21-year-old Cooney stars as Clontarf dethrone Cork Constitution
Clontarf 22
Cork Constitution 21
Dave Mervyn reports from the Aviva Stadium
BRINGING BACK MEMORIES of their 2016 Joey Carbery-inspired final win, Hugh Cooney stamped his mark all over Clontarf's riveting 22-21 victory over defending champions Cork Constitution at the Aviva Stadium.
Carbery was a Leinster Academy player when he steered Clontarf to their second Energia All-Ireland League title, and the 21-year-old Cooney followed suit with a player-of-the-match performance today that saw him score a try, save one, and supply two try assists.
A 74th-minute converted score from Connor Fahy, Cooney's 20-year-old centre partner, was just enough to get Clontarf over the finish line, despite Cork Constitution replying through replacement Jacob Sheahan with three minutes left.
It is a fourth Division 1A crown for Andy Wood's men, and their first since 2022. With Cork Con missing out on retaining the top flight trophy, Shannon remain the last team to go back-to-back in the mid-2000s.
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James Taylor, the player-of-the-match in last year's final, converted tries from Sean French (27 minutes) and Adam Maher (38) as Cork Con twice came from behind to lead 14-12 at half-time.
Armed with the vast majority of the possession and territory, Clontarf should have been in front but Conor Kelly, the division's top points scorer, uncharacteristically missed two penalty attempts and pulled a conversion wide.
The talismanic Cooney crossed and set up Clontarf captain Dylan Donnellan's 15th try of the season. The table toppers failed to take advantage of Ronán O'Sullvan's sin-binning, but Kelly was back on target with a 46th-minute penalty.
It remained 15-14 to 'Tarf with Taylor and Kelly both missing penalties, before Wexford youngster Fahy, in his first year at the club, stormed over for a cracking try which Kelly converted, putting eight points in it.
Sheahan rallied Cork Con by bursting over off a lineout maul, with Taylor's crisp conversion restoring the one-point gap. However, lively replacement Oran Walsh came up with a late turnover to seal a famous All-Ireland senior and Under-20 double for 'Tarf.
Clontarf scorers:
Tries: Hugh Cooney, Dylan Donnellan, Connor Fahy;
Cons: Conor Kelly 2;
Pen: Conor Kelly
Cork Constitution scorers:
Tries: Sean French, Adam Maher, Jacob Sheahan;
Cons: James Taylor 3
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