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#EnergiaAIL Men’s Division 1A Final: Terenure College v Cork Constitution Extended Highlights

Cork Constitution winger Matthew Bowen offloads the ball near the touchline, under pressure from Terenure College's Aran Egan ©INPHO/Nick Elliott

Last Sunday’s Energia All-Ireland League Men’s Division 1A final was one for the ages, as Cork Constitution ground last year’s winners Terenure College into submission despite John Forde’s first half red card.

Despite losing Forde, and then going down to 12 men at one stage due to Niall Kenneally and Sean Duffy’s sin-binnings, Cork Con played with a relentless intensity and physicality that earned them their first AIL title since 2019.

Player-of-the-match James Taylor kicked 18 points in an impressive individual display, and Rob Hedderman, Billy Scannell, and replacement Danny Sheahan scored a try apiece, as Jonny Holland’s side ran out 33-22 winners.

Chasing their second successive League and Bateman Cup double, Terenure came into the decider on a 13-match winning streak, but they were second best on the day. Their tries came from Jordan Coghlan, Aran Egan, who also kicked seven points, and Adam La Grue.

Check out extended highlights of the TG4 live broadcast below:

Giving his reaction afterwards, Cork Con head coach Holland said: “The group showed grit and determination, we really felt like it was our turn to get over the line. That result shows how hard it is to go back-to-back.

“Terenure are a serious side, and they put themselves in a great position, but that’s why it’s so hard. We went down to 12 men, and we found a way to topple them. I don’t know how the players did it because I didn’t do it.

“It was about the players finding something within themselves, like Matthew (Bowen) managing to get himself under that ball to stop Conor Phillips from scoring. They had such calm heads on the pitch.

“I went on a few times, and nobody was screaming and shouting or losing their heads, they just moved on to the next task. That’s what it’s all about. For young men, they’re all very mature. I’m delighted to get over the line.”

Terenure boss Sean Skehan admitted: “We just couldn’t generate any momentum and to be fair to ‘JT’ (James Taylor), what an astute signing.

“He just keeps the scoreboard ticking, like Caolan (Dooley) last year – and that obviously has a big implication in what you’re going to do under the sticks.

“They probably learned from our final last year. To be fair to James, what a clutch kicker, and then their pack was just ferocious.”