ALL-IRELAND LEAGUE DIVISION ONE FINAL
IT’S A testament to the character and work ethic of players at Cork Constitution that once again they have muscled their way into an AIB League Division One final. The Cork club have excelled in the league format but since 2001 have endured a litany of disappointment in the play-offs, losing four finals in that time.
The most livid scar is last year’s decider defeat to today’s opponents, a 16-15 win which Garryowen pick-pocketed with a 73rd minute try from Damien Varley, converted by Eoghan Hickey. Con led for a large tranche of that final, scoring two tries to one in the process but to no avail.
It was definitely Garryowen’s year in terms of their achievements on the club front but the memory of the final will leave Con highly-motivated in tomorrow’s reprise. The Cork club’s captain Merle O’Connell admitted: “We have spoken about it all season to be honest. We desperately wanted to get to the final to have another crack off them (Garryowen).”
It’s an ambition that has been realised but experience will reinforce that being the pre-eminent team in the league phase is no guarantee of getting both hands on the trophy. O’Connell conceded: “It’s unfortunate the way it falls that you can be the most consistent team over a season without that being reflected in terms of winning something.
“Look at Garryowen last year, they scraped through into fourth place and then went on to win it. There is a lot of pressure but hopefully we will do the job this time. It’s an added bonus to have Garryowen in the final to have a second bite at that particular cherry. We are looking forward to a game where both know each other well and weather permitting it should be entertaining and probably a close run thing.”
The league match between the teams this season, played in horrendous conditions, finished in a stalemate, 12-12. Both teams like to play an expansive game and given reasonable conditions it should be an entertaining contest.
Garryowen know Con will try and target their scrum, working hard to try and disrupt the Limerick side’s set-pieces. Both sides will have a smattering of professionally contracted players alongside what are essentially semi-professional teams.
Con are likely to be without hooker Denis Fogarty while Jeremy Manning is nursing a knock. His presence would be a significant fillip.
Garryowen will be hoping Keith Earls, named on the Munster bench for tonight’s Magners League game, doesn’t see too much action and would therefore be available for the league final.
Winning as they did in last season’s final at Musgrave Park should stand to Garryowen in a tight contest but Con will feel their consistent excellence over the past six years merits a reward. It promises to be another tight, entertaining tussle.
