Clontarf should finish off season in style against DLSP

Perhaps not the most glamorous tie held at Lansdowne Road given the 6.00 p.m. start but at least both DLSP and Clontarf can savour the fact of being the last two sides to play in the finale of the domestic cup competition. From next season onwards the Leinster Cup final will be played before Christmas.

Having reached the finals of the Leinster League and Floodlit Cup, Clontarf are familiar with such events and while the important matter of remaining in Division One might have been the climax to this season, another trophy in the cabinet would give the Castle Avenue side's year a better complexion.

Bret Wilson, not yet confirmed as the man to take over from coach Brent Pope, will not be at Lansdowne Road where a number of changes are in tow. Second row Colm Power is out with lateral knee ligament damage and more than likely Declan O'Brien will come in as a middle line jumper. Coincidentally, O'Brien will be facing next year's team-mates as he will be returning to his former club DLSP over the summer.

Despite the rumours DLSP will probably not have the talents of fullback Shane Stephens available to them but Stephens had only played in the first of DLSP's cup campaign games against St Mary's before leaving the country soon after. Flanker Bruce Wood has also returned to New Zealand leaving two big holes to be filled.

Anxious to continue on from their league winning form, which has brought them into division one next season for their centenary year, Kenny Wheelock's side has, nonetheless, a settled enough look. Eddie Devitt was playing his rugby on the wing but has now moved into fullback. His two tries against Skerries in the last round indicates a certain amount of comfort with the move.

Injury doubts hang over left wing Stephen Gormley, who has had a hamstring problem, and centre Mark Cunningham, who damaged shoulder ligaments in the last match.

Not having reached a Leinster Cup final since the club went senior in 1920-'21, DLSP are hungry for success but meeting a hardened division one side, who have survived in the top flight the hard way, will be a different prospect in the final match of the season.

DLSP: E Devitt; D McCabe, N O'Riordan, M Cunningham, S Gormley; D O'Riordan, B Hogan; K Condron, S Cullen, C Shanley, K Wheelock (capt), P McDonnell, A Toher, P Nugent, P Werahiko.

Clontarf: D McElligott; A McClean, C Bewlwy, M Smith, O Winchester, R Murphy, R O'Reilly; H Hurley, B Jackman (capt), T Kearns, J Ball, D Moore, D O'Brien, P Ward, C Brownlie.

David McHugh is the only Irish referee to gain recognition among the 16 referees who will take charge of matches in this year's World Cup.

Referees: D Bevan, C Thomas (Wales), B Campsall, C White, E Morrison (England), A Cole, S Dickinson, P Marshall, W Ericksson (Australia), D McHugh (Ireland), J Fleming (Scotland), C Hawke, P Hoeness, P O'Brien (New Zealand), A Watson (South Africa).