All Ireland Double For Cork Constitution

Cork Constitution completed an Ulster Bank League and Bateman Cup double with an impressive victory over defending champions Clontarf at the Aviva Stadium.

Clontarf 21, Cork Constitution 25.

Cork Constitution ended a seven year gap by winning the League title and made amends for last year’s 28-25 defeat by Clontarf in last year’s final.

Man-of-the-match Tomás Quinlan kicked 20 points as Cork Constitution punished Clontarf’s indiscipline that saw Royce Burns-Flynn and Sam Cronin yellow carded at different stages.

Clontarf won the try count 3-1 with two of Clontarf’s tries coming when they were playing with fourteen players.

Quinlan kicked Con’ into a 6-0 lead with penalties on 4 and 11 minutes.

Clontarf opened their account with a try by Matt D’Arcy having been played in by Mick McGrath and David Joyce converted.

Quinlan restored Con’s advantage with a 17^th minute penalty.

Despite being down to fourteen players after Burke-Flynn received a yellow card, McGrath scored Clontarf’s second try and Joyce converted five minutes before half time.

Quinlan kicked his fourth penalty on 37 minutes to leave Clontarf 14-12 ahead at the break.

A Quinlan penalty three minutes into the second half put Con’ back in front for a lead they would not relinquish.

A break by the impressive Brian Hayes setup Shane Daly who sent Rob Jermyn in for a Con’ try on fifty minutes and Quinlan added the extras.

With Sam Cronin receiving a yellow card on 59 minutes, Quinlan converted the resulting penalty for a 25-14 lead for the Leesiders.

Mike Kearney scored Clontarf’s third try fifteen minutes from time and Rob Keogh converted.

Clontarf dominated the final stages but a solid Constitution defence held firm for a famous victory for the Temple Hill side.

Scorers Clontarf: Matt D’Arcy, Mick McGrath, Mick Kearney tries, David Joyce 2 cons, Rob Keogh con.

Cork Constitution: Rob Jermyn try, Tomas Quinlan 6 pens, con.

Clontarf: Rob Keogh; Michael Brown, Conor O’Brien, Matt D’Arcy, Mick McGrath; David Joyce, Sam Cronin; Vakh Adbaladze, Jason Harris-Wright, Royce Burke-Flynn; Ben Reilly (capt), Mick Kearney; Tony Ryan, Karl Moran, Michael Noone.

Replacements:Adrian D’Arcy for Ryan (5 mins), Ivan Soroka for Keogh (31-40, temp sub), Bryan Byrne for Harris-Wright (half-time), Soroka for Abdaladze (52), Mark Sutton for Joyce (60), Eoghan Browne for Kearney (66-71), Jack Power for Cronin (68), Abdaladze for Burke-Flynn (77), Cronin for Keogh (78). Not used: Rob McGrath.

Cork Constitution: Shane Daly; Liam O’Connell, Ned Hodson, Niall Kenneally (capt), Rob Jermyn; Tomas Quinlan, Jason Higgins; Liam O’Connor, Vincent O’Brien, Ger Sweeney; Brian Hayes, Conor Kindregan; Graeme Lawler, James Murphy, Luke Cahill.

Replacements: Rory Burke for Sweeney (half-time), Kevin O’Byrne for O’Brien (46-56 mins; 59), Sean O’Leary for Lawler (56), JJ O’Neill for Hodson (64-66), John Poland for Higgins (71), Gavin Duffy for O’Connor (71-79). Not used: Ross O’Neill.

Referee: Sean Gallagher (IRFU).