TERENURE COLLEGE PIECE – ALL-IRELAND LEAGUE & METROPOLITAN CUP
By Daire Walsh
The past week has been an unforgettable one for Terenure College RFC with two major victories on the field of play being greeted warmly at their home ground of Lakelands Park.
At Energia Park on Friday evening, the club’s second-string team defeated Clontarf 27-24 in the Metropolitan Cup final to complete a domestic double for the 2021/22 season.
This built up a feel-good factor around the club in advance of Lansdowne’s visit to Lakelands for an All-Ireland League semi-final on Saturday afternoon. Following previous defeats at the last-four in 2015 and 2018, ‘Nure’s first 15 were hoping it was going to be third time lucky in their quest to reach a maiden AIL decider.
While Lansdowne did lead 13-12 after Ireland U20 international Charlie Tector crossed over for a converted score early in the second half, ‘Nure rallied to devastating effect. Supplementing a fifth penalty from Caolan Dooley, Adam La Grue registered a 76th-minute try to put the hosts in the driving seat.
The prospect of extra-time loomed large when Lansdowne responded with a five-pointer from Sean Galvin, but Tector’s wayward bonus strike ensured ‘Nure eventually prevailed on a final scoreline of 20-18.
Awaiting them in Sunday’s final at the Aviva Stadium will be Clontarf, the north Dubliners having overcome Cork Constitution with 16 points to spare (29-13).
This showpiece will be a poignant one for ‘Nure back-rower Jordan Coghlan, given the former Leinster, Munster and Leicester professional donned the ‘Tarf colours as a youngster. Outside of Coghlan, Dooley and La Grue, Terenure will look towards Cathal Marsh for inspiration in what will undoubtedly be the biggest day in the club’s history.
Formerly of the Templeogue-based St Mary’s College, Marsh has past experience in the professional ranks of Leinster and Rugby United New York.
During the regular phase of Division 1A, Terenure suffered home and away reversals to ‘Tarf. The Castle Avenue men have lost just one of the 19 league games they have played during the current campaign, but Sean Skehan’s southsiders will believe they are capable of inflicting a second this weekend.