Two big Dublin favourites hosting a pair of plucky Munster underdogs.
It's just under a year since Clontarf fended off Terenure College to win a thrilling Energia All-Ireland League final at the Aviva Stadium, and a rematch at Landowne Road on Sunday 7 May is very much on the cards.
Both sides have home advantage this afternoon as the AIL semi-finals go down for decision, and standing in their way of that repeat final are the best that Munster can offer in Young Munster and Cork Constitution.
Elsewhere, Shannon will be hoping they're battle-hardened by a season in Division 1A when they welcome Old Wesley to the Thomond Park back pitch in the semi-final of the promotion/relegation playoff, while on the other side of the draw, the in-form Old Belvedere host Highfield at Ollie Campbell Park, with the winners of those games set to face off for a spot in the top tier next season.
There are playoff semi-finals to be decided and hearts to be broken up and down the divisions this weekend, but Castle Avenue and Lakelands Park top the bill, as the four best club sides in the country stand 160 minutes away from silverware.
Clontarf v Young Munster, Castle Avenue - 2.30pm
For the second season in a row, Andy Wood's Clontarf have topped the regular season table, but in a much different style.
In 2021/22, they seemed destined for the final from a long way out, and after a dominant regular season where they won 17 out of 18, they completed their third AIL Division 1A title by seeing off Cork Con and Terenure in the playoffs.
Their journey back to top spot wasn't as explosive as last season, but it was just as impressive. Approaching the halfway mark of the campaign, the champions looked to be hitting a rut. Despite starting with five wins from five, they were looking up the table at Terenure, who had picked up maximum points to begin the season.
In the fifth of those wins, they needed to come from 16 points down to defeat Dublin University, Ben Murphy's late try sealing a dramatic win, but Trinity had exposed some cracks in the champions that afternoon. When they followed it up with consecutive defeats to Young Munster and Terenure, the air of invincibility around them seemed to have faded. Or so it seemed.
There was one more defeat to come, at home against Cork Con in January, but since then the north Dublin side have shown why they're champions. Starting with a vital win away to Terenure, they've found their ruthless streak, with seven wins in a row propelling them back into first place, and they're once again the form team in the country at the business end of the season.
They'll naturally be favourites to see off Young Munster and move a step closer to retaining their title, but the Cookies will revel in their underdog tag, and having already beaten Tarf this season - albeit at home - they won't lack for belief.
On their day, Gearoid Prendergast's side have shown themselves capable of beating anyone, as wins against both Tarf and Terenure will attest to, but consistency has been the issue for the Munster Senior Cup champions.
Their form in the middle third of the campaign is what brought them back to the playoffs for the first time since 2017, and having opened daylight between themselves and fifth place Ballynahinch, two defeats in a row to end the regular season have stunted their momentum approaching this week's semi-final.
The champions' game is built on power, summed up by hooker Dylan Donnellan's remarkable tally of 21 tries this season, and 40 across the last two campaigns.
There's never been a Cookies side to shy away from a physical battle though, and if they can get parity with the huge Clontarf pack, they're more than capable of pulling off a shock, although the absence of suspended former Munster centre Dan Goggin is a big blow in their midfield.
Terenure College v Cork Constitution, Lakelands Park - 2.30pm
Just over six months ago, an AIL semi-final would have been far from the minds of those involved with Cork Constitution.
In early October, the six-time champions were given a hiding by this weekend's opponents at Lakelands, Terenure winning 47-12, having been 47-0 up at half time.
It was a scoreline - and particularly the half-time scoreline - that sent shockwaves around the league. Having been the surprise package last season, it was an affirmation that Terenure were no flash in the pan, while it hinted at a season of transition for Con.
And while Terenure look here to stay as a contender in the AIL, the last six months have shown that Con are still one of the league's big dogs.
Jonny Holland's side bounced back from that defeat to win five games in a row, and while they were the chasing team for much of the season, their dramatic 29-23 win at home to Nure three weeks ago ensured they would return to the scene of their early season drubbing in the last four.
Having reached their first ever Division 1A final last May, Terenure started this season like a bullet-train, winning their opening eight games, and the first six of those with bonus-points.
Their win away to Clontarf in November saw them open up a seven-point lead at the top of the table at the time, and in doing so the target that had been on Tarf's back switched to Sean Skehan's side.
That electric form and heavy scoring levelled out across the winter months, and back-to-back defeats in the new year to Clontarf and then Ballynahinch were a reminder that their march to a home semi-final was by no means guaranteed.
Just as the meeting of Clontarf and Young Munster pairs two likeminded rugby styles together, Terenure and Cork Con's styles of fast-paced and high-skilled games are similarly matched.
Nure will be favourites in front of what's expected to be a big home crowd. The only certainty is that we won't see a repeat of that 47-0 first half from October.
Energia Men's All-Ireland League (2.30pm kickoff)
Division 1A Semi-Finals:
Clontarf (1st) v Young Munster (4th), Castle Avenue
Terenure College (2nd) v Cork Constitution (3rd), Lakelands Park
Division 1A Promotion/Relegation Semi-Finals:
Shannon (9th, Div 1A) v Old Wesley (4th, Div 1B), Thomond Park back pitch
Old Belvedere (2nd, Div 1B) v Highfield (3rd, Div 1B), Ollie Campbell Park
Division 1B Promotion/Relegation Semi-Finals:
Banbridge (9th, Div 1B) v MU Barnhall (4th, Div 2A), Rifle Park
Blackrock College (2nd, Div 2A) v Nenagh Ormond (3rd, Div 2A), Stradbrook
Division 2A Promotion/Relegation Semi-Finals:
UL Bohemians (9th, Div 2A) v Sligo (4th, Div 2B), Annacotty
Galway Corinthians (2nd, Div 2B) v Dungannon (3rd, Div 2B), Corinthian Park
Division 2B Promotion/Relegation Semi-Finals:
Galwegians (9th, Div 2B) v Bruff (4th, Div 2C), Crowley Park
Skerries (2nd, Div 2C) v Tullamore (3rd, Div 2C), Holmpatrick
Sunday, 23 April 2023:
Energia Womens All-Ireland League Plate: Galwegians v Blackrock College, at Galwegians, 14.30
Energia Womens All-Ireland League Cup: Railway Union v UL Bohemian, at Templeville Road, 14.30
Energia Womens All-Ireland League Shield: Wicklow v Old Belvedere, at Wicklow, 14.30
