and tries (28).

Julian Leszczynski, Young Munster’s leading scorer with 58 points, switches to full-back for their trip to Templeogue, with Munster’s Tony Butler and Jake O’Riordan combining at half-back. Forwards Tom Goggin – replacing Champions Cup debutant Evan O’Connell – and Conor Nesbitt are promoted from the bench.

Of course, St. Mary’s have two key backs with close ties with the Cookies, Conor Hayes and Dan Goggin, who have scored three tries each this season. The last time Munsters visited Templeville Road was in February 2018 when current head coach Ger Slattery played his part in a 38-26 bonus point victory.

Recent League Meetings – Saturday, November 4, 2017: Young Munster 51 St. Mary’s College 7, Tom Clifford Park; Saturday, February 3, 2018: St. Mary’s College 26 Young Munster 38, Templeville Road

IrishRugby.ie Prediction: St. Mary’s College to win

UCD (9th) v TERENURE COLLEGE (4th), UCD Bowl

Energia All-Ireland League Season’s Form: UCD: LLLWLWL; Terenure College: WLWWLLW
Energia All-Ireland League Top Scorers – UCD: Points: James Tarrant 30; Tries: Bobby Sheehan, Evan Moynihan 3 each; Terenure College: Points: Chris Cosgrave 44; Tries: Craig Adams, Henry McErlean 4 each

Preview: James Culhane, the scorer of Leinster’s match-winning try at Ulster last week, is on the bench as UCD reintroduce some of their provincial talent for the visit of fourth-placed Terenure College. James Tarrant also returns at out-half to captain the students, who ran Ballynahinch close in the last round.

Leinster Academy players Ben Brownlee, Diarmuid Mangan, Rory McGuire, Ruben Moloney, Conor O’Tighearnaigh, and Alan Spicer all come into the UCD starting XV. Their most recent encounter with Terenure finished in a 19-12 loss, a Jordan Coghlan brace proving the difference.

Terenure head coach Sean Skehan has made four personnel changes to the team that won 42-26 at home to Garryowen. Chris Cosgrave slots back in at full-back and Aran Egan reverts to the out-half position, with Luke Clohessy leading the side from the back row. Ben Howard and Mikey O’Reilly also start up front.

Recent League Meetings – Saturday, November 4, 2023: UCD 28 Terenure College 45, UCD Bowl; Saturday, March 2, 2024: Terenure College 19 UCD 12, Lakelands Park

IrishRugby.ie Prediction: Terenure College to win

Dublin, Tipperary, and Cork are represented in the top four of Energia All-Ireland League Men’s Division 1B, with a strong pace being set by Old Belvedere who are three points clear at the summit and currently averaging 39 points per game.

ENERGIA ALL-IRELAND LEAGUE MEN’S DIVISION 1B – ROUND 8:

Saturday, December 7

Kick-off 2.30pm unless stated –

BLACKROCK COLLEGE (5th) v UCC (3rd), Stradbrook

Energia All-Ireland League Season’s Form: Blackrock College: LLWWLWW; UCC: LWWWLLW
Energia All-Ireland League Top Scorers – Blackrock College: Points: Conor O’Shaughnessy 60; Tries: Ciarán Mangan 4; UCC: Daniel Squires 75; Tries: Sean Condon 5

Preview: This is a very good test of both teams’ recent progress, and notably the away side emerged victorious in each of last season’s meetings. UCC front rowers Luke McAuliffe and Michael Cogan were among the try scorers during a 26-19 triumph at Stradbrook in April.

Blackrock have shown a good deal of variety in their tries scored so far this term, with seven from tap penalties, seven from turnovers, and nine coming off lineouts. Hooker Liam McMahon has racked up 540 minutes from seven starts, but Leinster’s Lee Barron dons the number 2 jersey tomorrow.

Buoyed by their Colours win over Dublin University, UCC field an unchanged back-line which includes Munster Academy youngsters Ben O’Connor and Gene O’Leary Kareem. Cogan, Adam Wrona, Kamil Nowak, and Johnny O’Shea are the four changes in the pack, with Sean Edogbo selected on the bench.

Recent League Meetings – Saturday, October 7, 2023: UCC 20 Blackrock College 31, the Mardyke; Saturday, April 6, 2024: Blackrock College 19 UCC 26, Stradbrook

IrishRugby.ie Prediction: Blackrock College to win

HIGHFIELD (10th) v QUEEN’S UNIVERSITY (9th), Woodleigh Park

Energia All-Ireland League Season’s Form: Highfield: WLLLLLL; Queen’s University: WLLLWLL
Energia All-Ireland League Top Scorers – Highfield: Points: Shane O’Riordan 44; Tries: Richard Cassidy 4; Queen’s University: Jack Murphy 41; Tries: Flynn Longstaff, Henry Walker 3 each

Preview: A win here would be huge for either team, particularly Highfield who are bottom of the table after six successive defeats. The club are planning a guard of honour record attempt tomorrow afternoon as they look to inspire Conor Quaid’s charges to get back on track.

Conor Kennelly’s involvement with Munster ‘A’ was deserved recognition for the young Highfield lock, who has made 134 metres from 26 carries and scored one try. The Corkmen beat Queen’s University twice last season, including a hard-fought 22-19 success on home soil in January.

Queen’s had a high number of players on duty with Ulster ‘A’ in the IRFU 150 Men’s ‘A’ Interprovincial Championship. Zac Solomon and Jack Murphy have been standout performers for the students, with 107 tackles (and only four missed) and 1767.9 kicking metres from 47 kicks respectively.

Recent League Meetings – Saturday, December 2, 2023: Queen’s University 26 Highfield 34, Dub Lane; Saturday, January 27, 2024: Highfield 22 Queen’s University 19, Woodleigh Park

IrishRugby.ie Prediction: Queen’s University to win

NENAGH ORMOND (2nd) v NAAS (6th), New Ormond Park

Energia All-Ireland League Season’s Form: Nenagh Ormond: WWDLWWW; Naas: LWWLWLL
Energia All-Ireland League Top Scorers – Nenagh Ormond: Points: Conor McMahon 96; Tries: Angus Blackmore, Conor McMahon 3 each; Naas: Peter Osborne 65; Tries: Jack Sheridan, Paddy Taylor 4 each

Preview: If he continues his superb scoring rate, Nenagh Ormond’s Conor McMahon is set to be come the first player in the top two divisions to pass the 100-point mark for this season. He scored a try and had seven successful kicks against Shannon as Nenagh remained hot on the heels of leaders Old Belvedere.

Naas last visited New Ormond Park during their 2015/16 Division 2A title-winning campaign. Johne Murphy’s current crop have had a couple of weeks to get over a disappointing 28-point loss to Blackrock. This is a crucial period for them, especially with ‘Belvo visiting them next week.

Naas veteran Peter Osborne has been in excellent form from the tee, landing 26 of his 28 place-kicks to date for a 93% return. Former Nenagh captain Willie Coffey leads the way with a division-high seven breakdown steals, with fellow centre Angus Blackmore making 10 line breaks so far.

Recent League Meetings – Saturday, December 5, 2015: Naas 7 Nenagh Ormond 10, Forenaughts; Saturday, January 2, 2016: Nenagh Ormond 3 Naas 8, New Ormond Park

IrishRugby.ie Prediction: Nenagh Ormond to win

OLD BELVEDERE (1st) v SHANNON (8th), Ollie Campbell Park

Energia All-Ireland League Season’s Form: Old Belvedere: WWLWWWW; Shannon: LWLLWLL
Energia All-Ireland League Top Scorers – Old Belvedere: Points: Sam Wisniewski 81; Tries: Calum Dowling 9; Shannon: John O’Sullivan 33; Tries: Adam Moloney, Jack O’Donnell 2 each

Preview: Old Belvedere’s push for promotion continues to gather pace after breaking clear of Queen’s in the second half to make it four wins in a row, three of them with a try-scoring bonus point. They meet Shannon for the first time since April’s one-sided promotion/relegation play-off.

Belvedere ran out 46-8 winners that day, and tomorrow’s rematch is part of a double header with their Women’s team. Shannon will be glad to see the back of November and travel to the capital following two home defeats to Nenagh, including a Bank of Ireland Munster Senior Cup exit.

On the positive side, Shannon have the division’s top lineout winner in Lee Nicholas with 37 takes, and John O’Sullivan has been reliable kicking both out of hand and from the tee. ‘Belvo’s Kiwi centre Jayden Beckett is top of the division’s statistics for dominant tackles (14) and offloads (11).

Recent League Meetings – Saturday, March 5, 2022: Old Belvedere 22 Shannon 33, Ollie Campbell Park; Saturday, April 20, 2024: Shannon 8 Old Belvedere 46, Thomond Park back pitch

IrishRugby.ie Prediction: Old Belvedere to win

OLD WESLEY (4th) v DUBLIN UNIVERSITY (7th), Energia Park

Energia All-Ireland League Season’s Form: Old Wesley: WLDWLWW; Dublin University: LLWWLWL
Energia All-Ireland League Top Scorers – Old Wesley: Points: Ian Cassidy 69; Tries: Paidi Farrell 4; Dublin University: Hugh O’Kennedy 28; Tries: Oscar Cawley 5

Preview: After a somewhat mixed start to the season, Old Wesley and Dublin University are both moving in the right direction of late. Wesley have won three of their last four matches, scoring eight tries last time out against Highfield to vault their way back into the top four.

Wesley’s attack has looked sharper in recent weeks in attack, with Paidi Farrell scoring four tries and Alex Molloy leading the division’s stats for running metres (651.3) and line breaks (11). Dublin University scrum half Oscar Cawley has shone with five tries and nine line breaks.

Trinity have posted three victories in the last five rounds, leaving them just six points behind Wesley in the standings. They won 13-10 when they last visited tomorrow’s opponents in the league over nine years ago. Ulster centurion and Ireland cap Eric O’Sullivan was in the students’ front row that day.

Recent League Meetings – Saturday, October 17, 2015: Old Wesley 10 Dublin University 13, Donnybrook; Saturday, February 20, 2016: Dublin University 43 Old Wesley 17, College Park

IrishRugby.ie Prediction: Old Wesley to win

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