Every now and then in a season, a game appears on the schedule like a comet.
Clontarf and Terenure having been circling each other since last season’s final blow-out saw Terenure crowned Energia Champions for the first time. Clontarf restored some balance with an early season victory but the reality is that, in terms of intensity, there is nothing like a late season 1st V 2nd clash to raise even the calmest supporters blood pressure.
Clontarf arrived in Lakeland’s as league leaders, despite having slipped up away to UCD. Terenure, having had a mixed start to the season were back to their aggressive imperious best and came into this contest with 10 consecutive victories under their belt.
The game was a pure reflection of the fixture’s importance; it rarely flared with magnificent rugby but was tense and aggressive for the full 80. So much so, that the large crowd was quite subdued by the tension of the occasion.
Clontarf opened proceedings when Con Kelly landed 3 points from the tee after the Nure captain failed to release. From the ensuing kick-off Clohessy got the jackal right and won a penalty, which they dispatched to the corner and mauled at the front of the lineout for a routine try and 5 3.
Clontarf then set about building phases and momentum but were undone by inaccuracy and sheer bad luck. Case in point being, immediately after the Terenure try, when after multiple phases, the ball was inadvertently kicked into the air from a ruck, for the defenders to regather and hack it downfield and win a 50 22 lineout at the other end. Tarf then conceded a silly penalty for not rolling away and were penalised for 8 3, against the run of play.
The game then moved into a pattern with Tarf dominating possession and territory and Nure defending brilliantly and winning multiple turnovers, which Tarf would then pilfer at the ensuing lineout. Proceedings then entered a critical stage and Tarf set-up camp in the home 22, where after a number of phases, which Nure defended brilliantly, the referee was unsure of a grounding and awarded an attacking scrum. An unusual development in such a tight game. After multiple scrums Tarf were held up on the line, Nure dropped out, infringed , and Tarf were back at the line again. The following lineout was overthrown, Nure knocked-on, but advantage was deemed over just as Tarf threw a loose pass and Nure hacked downfield for a crucial try. Shades of UCD all over again!
The half ended with a penalty to Terenure after some holding on the ground. Nure went to the corner but were turned over brilliantly by Louis O’Reilly who has no hesitation in putting his body on the line in defence.
So half time arrived, with the score at 13 3 …… Not a great return for dominance everywhere on the pitch – but that’s rugby!
The second half opened with, finally, a bit of luck for the visitors. Con Kelly put in a lovely little grubber towards the posts. The ball bounced up and a defender bounced the ball off a Nure head before McGiff scored for 13 10. Frustratingly, Tarf lost possession at the kickoff and after a few phases conceded a penalty for 16 10.
Tarf came again and after a lineout maul was defended brilliantly, they moved left to right and Aitzol King got in on the right for 16 15 .
As we moved into the final quarter Nure got access from a penalty for not rolling. A tricky ask when you have 2 Nure players holding you down. It happened again a few phases later and Nure brought the score to 19 15. Tarf made a huge effort on the Nure line but were pinged for crossing.
As the game moved to the finish, handling errors crept in to the Tarf attack and after an advantage from a knock on, Conor Phillips made a lively slaloming run down the left and found Matt Caffrey in support for the winning try by the posts. Nure added a further penalty and the game finished 29 15.