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Final judgment has been made

At this juncture it's important to point out that the panel who selected the AIB/Irish Times team of the season is infallible. Please don't send e-mails, letters or communicate in any way, as the decisions have been made for the greater good of Irish club rugby.

Rugby correspondent Gerry Thornley, John O'Sullivan and Johnny Watterson tried to be the three wise men, demonstrating the wisdom of Solomon in choosing this year's team. Ballymena's superb triumph in a wonderful final at the weekend was thoroughly merited, so, too, the acknowledgement of Clontarf's brilliant performance in topping the league standings proper.

We used a considerable degree of poetic licence to select Dave Hewitt. The young Clontarf player was nominally selected to start at outhalf for almost the entire season, with the exception of the AIB League final, but played much of those games, especially when his team didn't have the ball, at full back.

He enjoyed a very good season, his ability to read the game, tactical kicking and eye for a gap marking him as an excellent prospect. To suit our purposes we chose him at full back. He finished a short head in front of Lansdowne's Brian O'Mahony, club-mate Darragh O'Shea and UCD's Darren McKenna.

There were two main contenders for the right wing spot, James Topping and Conor McPhillips, with Mark Buckley of Carlow also receiving honourable mention. Topping produced a brilliant finish to the season from about the 11th series of matches, culminating in his brilliant individual try in the final. However, McPhillips just pips him having enjoyed a superb season for St Mary's.

Outside centre was pretty much a straight fight between Blackrock's Gary Brown and UL Bohemian and Ireland Under-21 centre Keith Matthews. Brown has been without peer over the last two seasons in his position and once again was near the top of the scoring charts with eight tries. The vote though went to Matthews, who played centre and wing, but made a huge impact scoring nine tries.

Inside centre saw Shannon's excellent young star Eoin Cahill pipped by the impact and influence that James Downey (Clontarf) had on his team topping the league. Downey's work ethic and ability to make the yards combined with a subtle touch won him the nod.

Not suggesting that due deliberation was not given to all positions, but left wing inspired a great deal of heated debate. Karl Becker (Lansdowne), John McWeeney (St Mary's) and Johnny Cleary (Galwegians) made the short list. McWeeney was the leading try scorer (8) among the trio and Cleary is a young player with great potential but Becker's contribution to Lansdowne's excellent season just shaded the issue.

It was impossible to ignore the claims of Lansdowne's Matt Leek at outhalf, scoring six tries and 195 points and proving the pivot for his team's success. Emmet Farrell had a very good start to the season, while Adam Larkin did well for Ballymena.

Alex Page (Galwegians) was a strong contender but the scrumhalf berth went to the talented young Buccaneers player Conor O'Loughlin; he also played with the Ireland Under-21 team this season.

And so onto the pack.

Frankie Roche (Shannon) had a fine season at loosehead, and occasionally hooker, while Warren O'Kelly led from the front at Clontarf but it is Lansdowne's Enda Bohan who won the vote.

Jerry Flannery (Galwegians) did well in a season interrupted by injury, so, too, David Blaney (UCD) but there can be no doubting the claims of Clontarf hooker Bernard Jackman. Leading try scorer in the division with 12 he was arguably the club player of the season.

He is joined in the front row by his team-mate Adrian Clarke who has enjoyed a superb season for the club. Clarke is very much an unsung hero for the Castle Avenue outfit; quietly effective and hugely consistent in quality of performance.

The first second row position goes to another hard working grafter, Clontarf's Andy Wood. In recent matches he may have been outshone by his club-mate Ben Gissing but over the season Wood has been a huge player. He gets in ahead of Buccaneers' Rowen Frost and Donal Sheehan of Garryowen.

The other engine room position goes to Ballymena's young turk, Matt McCullough, scorer of six tries and one individual effort that would vie for try of the season. Mobile, athletic and committed the former Ireland Under-21 captain recovered superbly from injury to prove a pivotal figure for his club.

If it was a disappointing season for Shannon, but that wasn't the case for Tom Hayes, younger brother of international prop, John. Whether in second row or back row, he produced a consistently high level of performance that saw him edge out Paul Neville (Garryowen) and Dermot Blaney (UCD).

At openside Jerry Murray (Cork Con), Conor Hartigan (Garryowen), Simon O'Donnell (Clontarf), Liam Toland (Lansdowne) and Eoin Brennan (Buccaneers) were all considered but none could match Ballymena's Neil McMillan. He enjoyed a superb season and won the match of the match award in the final.

The final position, number eight, was another that required a fair amount of teasing out. Ultan O'Callaghan (Cork Con), young Michael Carroll (Blackrock), Russell Nelson (Ballymena), Des Dillon (UCD, not enough games) and Colm Rigney (Buccaneers) all made an impression but it came down to two players Roger Wilson (Belfast Harlequins, six tries) and David Moore (Clontarf, seven tries) with the later's conversion from an impact sub last season to his consistent quality this year edging him in front.

The winning team will be honoured at a dinner later this month when they will receive their awards to commemorate selection on the AIB/Irish Times team of the season.

AIB Team of the Season

D Hewitt

(Clontarf)

C McPhillips K Matthews J Downey K Becker

(St Mary's) (UL Bohemian) (Clontarf) (Lansdowne)

M Leek C O'Loughlin

(Lansdowne) (Buccaneers)

E Bohan B Jackman A Clarke

(Lansdowne) (Clontarf) (Clontarf)

A Wood M McCullough

(Clontarf) (Ballymena)

T Hayes D Moore N McMillan

(Shannon) (Clontarf) (Ballymena)