Leinster vs Connacht

Men’s Energia All-Ireland
League
League roundup
BY ROBERT DEACON
The men’s Energia All-Ireland
League campaign reached its
climax last weekend where the
final round of this season’s league
matches took place across the
four provinces. It proved to be
a defining series of games for a
number of the 18 Leinster clubs
involved across all five divisions
of 10 teams.
The top four teams in each division
have qualified for a semi-final with the
two winners playing in a final game to
determine who will be crowned overall
champions in Division 1A and who wins
the one promotion spot in the other four
divisions. The format is that the team
who finished top of each division will
have home advantage against the fourth
placed team and the team in second
place, also with home advantage, plays
the third placed team.
To determine relegation the bottom two
clubs in each division will play each other
home and away where the team with the
better aggregate score will remain with
the losers dropping down.
In general, it has been an excellent
season for the participating Leinster
clubs with 10 of the 18 Leinster clubs
competing qualifying for play-off places
in four of the five divisions.
In Division 1A, Clontarf after an
excellent season, finish top of the league
after only tasting defeat once during the
course of the 18-match campaign, and
as a result will face Cork Constitution at
home in the semi-final. Terenure with a
great second half to the season pipped
Lansdowne for second place which sets
up what promises to be an epic semi-final
encounter at home in Lakelands Park
against the Lansdowne men.
Dublin University finished in a creditable
fifth, just losing out on a play-off spot,
while UCD can look forward to another
season in division 1A after ending the
season in eighth position.
Division 1B saw Old Wesley runout
clearcut winners after winning 16 of
their 18 starts during the campaign. The
Donnybrook side finished 10 points clear
of second-placed Highfield who will play
their fellow Munster side Shannon in the
second semi-final. Old Wesley will face
Naas at home, after the Kildare team
secured fourth place in the final round
of matches last weekend. St Mary’s who
had challenged all season for a top four
spot just missed out and finished in fifth
position.
Old Belvedere retain their division 1B
status with a seventh-place finish, while
Navan will face Ulster side Banbridge in
a two-way playoff to decide which club
avoids relegation.
MU Barnhall, were the sole Leinster club
in Division 2A and challenged for a top
four spot right up until the last round of
matches. However, results did not go their
way and ended up with a sixth-place
finish.
Queens University were the runaway
winners of this division.
Division 2B saw Greystones hold
top spot from start to finish with 14
victories from their 18 starts, and they
will entertain Galway Corinthians in
Doctor Hickey Park in the semi-final.
Blackrock just lost out on second place
in the final round of games and as a
result of finishing third are on the road
to play Belfast Harlequins in the second
semi-final.
Wanderers, who were in contention all
season for a top four position, finished up
in fifth, while Malahide held down eighth
place.
In Division 2C, the three Leinster clubs
competing, Enniscorthy, Skerries and
Tullamore, all made the play-offs. After
an excellent season Enniscorthy topped
the table and will host Tullamore in
the semi-final, the Offaly men finishing
fourth. Skerries, who finished second will
entertain fellow seasiders Bangor in the
second semi-final.
So, a strong showing from our Leinster
clubs in this season’s men’s Energia All-
Ireland League and good luck to all still
involved over the next two weekends.
In a campaign of 450 matches, only
eight fell victim to Covid mainly in the first
half of the season.
All clubs are to be commended for
adhering to both the HSE and the IRFU’s
protocols and as a result a great season
of club rugby took place enjoyed by
players and supporters alike.
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