It’s been a while. Too long really. But seven seasons on from their last meeting in the Energia All-Ireland, the neighbouring Dublin 6 parishes of St Mary’s and Terenure renew acquaintances at Templeville Road again on Saturday afternoon.
The last time they met was in March 2018 at Lakelands Park, when Terenure won 35-3. This long-awaited rematch has already brought 330 to the prematch lunch, with another 2,000-plus expected to walk up. They’ll come from far and wide to be there for a game which is also being streamed on irishrugby+.
Of course, the rivalries and even friendships in some cases start at the respective schools, both of whom are showing signs of an overdue revival. St Mary’s won their first Leinster Schools Junior Cup final in 27 years by beating Terenure in the final last March.
To add even more importance to this fixture, each has won three of five games to date, with St Mary’s sitting above Terenure in third thanks to accumulating six bonus points to their rivals’ four. Mary’s bring in winger Mark Fogarty and flanker Ethan Baxter to a rejigged backrow, while Terenure also make two changes; Jules Fenelon on the wing and loosehead Ben Howard.
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Leaders Clontarf host fifth-placed Young Munster in a repeat of the taut semi-final two years ago while Lansdowne, sitting in seventh, are in serious need of a win at home to second-placed Ballynahinch.
The champions Cork Con, above Lansdowne on points difference after also losing three from five, make the trek to a City of Armagh side buoyed by their win in Terenure a fortnight ago. The bottom two, Garryowen and UCD, meet in Dooradoyle.
The top two in 1B, Old Belvedere and Nenagh Ormond, are at home to Highfield and Queen’s, while in 2A the unbeaten pacesetters Galwegians and Cashel are away to Barnhall and at home to Navan ahead of their summit meeting next week in Galway.
Saturday’s Energia All-Ireland League fixtures
Men’s Division 1A (all 2.30pm): City of Armagh v Cork Constitution, Palace Grounds; Clontarf v Young Munster, Castle Avenue; Garryowen v UCD, Dooradoyle; Lansdowne v Ballynahinch, Aviva Stadium Back Pitch; St Mary’s College v Terenure College, Templeville Road.
Division 1B (all 2.30pm): Blackrock College v Shannon, Stradbrook; Dublin University v Naas, College Park; Nenagh Ormond v Queens, New Ormond Park; Old Belvedere v Highfield, Ollie Campbell Park; UCC v Old Wesley, The Mardyke.
Division 2A (all 2.30pm): Banbridge v Greystones, Rifle Park; Buccaneers v Ballymena, Dubarry Park; Cashel v Navan, Spafield; Instonians v Old Crescent, Shawsbridge; MU Barnhall v Corinthians, Parsonstown.
Division 2B (all 2.30pm): Clogher Valley v Malahide, The Cran; Galwegians v UL Bohemian, Crowley Park; Rainey v Sligo, Hatrick Park; Skerries v Malone, Holmpatrick; Wanderers v Dungannon, Merrion Road.
Division 2C (all 2.30pm): Ballyclare v Clonmel, The Cloughan; Belfast Harlequins v Dolphin, Deramore Park; Enniscorthy v Omagh Academicals, Alcast Park; Midleton v Bruff, Towns Park; Monkstown v Tullamore, Sydney Parade.
Women’s Division (all 5pm): Blackrock College v Cooke, Stradbrook; Old Belvedere v Wicklow, Ollie Campbell Park; Suttonians v Galwegians, JJ McDowell Memorial Ground; Tullow v Railway Union, The Black Gates; UL Bohemian v Ballincollig, UL 4G.
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