26-04-2025
Cork Con eager to win back-to-back AIL titles for first time in 20 years
It is 20 years since Shannon completed back-to-to-back All Ireland League title-winning campaigns and Cork Constitution captain Dave Hyland makes no apology for his club's bid to become the first team to follow in their footsteps at Aviva Stadium on Sunday.
Twelve months on from winning a titanic tussle 33-22 over defending champions Terenure, it will be Clontarf out to deny Cork Con's bid for history in their efforts to match the middle leg of Shannon's famous three-in-a-row title run in the mid-2000s.
Clontarf have some unfinished business of their own having lost the 2023 final to Terenure and last season's semi-final at Cork Con as they strive to regain the AIL crown they last wore in 2022 and while the Dubliners have won both of this season's league encounters with this weekend's opponents, Hyland's team will go to Lansdowne Road on a mission to make amends, with one eye on the record books.
'We haven't shied away from the back-to-back all year,' the Con skipper and No.8 told the Irish Examiner. 'It hasn't been done in 20 or so years and it's obviously a massive achievement. So we haven't shied away from it. It's something we want to do for the club, it would be the first time in the club's history. So really keen to do that.
'At the same time, we're just focused, especially this week, on the one in front of us. The back-to-back stuff will be there for us afterwards, if we get the job done and that's the real focus.
'Everyone's really confident and has full belief in what we're doing. Across the squad, there's been such a buy-in this year and it's been a massive squad effort. Not only Seniors but Juniors have been excellent all season. We're through to the Junior Cup final (v Old Crescent) as well the week after, and so it's a really big two weeks for our whole training panel.
'So massively confident but definitely respect for what Clontarf bring, we're well aware of their threats.'
Clontarf's threats were to the fore at both Temple Hill and Castle Avenue as Con were edged out 20-16 on home soil and 15-13 on Dublin's northside, both wins secured with late scores on their march to first place in the final standings.
'They've a big, very dominant pack and (fly-half Conor) Kelly puts them in some good positions across the park,' Hyland said. 'They strike me as a side who are really good at playing cup rugby and they manage games really well, so it will definitely be a big challenge.
'In the AIL every game is physical but games against Clontarf seem to be that bit more physical. Their pack is definitely up there as most physical in the league and they go after you in that sense, so we're definitely prepared for that.'
The Cork Con No.8 is part of a settled back row with flankers Jack Kelleher and Ronán O'Sullivan and he is expecting a pivotal contest in contact with their Clontarf counterparts.
'I think it's a really good match up. John Vinson (No.8) is a really good ball carrier and is a big threat for them but at six and seven they've got good poach threats so it's definitely going to be an interesting battle to say the least.
'I think we've got a really good balance in the back row. Ronán's a very good poach threat, really good in the loose. Jack's an excellent ball carrier, really, really physical and then myself trying to get on the ball and distribute, things like that. So it's a good balance across the back row.
'Jack and Ronan have been excellent all year, setting the standards for us and it will be a big battle of the back rows on Sunday, definitely.'
Hyland's team had to dig deep to overcome Terenure 12 months ago following a first-quarter red card for lock John Forde and then briefly going down to 12 men early in the second half following overlapping yellows. Some heroic defending and the ice-cool nerves of fly-half James Taylor were critical to Cork Con's success and 'JT' could once again be the key.
'He's such a quality 10 and he distributes so well and puts us in the right spots,' Hyland said. 'Then off the tee he's excellent as well, so hopefully he does what he usually does on Sunday and has a good game.
'It's hard to know what to expect. I mean, going into last year, we definitely didn't expect a red and two yellow cards so anything could happen. It's definitely going to be a physical battle, an arm wrestle to get on top in set-piece in terms of the physicality and if history is anything go by, there have been two tight games this season so it could well be another tight one.'
