Munster supremacy writ large by new Constitution

What a surprise. As with last year's inaugural AIB League play-off final, next Saturday's decider will be an all-Munster affair, after Cork Constitution earned a tilt at Garryowen with a hard-earned but deserved 32-20 win over Buccaneers in yesterday's second semi-final in Temple Hill.Inaugural winners of the League in 1990, Constitution haven't had much to shout about since then, with Limerick clubs taking the title for the last seven years. But their developing young side arrives in the final on a roll of eight successive wins since a late steal by Garryowen in January.Privately, they will be glad that Garryowen stealthily won Saturday's first semi-final, for ever since that January defeat they've been itching for a re-match. This is the one they would have wanted, even if they didn't say so.Reflecting on that defeat, and Garryowen's comeback from a 170 deficit on Saturday with 14 men, Constitution's co-coach Packie Derham said: "It'll be a very, very tight final. Garryowen are a team who are playing as well as theycan. They never give up, they stick at it, and they're a bloody hard team to beat."Of yesterday's game, Derham said: "It was always going to be a hard rattle. Buccaneers came here with a great pack and we knew we had to take them on. The pack tackled extremely well throughout the game and we just kept knocking them back. But it was a good game, a good hard game."The win may have come at a price for their influential number eight Ultan O'Callaghan injured his left shoulder when falling awkwardly while making a tackle and is doubtful for the final."Ultan hurt his shoulder and we don't know how bad it is yet. He's gone to the hospital, so we'll be waiting on that with baited breath. He would be a terrible loss, especially against Garryowen."There was an ironic inevitability about another all-Munster final, given the leaking of a private report by the Irish team's fitness adviser Craig White to the Sunday Independent which revealed some damning verdicts by White on several fringe Irish players, most of them, apparently, from Munster.Taking this as a personal slight, Derham couldn't resist observing how much Buccaneers seemed to wilt, as had St Mary's the day before, whereas the Munster sides came through strongly."If Craig White wants athletes fair enough. Down here we've rugby players."Thus, the title will remain within the province for a ninth year in a row. You'd wonder why the others bother entering any more. In truth, Buccaneers have single-handedly done more to revive this season's flagging competition than anybody, and they were entitled to enjoy their day in the semi-final sunshine.Whereas St Mary's will have been kicking themselves all the way back to Dublin, the Buccaneers party began almost on the full-time whistle and with goodreason. Prior to the customary rendition of The Fields of Athenry, their 35-year-old captain Brian Rigney announced his retirement in an emotional dressing-room. It prompted the team to embark en bloc to Portlaoise for a farewell party.Theirs has been a fantastic odyssey, given they were a Division Three side two seasons ago, and they put it up to the competition favourites by taking a 13-5 lead nearing half-time before bowing out gracefully to the superior force.Singling out the "magnificent" Constitution out-half Ronan O'Gara and his half-back partner Brian O'Meara, a magnanimous Buccaneers coach Eddie O'Sullivan said: "They scored when they needed to, and they were very calm and very structured. We didn't roll over and play dead, but the better team won."Overall, it's been a great year and I'm very happy. The supporters have been a revelation, and even when it was game, set and match to Con, they were still shouting for us. The players and fans have built up a relationship that's been a huge influence."It's important for the club that this isn't a flash in the pan. We may or may not make the top four again next season but we must be banging on the door."