Firstly, on behalf of the management and players, many thanks to the travelling support who played a starring role in keeping the spirits up on the pitch during the more challenging periods in an enthralling game. As expected, in the true spirit of Irish club rugby, the hospitality off the pitch was in dramatic contrast to the welcome on the pitch in Clontarf’s first visit to Greenfields for a number of seasons.
This was an outstanding game for many reasons. The standard of play in both attack and defence was top drawer. A quick look at the stats tells you that both teams had 100% success on their own lineout and neither team had dominance in the scrum for the whole game which meant the momentum swung wildly and kept the entertainment quotient at a high until the final whistle. And the hits! Oh lord, Liam Og Murphy, the Munster’s number six put a hit on Aaron Dundon in the first 10 minutes that loosened teeth in the Munster’s bar and started the pit bulls barking in the local housing estate.
Crucially …. Aaron retained possession…. Marker down ….. Game on in Limerick!
The game opened with Munsters dominating possession and territory and using the high ‘bombs’ to discommode Clontarf and get the home crowd howling. This is an effective tactic if well executed because the odds are that even if the ball is safely gathered you can rely on muscular competition at the ensuing breakdown to force penalties. Unfortunately when the penalties came the Munsters Out Half was unable to convert the power into points and Clontarf survived the early onslaught with their line intact. To add insult to injury for the home side, Richie Lane popped a penalty on ‘Tarf’s first foray into Munster’s territory and two minutes later a home ‘bomb’ found its way into the hands of Killian Lett whose run was stopped on the home 10 metre line where Barry O’Mahony was on to the ball like a rat onto a burger and skinned the full back for the opening try.
He did it again just before half time but was caught without support by the Munster’s scrum half. Really we have to work something out here…. Either he stops making these unannounced breaks or he slows down to let the lads catch up. Maybe if he stopped for a shave, or to ring the mot, or to design an app…something ……. All this running off with the ball on your own ….reminds me of my dog Wally!
Munsters did get a return for their tactics when a high ball ran loose towards the Tarf line and centre Burke gathered and ran in untouched for the score. Out Half Staunton added the conversion for 7 10 at half time.
The second half opened with a Clontarf player in the bin after a ruck infringement so the home side were frenzied and duly got the opening score with a drop goal.
At that point the game was in the balance and it was going to take something special to break the stalemate. Clontarf broke free from their own 22 when Collie O’Shea gunned a skip pass to Noel Reid coming outside the Munsters defence. The ball was worked into the home 22 where the visitors were awarded a 5 metre scrum to the left of the posts. Cue an 8/9 pick and go followed by a beauty of a skip pass to Lett who did a passable impression of a pinball as he bounced his way under the posts for a seven pointer. 5 minutes later Tarf were back again and this time the forwards rumbled and Niall Treston heroically flopped in for the score. Richie Lane added the conversion for 24 10 and from that point on Munster’s were chasing the game with the clock running out. They did get some reward when a questionable option by Tarf attacking in the home 22 saw Munsters turn over the ball and their winger Doyle made the line after some tired defence.
So final score 17 24 and the Clontarf dream moves on to the next game v Garryowen in Castle Avenue next Saturday 31st March.