RUGBY/ULSTER BANK ALL IRELAND LEAGUE FINAL:THAT THE name of St Mary's keeps cropping up illustrates what a stranglehold Munster clubs have had on this Division one trophy for the past decade. The Dublin side were the last non-Munster team to win it back in 2000, leaving Old Belvedere with the task of bridging those barren seasons when they face Cork Constitution in tomorrow's League Division One final in Donnybrook.
Cork Con have made a decent fist of annexing the trophy in latter years and are looking for their third win in four seasons. That they are also the holders gives them a certain panache and know how in being able to get their hands on silverware.
They will also have watched how Old Belvedere struggled to beat Clontarf in last week’s semi-final, a late Eddie Devitt try in the dying minutes just about getting coach Phil Werahiko’s team over the line against his old club.
“It took us 80 minutes to put together four phases,” said a critical Werahiko this week, hopeful that Old Belvedere will find better and faster fluency this time out. “Cork Constitution are a very good outfit and I don’t mean just this year. They have been consistently at the top. They are there for a reason and have a strong coaching team who have been able to bring young talent through very quickly.”
This season the Cork side have had the better of their meetings with Old Belvedere. While the first head-to-head was narrowly won 12-9, Cork Con opened up in the second meeting in January when they were more comfortable 22-12 winners in Temple Hill.
The Cork squad is littered with players who have represented Munster and is generally seen as the best equipped team in the league. Naturally, a strong pack is at the heart of their success with Ian Nagle, Denis Fogarty and Billy Holland ready to contribute. But they also have some pace in their backline and the returning Simon Zebo can only add to the holders’ firepower.
The reigning champions have not named their team but Zebo looks likely to come on to the wing where backrow Peter O’Mahony played last time out as Zebo was playing with Munster. Prior to that the winger showed just why the Munster team have come calling by scoring three tries in the previous two league matches.
Cork Con were more impressive in beating a defensively-minded Young Munster in their semi-final where Gerry Hurley proved a big success both as a goal kicker and a marshall at scrumhalf.
For Old Belvedere, Dave Mongan has come through a fitness test on his back and takes his place on the Dublin side’s right wing while Simon Keogh has also overcome a knee problem to slot in at scrumhalf beside former Leinster player Andy Dunne. Fullback Dan O’Riordan is also expected to ask questions of the Cork Con defence.
“We can’t wait for Cork Con to make mistakes because they don’t make them,” added Werahiko. “It’s up to us to be a lot more positive. If we go out with the right approach then I definite think we are in with a chance.”
OLD BELVEDERE: D Riordan; D Mongan, J Kennedy, B Woods, E Devitt; A Dunne, S Keogh; V Soden, D Gilchrist, S Maguire; R Leyden, B Marshall; J Slattery, J Risdon, L Auva’a. Replacements: D Moore, K Buckley, B Byrne-Dyaper, E Jackman, K Miller, Chris Keane, Conal Keane.
CORK CONSTITUTION: (squad): D Hurley, A Foley, G Murray, M Gately, S Archer, R Quinn, D Fogarty, B Hayes, I Nagle, C O’Flaherty, B Holland, P O’Mahony, F Cogan, B Cutriss, P Dooley, B Vaughan, S Scanlon, I Dineen, C Jouve, R Lane, S Zebo, C Desmond, C Quinn, D Williams, A Ryan, G Hurley, S Deasy.
Referee: Dudley Philips (ARLB)
