Rugby World: The Champions

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CHAMPIONS EDITION CHAMPIONS EDITION CHAMPIONS EDITION CHAMPIONS EDITION
Hokey-cokey: Division Two title, thanks to the
Cork Con perform
play-off system. UCC won their ﬁ rst
their victory dance
eight matches and were top of the
table for ﬁ ve weeks, but defeats to
Clonakilty and Highﬁ eld in January
and February and a 3-0 home loss to
Young Munster in March meant they
ended up in fourth spot, behind
Buccaneers, Young Munster and
Belfast Harlequins.
In their ﬁ rst semi-ﬁ nal appearance,
UCC won 15-13 at Buccaneers and
then beat Young Munster 18-8 at
Donnybrook in the ﬁ nal to take the
title. Fly-half Gavin Dunne kicked
six penalties as the UCC pack and
Man of the Match Sam Cronin, the
scrum-half, combined to turn the
game on its head after Young
Munster had led 5-0 at half-time.
“We were thrilled – well chuffed –
to come out with the trophy,” says
coach Twomey. “Being a university
club, the end of the season is tough
because the boys are studying
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hard. But we treated the play-offs
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seriously because we’d had a good
season and let ourselves down on
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promotion at the death. We set a
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record by being the ﬁ rst team to

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AIB CUP AIB DIVISION ONE penalty saw the club become only win an away semi-ﬁ nal.”
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SHANNON secured their ﬁ rst-ever CORK CONSTITUTION the second in AIB League history Cronin was rewarded for his good
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AIB Cup, beating Blackrock College Captain Merle O’Connell to top 5,000 points. season by being picked for Ireland’s
12-9 in an absorbing ﬁ nal. With the Coaches Brian Walsh (head), Coach Walsh, who was playing at club international team. Ian Nagle,
Munster Senior Cup already won, Terry Kingston (forwards), full-back the last time that Cork Stephen Archer and Sean Scanlon
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it completed a double for the side Brian Hickey (defence) Con won the league, says: “It’s were also in ﬁ ne form and are in
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coached by Mick Galwey. THREE TIMES in the past six years completely different as a coach – Ireland’s U20s World Championship
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Played in muddy conditions, this Cork Constitution have topped the there’s a lot more mental anguish – squad. Full-back Scott Deasy is
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hard-fought ﬁ nal was decided by table at the end of the regular AIB but it was hugely satisfying to see it another player who had a great year.
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the boot. Blackrock full-back Fionn Division One season, but failed to through this year after falling at the With nine U20s players in the
Carr, who had accumulated 163 take the title in the play-offs. They ﬁ nal hurdle a few times.” squad, Twomey will have the core
league and cup points before the ﬁ nally reversed that trend this Walsh says the four players who of the same side at his disposal
kick-off, slotted two penalties season, winning their ﬁ rst title since rotated in and out of the back row next season and says: “We were
before Shannon wing David 1999 thanks to an 18-8 grand ﬁ nal all season – Frank Cogan, Brendan the surprise team this year and we
O’Donovan replied in kind, leaving victory over Garryowen. Cuttriss, Billy Holland and Ed Leamy won’t be much of a surprise next
Blackrock 6-3 up at the break. Munster’s New Zealand-born – had great seasons, along with year. But we will have another go at
Three minutes into the second outside-half Jeremy Manning locks Shane O’Connor and promotion.” Cronin agrees, saying:
half O’Donovan levelled the scores produced a Man of the Match O’Connell. “There were a lot of fresh “A lot of the boys will be men next
and six minutes later Munster display in the ﬁ nal at Musgrave faces this year – only seven of the year because of the season we’ve
utility back Mossie Lawlor, playing Park, kicking ﬁ ve penalties and a guys involved in this year’s ﬁ nal just had. Hopefully we can really
ﬂ y-half, struck a drop-goal to nudge drop-goal. Defending champions were involved in last year’s too. push for promotion.”
Shannon ahead. Shannon turned up Garryowen were on an 11-game “We’ve got some very good young
the pressure but Carr brought winning streak, but failed to join talent and the hope is that they AIB DIVISION THREE
Blackrock level with another penalty. Shannon as the only back-to-back progress to the Munster ranks INSTONIANS
In a tight ﬁ nale the Blackrock pack league winners. Instead, Con put the like Denis Hurley did this year. He Captain Wilbur Leacock
set up camp in Shannon territory, disappointments of 2002, 2004 and played the ﬁ rst ten games with us Coaches Clem Boyd (DoR), Niall
with 36-year-old former Leinster, 2007 behind them to lift the trophy. and ended the season in the Malone (assistant)
Ireland and Lions hooker Shane Garryowen opened the scoring Heineken Cup ﬁ nal squad.” INSTONIANS ended Bruff’s
Byrne having an excellent game for with a Conor Kilroy penalty, but 18-month unbeaten league run and
them, along with former Connacht Manning had Cork Con 9-3 up by AIB DIVISION TWO denied them a second successive
and Leinster back-rower Des Dillon. half-time and 18-3 ahead on the hour, UCC title by beating them 32-23 in the
However, Shannon refused to so Lorcan Bourke’s 74th-minute try Captain Alex Kelleher play-off ﬁ nal. Bruff topped the table
buckle and Man of the Match Lawlor was just a consolation score. Coach Conor Twomey (head), with 14 wins and a draw. Instonians
kicked clear to relieve the pressure, Manning is heading back home John O’Mahoney (backs) were second with only 12 wins, but
then landed the winning drop-goal. to New Zealand to play for North A NEW Year blip cost University their 12 bonuses and 425 points
In the AIB Junior Cup ﬁ nal, Navan Harbour, but he left Con on a College Cork promotion to AIB scored were the AIB Leagues’ best.
defeated Tullamore 20-6. record-breaking note as his third Division One, but they still won the In the semi-ﬁ nals Bruff overcame
Rugby World’s club guide returns next season. In the meantime, if you have any stories and/or pictures for the Ireland club guide, then please email catherine_king@ipcmedia.com or write to: Rugby World, Ninth Floor, IPC Media, Blue Fin Building, 110 Southwark St, London, SE1 0SU. Enjoy the summer!
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