Con eye another Bateman Cup

REIGNING five-time champions Cork Con will look to continue their dominance in the Bateman Cup tomorrow when they clash with in-form Lansdowne in the final at Temple Hill.

It’s a repeat of the first ever Bateman Cup final when these teams met in 1922 and Lansdowne edged a 6-5 victory.

But since 2013 the Cork outfit have had a stranglehold over the competition with wins over St Mary’s College, UCD, Clontarf, Galwegians and last year Old Belvedere.

Tomás Quinlan kicked 20 points as Cork Con claimed the Ulster Bank League Division 1A title with a 25-21 win over Clontarf at Aviva Stadium last May.

But they also won the Bateman Cup one month earlier, when they beat the already-relegated Old Belvedere 18-13 at Anglesea Road.

Once again Quinlan was to the forefront for Cork Con, with two penalties and a conversion, while Liam O’Connell and Brian Hayes scored the tries for Brian Hickey’s men.

Cork Con went on to complete their All-Ireland double and this term they have continued their impressive form in both league and cup.

They clash with Terenure College at Lakelands Park in the Division 1A semi-final next weekend. Cork Con finished third after 18 games in the league this season, with 11 wins.

But Lansdowne have been the real form team in Division 1A in

2017-’18. And with 16 victories they have only lost twice, against Garryowen and Cork Con.

Cork Con secured an impressive

25-13 win at Temple Hill on March

11. Once again, Quinlan was on target with 20 points on that occasion, while second-row Hayes scored a try.