Dungannon have the momentum

Games are played on grass as opposed to paper, of course, and finals have a tendency to be anti-climactic as the occasion takes hold. Yet of all the four AIB League deciders this afternoon's final between Cork Constitution and Dungannon has the ingredients to be a fitting finale to the season.

Cork Constitution are the benchmark for all others. Pound for pound, they have been the most complete club side in Ireland for the past three seasons. They are supremely well balanced, with a game that is adaptable to any conditions or any foe. They also have unequalled reserves of strength and versatility within their ranks, so much so they can overcome the absence today of Ronan O'Gara and (from the start at any rate) of Ultan O'Callaghan - they won on the seven previous occasions this season that Conor Mahony has moved to outhalf to fill the Lion's void.

Then again, if any team is primed to beat Cork Con, Dungannon are. Indeed, the two teams best equipped to beat Cork Con, to hurt them out wide with pace, are most probably Dungannon and St Mary's. Both won back-to-back games against Cork Con at the end of March (Clontarf being the only other side to do so all season).

True, Dungannon's 22-16 win over Cork Con was at Stevenson Park - where they have been unbeaten all season - although the inclement conditions and gluepot surface was hardly conducive to their running game. Nor does the perception that Cork Con were seriously understrength that day hold up.

Dungannon (unchanged from last week) show only one change two months on with Mike Haslett displacing Andrew Hughes at openside, while Con retain a dozen of that starting line-up.

Their pack, with Donnacha O'Callaghan switching to number eight and Ken Murphy coming into the second row, is unchanged from last week, although the ripple effect caused by O'Gara's absence surprisingly sees a recall for Denis O'Dowd on the wing, with John Kelly moving in from the wing to mark one of the Dungannon dangermen, former Wallaby Ryan Constable. O'Dowd hasn't appeared in the league since the opening two matches at the beginning of December, taking six months' leave of absence from his bank job to "hang out" in Australia and Spain according to his coach Brian Hickey.

Dungannon have been the form side in the country this past few weeks, the victory over Cork Con being the first of nine wins in their last 10 outings. They have scored 42 tries in those games (all bar five of them by backs), with, remarkably, at least two of the Jan Cunningham, Constable, Tyrone Howe triumvirate being on the scoreline in each match.

Much has been made of the all-singing, all-dancing Dungannon back line - and with good reason. Even so, Hickey is quick to observe that this constitutes a disservice to the Dungannon pack. "They have some good personnel in there, they're very well drilled and obviously with any team coached by Willie Anderson, they are well organised." Anderson also adds that whenever his pack are seemingly up against it and asked for a big one, they always deliver.

However, as Hickey also concedes of Dungannon's back-line, "everyone is a threat". The key to a Cork Con success would appear to be simply deny Dungannon ball. Conor Mahony doesn't have O'Gara's kicking game, then again who does? But with Brian O'Meara taking the kicks, the likelihood is that Con will attack off the channels either side of the outhalf and kick to the corners.

By comparison, Dungannon will seek to keep the leather in their mits, to get their continuity going, and try to provide quick ball for their catalyst, David Humphreys, one of seven internationals in their team with a particularly liking for Lansdowne Road. The more ball he gets on the front foot, and the faster and looser it gets, the better Dungannon's chances. Finals have a tendency to go to the team with the stronger pack and the better defence. What's more, Cork Con's scrum, maul and line-out could cause problems for Dungannon and the talented Ulster outfit could be asked to do more of the defending. However, it's hard not to think O'Gara will be missed, that tries might come easier for Dungannon who have more of a momentum right now.

CORK CONSTITUTION: B Walsh; D Dillon, J Kelly, R O'Donovan, D O'Dowd; Conor Mahony, B O'Meara; I Murray, F Sheahan, J O'Driscoll, K Murphy, M O'Driscoll, C Taylor, U O'Callaghan, J Murray.

DUNGANNON: B Cunningham; J Cunningham, R Constable, J Bell, T Howe; D Humphreys, S Bell; J Fitzpatrick, N Brady, G Leslie, P Johns, A Kearney, A Boyd, T McWhirter, M Haslett.

Last four seasons (1997-98 to 2000-1): Dungannon 18 Cork Con 9; Didn't meet; Dungannon 33 Cork Con 14; Dungannon 22 Cork Con 16.

Five-game formguide: Cork Con - L W W W W; Dungannon - W W W W W.

Leading try scorers: Cork Con - Craig Taylor, Derek Dillon, seven each; Brian Walsh, Anthony Horgan, six each; Conor Mahony, five. Dungannon - Jan Cunningham, Ryan Constable, Tyrone Howe, 10 each; Bryn Cunningham, seven.

Leading points scorers: Cork Con - Ronan O'Gara 124, Brian O'Meara 88. Dungannon - David Humphreys 221.

Referee: Alain Rolland (IRFU).

Betting (Paddy Powers): (to lift trophy) 4/6 Cork Con, 11/10 Dungannon. Handicap betting (= Dungannon +3 pts) 10/11 Cork Con, 16/1 Draw, 10/11 Dungannon.

A minute's silence will be observed before kick-off for Trevor Barry, who died earlier this week. A Cork Constitution prop and stalwart, Barry won six Munster Junior Cup medals and a couple of Munster Senior Cup medals, before becoming a coach and selector to their junior side and later a selector on their senior side. Donal Lenihan, a close friend, payed a moving tribute to Barry at his funeral service. "It's been a difficult week for the club," admitted Brian Hickey.

The Irish under-21s will take on an Irish Provincial Development XV in a warm-up for next month's under-21 World Cup in Australia at Anglesea Road today (kick-off 12.30).