There were no prizes on offer to anyone concluding that this game would be dominated by the howling gale blowing towards the Castle Avenue end. However, as it turned out, the home side were more than capable in dealing with the blustery elements and a flustery referee to pin back an enthusiastic Cork Con side who jumped out to a 13 nil lead after 10 minutes.
As the Con points racked up and the home side-line nervously willed half time the Tarf backline started to ask questions into the wind so when Max McFarland got in at the corner, after some great work by the forwards, and David Joyce converted beautifully the Con game began to creak. As the half time whistle approached Matt Darcy added to his stellar reputation with a classic break down the centre which finished with a sidestep around the fullback worthy of Gerald Davies at his best. An 18 15 interval lead was never going to enough against the wind and when Matt Darcy added his second just after the break the writing was clearly on the wall for the visitors.
Further scores to Max McFarland, Collie O’Shea, and Tony Ryan put the game out of reach and facilitated Clontarf’s little bout of disinterest in the last 10 as the Corkmen milked some consolation from a dry cow of a game for them with two late scores for a bonus point.
Clontarf have now qualified for an away UBL semi-final to Terenure on 25th April. It will be a great day with our friends from Dublin 6W.
We are also in the final of the Bateman Cup to be played in Cork Con on May 2nd. Another charabanc trip to look forward to!