ULSTER BANK BATEMAN ALL-IRELAND CUP FINAL: Saturday, April 29
OLD BELVEDERE v CORK CONSTITUTION, Anglesea Road, 12.45pm (live RTÉ 2 / RTE.ie)
FIRST-TIME FINALISTS Old Belvedere have the honour of hosting the Ulster Bank Bateman Cup final tomorrow — so can ‘Belvo bounce back from relegation to end their season with a national trophy, or will Cork Constitution continue their dominance of the prestigious competition with a fifth title in a row?
Constitution are very much the Bateman Cup kingpins, beating St Mary’s College (24-19), UCD (19-6), Clontarf (24-9) and Galwegians (38-19) in the last four finals, two of them away from home. They have won their last nine matches in the competition and will also return to the capital for next week’s Ulster Bank League decider against Clontarf.
2016 saw the RTÉ cameras capture two of the most entertaining and high-quality domestic club matches for some time — and Cork Con were involved in both of them. Man-of-the-match Ryan Foley scored two tries in their Bateman Cup final success at Galwegians, but there was league final heartbreak a week later at the Aviva Stadium where ‘Tarf won a thriller by three points.
Like relegated ‘Wegians last year, 2017 Bateman Cup finalists Old Belvedere have reserved some of their best performances for the provincial and All-Ireland Cup competitions. Despite struggling in the league this term, ‘Belvo are capable of beating any of their top flight rivals on their day.
Home advantage is a big plus for Paul Cunningham’s charges who were really impressive in January’s 44-14 semi-final dismissal of Ballynahinch. Experienced full-back Daniel Riordan remains a livewire in attack, and Willie Staunton will put it up to Con’s ever-accurate out-half Tomas Quinlan in the place-kicking stakes.
The sides’ regular season meetings were both won by Brian Hickey’s Leesiders, Quinlan kicking five penalties in October’s 20-14 win at Anglesea Road and powerful forwards Brian Hayes and Luke Cahill both touching down when Con triumphed 16-10 at home in early March.
Tighthead prop Rory Burke is absent tomorrow as he has made his first Munster Pro12 squad, selected for bench duty against Benetton Treviso, while Belvedere, whose own front row is led by Munster ‘A’ and Ireland Club international-capped hooker Ed Rossiter, know that a strong set-piece display is vital to their chances of upsetting the form book.
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