Terenure duly sealed fourth place in the Energia All-Ireland League Division 1A semi-finals with a hard-earned 19-15 win over UCD at a breezy Lakelands Park on Saturday. The players then waited a few minutes on the pitch before confirmation that their neighbours St Mary’s had beaten Clontarf 14-10 in Castle Avenue set up a mouthwatering and first ever Dublin 6W derby in the AIL playoffs in a fortnight.
Terenure and St Mary’s have each shared a home win apiece in the last two seasons and although ‘Nure will be underdogs, there was no disguising their excitement about a game which will likely draw the biggest attendance of the AIL season.
“I’m really excited for both sets of players. I think it will be a brilliant atmosphere,” said Terenure head coach Paul Barr, who recalled the St Mary’s-Young Munster showdown in the old Lansdowne Road in 1993 and joked: “I feel a bit like the Young Munster fella in 1993 saying: ‘Do they have the capacity up there to take this game?’ It’ll make for a great occasion.”
After a sharp finish by UCD’s Czech winger Maxim Aschenbrenner trimmed Terenure’s interval lead of 12-5 to just two points early in the second half, the key score was Adam La Grue’s second try of the game from Harrison Brewer’s pass in swift response, which Caspar Gabriel converted into the stiff wind from the touchline.
“Mentally, I knew it was going to be tough for us, so we’re really happy to get the win,” said Barr. “Some of our decision-making in the game showed what anxiety does in the moment and we gave the ball away quite cheaply. But we can learn from that too.
“Tough conditions, tough game, a very good UCD team. If they can keep that team for the playoffs, they’ll be very strong.”
UCD will host Garryowen in the promotion/relegation playoffs, with Dublin University at home to Instonians, after Old Wesley sealed promotion from 1B with a 45-0 win at City of Armagh while Trinity were winning 34-24 at Blackrock.
UCD head coach Emmet McMahon is optimistic that Irish Under-20 props, Max Doyle and Sami Bishti (aka the Bash Brothers) will be available as well as Leinster academy lock Conor O’Tighearnaigh and influential outhalf Paddy Clancy.
Despite earning two points and one win more than last season, when avoiding the playoffs, UCD have been resigned to their fate for weeks. “I don’t know if that’s a good thing,” said McMahon, “but we have to be excited about it, otherwise you’re not going to perform. It’s knock-out rugby in two weeks’ time and then the following Saturday, if we both make it, we’ll worry about Trinity.”
UCC were consigned to the 1B/2A promotion/relegation playoffs despite beating Garryowen 24-10 due to Naas beating Instonians 47-26. They will face Corinthians, whose 31-5 win at Banbridge enabled them to edge out Wanderers after their 26-20 defeat at MU Barnhall.
Sligo sealed the last playoff place in the 2A/2B semi-finals thanks to four second-half tries in a 39-7 win at home to Skerries.
Results, tables and fixtures
Division 1A
Clontarf 10 St Mary’s College 14; Cork Constitution 38 Lansdowne 12; Old Belvedere 61 Nenagh Ormond 12; Terenure College 19 UCD 15; Young Munster 22 Ballynahinch 12.
Division 1A table
Saturday, April 18th (kick-off times TBC)
Division 1A semi-finals: St Mary’s v Terenure, Templeville Road; Clontarf v Lansdowne, Castle Avenue.
Division 1A relegation/promotion playoff: UCD v Garryowen, Belfield; Dublin University v Instonians, College Park.
Division 1B
Blackrock College 34 Dublin University 24; City Of Armagh 0 Old Wesley 45; Naas 47 Instonians 26; Queen’s University 31 Highfield 19; UCC 24 Garryowen 10.
Division 1B table
Saturday, April 18th (kick-off times TBC)
Division 1B relegation/promotion playoff: UCC v Galway Corinthians, The Mardyke; Shannon v Dungannon, Thomond Park back pitch.
Division 2A
Ballymena 45 Old Crescent 3; Banbridge 5 Galway Corinthians 31; Cashel 12 Shannon 24; Dungannon 33 Greystones 14; MU Barnhall 26 Wanderers 20.
Division 2A table
Saturday, April 18th (kick-off times TBC)
Division 2A relegation/promotion playoff: Old Crescent v Sligo, Takumi Park; UL Bohemian v Clogher Valley, UL 4G.
Division 2B
Clogher Valley 19 Rainey 14; Enniscorthy 36 Malone 25; Galwegians 7 Buccaneers 20; Sligo 39 Skerries 7; UL Bohemian 54 Navan 5.
Division 2B table
Division 2C
Ballyclare 29 Clonmel 32; Bective Rangers 30 Thomond 12; Bruff 14 Midleton 26; Dolphin 31 Belfast Harlequins 14; Malahide 31 Monkstown 25.
Division 2C table
Saturday, April 18th (kick-off times TBC)
Division 2C semi-finals: Clonmel v Dolphin, Ard Gaoithe; Bective Rangers v Thomond, Energia Park.