Ah Yes, the start to a new season once again draws the sodden faithful-like pilgrims to Castle Avenue for the annual opening session of “Who’s that” and “Where did he come from” liberally sprinkled with “Is he still here” which is generally directed at the management. Is it me or do we always play Trinity in these early season games?
Gone are the days when College teams could be guaranteed a serious roughing up at the hands of clubs like Clontarf. Callow schoolboys are no longer callow as years of loving attention from cooker bound mumsy and gallons of protein drinks has produced phalanxes of spartans with biceps like Arnie and glutes the size of Canada.
Gone are the days of students defending courageously for ten minutes before implosion and a cricket score.
Trinity are at their most dangerous on turnover ball. Playing them requires accuracy and accuracy was at a premium after the biblical downpour an hour before the kickoff. So, despite dominating possession, Clontarf (frustratingly for their supporters) were 10 nil down after 15 minutes. Trinity, however, were not to score again and as the home sides dominance in the set piece guaranteed regular ball and as the cobwebs started to blow out Trinity started to struggle to defend the phases.
Before half time a wide ball to Richie Lane saw him step three defenders for the score. Ten minutes into the second half good ball retention from ‘Tarf stretched the Trinity defence and Crawford stormed over to level the scores. To be fair Trinity piled on pressure of their own and were unlucky not to retake the lead from a couple of eminently kickable penalties. In the end the most satisfying phase of play came from the ‘Tarf 22 and started with some odd home options. ‘Tarf threw a defensive lineout in their own 22 and inexplicably went off the top for a defensive kick that was blocked accidently by a home player for an attacking scrum to Trinity. After some faffing around Trinity gave away a free for early engagement and ‘Tarf relieved the pressure. After the next lineout Trinity transgressed again and Evan Ryan brought ‘Tarf to the Trinity 10 yard line. From there the home side set a maul that pretty much Conga-lined 40 yards for the winning try leaving exhausted white jerseyed defenders flattened in its wake. Lane added the conversion for 17 10 and ‘Tarf finished way the strongest with Matt Darcy being denied the bonus point try by a despairing hand trip after a classic shimmying break from the home Out Half.
As Bertie Aherne once said “A lot done but more to do “
Or was it Sinatra “Doobedoobedoo”
Insane or what ?