CLONTARF 17 OLD BELVEDERE 26
by Mark Byrnes
Clontarf were beaten in their second group game of the Leinster Senior Cup last Saturday on a score-line of 26-17 at the hands of Old Belvedere at Castle Avenue.
The game was only four minutes old when Old Belvedere took the lead with a try which went unconverted. Clontarf went in front on ten minutes with new backs coach Justin Wilson making his debut at out half scored a try with Killian Lett adding a tricky conversion.
Old Belvedere retook the lead with a penalty on 28 minutes but Clontarf took over for the remainder of the half and were duly rewarded when a good lineout take from Ben Reilly led to a try just before the interval by Aaron Dundon. Lett again with a difficult conversion giving the home side a 14-8 lead.
The turning point in the game was early in the second half when Clontarf now playing into a swirling wind appeared to have scored a try in the corner, but the referee denied the score for a double movement. A minute later Old Belvedere scored a converted try to go 15-14 in front and extended that lead further on 51 minutes with a penalty.
Clontarf brought on former Dolphin scrum half Sam Cronin and back row Barry O’Mahony for debuts in the second half. Ben Gissing returned to the club scene and was yellow carded on 55 minutes and just three minutes later Belvedere scored their third try which went unconverted.
A Clontarf penalty with 15 minutes remaining gave us hope but a penalty from Old Belvedere made it 26-17 and that concluded the scoring. The Jack Whelan Memorial Cup was presented to Old Belvedere after the game.
Clontarf now play UCD in their final pool match of the competition.