Why Con tore up a working template
AIL Final
Clontarf v Cork Con
Daire Walsh
Cork Constitution and Clontarf will add a new chapter to their enduring rivalry tomorrow afternoon when they square off in the All-Ireland League Division 1A decider.
For the third time in just four seasons, the Leesiders and their north Dublin counterparts will battle it out for top-flight supremacy at the Aviva Stadium. Having been denied the top prize by ‘Tarf in 2016, Con gained revenge in Lansdowne Road 12 months later.
The Temple Hill men subsequently relinquished their title to Mike Ruddock’s Lansdowne in 2018 and while a direct game plan had brought considerable success in recent years, returning senior coach Paul Barr felt a change was needed for the current campaign.
“I think that Con had strengths. We were here in two finals against Clontarf that I was with the team, but I felt that maybe we had become very direct. I think that with direct comes a little bit of predictability for defences and it was working for a lot of the teams, especially maybe against some of younger profile teams,” Barr explained.
“You might be able to subdue them with that, but when you got to the likes of Lansdowne and Clontarf, they were able to cope with that physically. We kind of took a bit of a gamble to be honest. We tried to peel it back almost to like a mini rugby player first running down the steps and said ‘what would you do on the pitch if you got the ball?’ Let’s build it back from there a little bit.”
Nevertheless, Barr realises their new-found style will count for little if they can’t overcome this final hurdle against ‘Tarf. The Metropolitans enter tomorrow’s proceedings on the back of dethroning Lansdowne on their home patch, but it was a 36-8 demolition of the same opposition a week earlier that really captured Barr’s attention.
“I think the alarm bells match was the one here, on Lansdowne’s 4G. That was a really comprehensive victory for ‘Tarf. We’ve played them in two finals. A lot of the same people are in ‘Tarf that were there then. They have a fantastic sense of community in their club and you can see it in the way they play.
“We’d have nothing but respect for them. I think, no more than ourselves, that they’re coming here knowing that it’s 50-50. We don’t know how it’s going to go but we’d have great respect for them,” Barr said.
When ‘Tarf overcame the challenge of Con three years ago, current Ireland and Munster fly-half Joey Carbery played a pivotal role in their success. Leinster duo Vakh Abdaladze and Conor O’Brien have also passed through the halls of Castle Avenue in recent times and head coach Andy Wood believes the AIL continues to provide a strong pathway into the provincial system.
“We look at it two ways. If we provide an environment for the players to shine, they go on to bigger things or the professional game. If they are enjoying doing that with us, then we get the spin off the back of that. The club profits and we build that culture inside the AIL,” the New Zealander acknowledged.
“It works both ways. You find with ambitious players who join us or the local lads who have come through and obviously have quality. It comes together quite well. It’s great to see guys going on.”
Although O’Brien is unlikely to be available, there is a possibility of Abdaladze being released for tomorrow’s clash. The inclusion of the tighthead would be an undoubted boost for Wood, who has called on the youngsters within his ranks to emulate Carbery’s heroics of 2016.
“A few years ago was a perfect showcase for Joey. I think Joey was always going to shine through. He was quality for us and it worked well. It gave him a springboard to go on to where he has got to now.
“I think there is more to come from him as you would probably acknowledge. We will see who puts their hand up on Sunday,” Wood added.