Clontarf left it late to bag the bonus point and can thank an outstanding defensive effort in the last 10 minutes which paved the way for UCC anxiety and a loose pass which was gobbled up by Michael Keating for the bonus score under the posts.
The previous 70 minutes was a ‘curate’s egg’ of a performance. That is, good in parts…………. Clontarf enjoyed massive possession and territorial dominance in the first half but always seemed to stumble when scoring seemed the simpler option. Much like an ardent suitor who having finally wined, dined and romanced his love interest into bed promptly falls asleep…….
The reality is that Clontarf were superior in all facets in this game and with a modicum of subtlety in the last pass would have had the bonus tied up at half time.
Apart from Keating’s cameo at the finish Clontarf scored tries through Cremen who benefitted from Sam Cronin’s effort disrupting his opposite man at a defensive scrum on the UCC line. Barry O’Mahony scored after bullying his way through his own players to be in the key scoring position after Keating was put clear down the left and, on his AIL debut, Eoghan Browne scored the comfy way, tucked at the back of a maul.
In two weeks we entertain Lansdowne in what is Div 1B’s Leinster Club’s derby game.