Updated at 17.24

ENERGIA ALL-IRELAND LEAGUE MEN’S DIVISION 1A FINAL:

CLONTARF 24 TERENURE COLLEGE 50, Aviva Stadium

Scorers: Clontarf: Tries: Aitzol Arenzana King, JJ O’Dea, Alex Soroka, Brian Deeny; Cons: Steve Crosbie, Conor Kelly

Terenure College: Tries: Adam La Grue, Craig Adams, Stephen O’Neill, Conall Boomer; Cons: Caolan Dooley 3; Pens: Caolan Dooley 8

HT: Clontarf 10 Terenure College 18

CAOLAN DOOLEY’S 30-point kicking masterclass saw Terenure College dethrone Clontarf in a record-breaking 50-24 Energia All-Ireland League Division 1A final win at the Aviva Stadium.

With Adam La Grue, Craig Adams and replacements Stephen O’Neill and Conall Boomer crossing for tries, Terenure avenged last year’s defeat as they won their first-ever AIL top-flight title, adding to March’s maiden Bateman Cup success.

Limerick man Dooley, the Energia player-of-the-match, landed eight penalties and three conversions, missing just one kick. The 23-year-old centre was superb from the tee, continuing his form from the semi-final against Cork Constitution when he kicked 20 points.

Despite the pressure exerted by Clontarf’s dominant scrum, Sean Skehan’s men cancelled out tries from Aitzol Arenzana King and JJ O’Dea with a late brace of their own for an unlikely 18-10 half-time lead.

Adam La Grue stunned the defending champions with a 35th-minute intercept try, and then Craig Adams pounced for another long-range breakaway score, converted by Dooley who had kicked two earlier penalties.

A try from Leinster’s Alex Soroka lifted ‘Tarf at 21-17 down, but Dooley’s ultra-reliable right boot — banging them over from all angles — kept ‘Nure in control of the scoreboard, leaving it 30-17 on the hour mark.

They cut loose for two more tries, Boomer setting up O’Neill and then finishing off a La Grue-inspired break. The only consolation for Andy Wood’s well-beaten side was the sight of replacement Brian Deeny touching down past the 80-minute mark.

CLONTARF: Tadhg Bird; Aitzol Arenzana King, Hugh Cooney, Matt D’Arcy (capt), Michael Brown; Steve Crosbie, Angus Lloyd; Ivan Soroka, Dylan Donnellan, Ben Griffin, Fionn Gilbert, Mick Kearney, Alex Soroka, JJ O’Dea, Tony Ryan.

Replacements: Cathal O’Flynn, Darragh Bolger, Ed Kelly, Ben Murphy, Conor Kelly, Cian O’Donoghue, JP Phelan, Brian Deeny.

TERENURE COLLEGE: Adam La Grue; Stephen O’Neill, Colm de Buitléar, Caolan Dooley, Craig Adams; Callum Smith, Alan Bennie; Marcus Hanan, Levi Vaughan, Adam Tuite, Harrison Brewer (capt), Mick Melia, Adam Melia, Luke Clohessy, Jordan Coghlan.

Replacements: Robbie Smyth, Campbell Classon, Andy Keating, Matthew Caffrey, Conall Boomer, Conor McKeon, Cathal Marsh, Henry McErlean.

Referee: Peter Martin (IRFU)

AIL PROMOTION/RELEGATION PLAY-OFFS ROUND-UP: 

DIVISION 1A PROMOTION/RELEGATION PLAY-OFF FINAL:

Shannon 32 Highfield 12

DIVISION 1B PROMOTION PLAY-OFF FINAL:

Blackrock College 29 MU Barnhall 21 

DIVISION 2A PROMOTION/RELEGATION PLAY-OFF FINAL:

UL Bohemians 20 Dungannon 16

DIVISION 2B PROMOTION PLAY-OFF FINAL:

 Skerries 30 Bruff 15

*****

SHANNON HELD HIGHFIELD try-less and scored four of their own as an impressive second half performance saw them win 32-12 to retain their Division 1A status.

Highfield were hoping to make history on Thomond Park’s back pitch, eyeing up promotion to the Energia All-Ireland League’s top flight at the expense of the competition’s most-decorated club.

But despite four James Taylor penalties during the opening 40 minutes, the Corkmen were outplayed during the remainder of the game as tries from lively winger Josh Costello (two) and replacement Luke Rigney sealed a convincing play-off victory for the hosts.

Two early penalties from out-half Taylor settled Highfield into their stride, the latter one courtesy of a clever attack off a lineout. 

Cooke cut the gap to 6-3 in the 23rd minute, rewarding some solid carries from Colm Heffernan and Darragh McSweeney.

Experienced No 8 Miah Cronin carried hard to set up Taylor’s latest successful kick, although it could have been more had hooker Travis Coomey not got it alone with winger Luke Kingston in space outside him.

Munster Academy scrum half Ethan Coughlan was fortunate to get away with a late tackle on Taylor. He popped up a few phases later to send his half-back partner Cooke sniping over for a 32nd-minute try, past Kingston’s  attempted tackle.

Joshua Costello scores his second try. Ken Sutton / INPHO Ken Sutton / INPHO / INPHO

Shannon’s lead was a brief one, though, as Highfield’s powerful pack forced the issue approaching the interval. Tighthead Daragh Fitzgerald earned a scrum penalty and Taylor took the points for a 12-10 advantage for the Division 1B outfit.

Nonetheless, despite Highfield denying them an initial try on the restart, Stephen Keogh’s side reclaimed the lead when quick hands from centres Harry Long and Cian O’Halloran sent Costello squeezing over for a fine finish in the right corner.

Cooke’s well-struck conversion left it 17-10, and Costello was over again just two minutes later. 

Highfield replacement John O’Callaghan then saw yellow for collapsing a Shannon maul near the visitors’ try-line. With captain Ronan Coffey on the latch, Rigney was able to burrow over for a 57th-minute try, converted by Cooke.

Highfield had some bright moments in attack during the final quarter, but their maul was kept out and Costello also made an important tackle on replacement Colin O’Neill out wide. A 76th-minute penalty from Cooke took his contribution to 17 points.

Meanwhile, talented young full-back Ronan Mulcahy scored 20 points as Skerries clinched promotion to Division 2B with a 30-15 play-off final victory over Bruff.

Tom O’Dwyer’s intercept try kept the Limerick men in the hunt at 20-10 down at half-time at Holmpatrick, his breakaway score coming in response to converted efforts from Mulcahy and Paul O’Loghlen.

It was an eight-point game after Bruff’s Shane Duggan had cancelled out a Mulcahy penalty, but the Goats struck for the clinching try early in the final quarter when number 8 Peter O’Neill crossed from close range.

Elsewhere, Harry Byrne’s 79th-minute penalty completed a stirring comeback from UL Bohemians who beat Dungannon 20-16 at Annacotty to hold onto their Division 2A place.

Dungannon impressively built a 16-3 interval lead, with full-back Ben McCaughey kicking three penalties and converting number 8 James McMahon’s maul try midway through.

However, the Red Robins turned the screw for the remainder, Alan Kiely sniping over for their opening try before hooker Kieran O’Shea used a 50th-minute lineout drive to edge them in front.

Out-half Byrne converted both tries to make it 17-16, and ‘Gannon, who battled on despite two yellow cards, watched Byrne split the posts again late on. They also had a close-in lineout stolen right at the death.

James Blaney’s Blackrock College team celebrated back-to-back promotions, overcoming a valiant MU Barnhall 29-21 at Stradbrook. Their reward for a fine four-try performance is a return to Division 1B for the first time since 2016.