Clontarf Beat Dungannon
Author: Peter Walsh
2004-11-12
AIB AIL Division 1 6th Nov 2004


Clontarf 32 Dungannon 19


Clontarf’s first home game of the 2004/05 campaign was eagerly anticipated given that the Northside team had registered its best ever start to the AIL by winning two away fixtures on the bounce. Unfortunately, the faithful on the sideline were reaching for the valium early on as ‘tarf ignored the kicking reputation of Dungannon’s young OutHalf, Steenson, and presented him with two easy kicks to set the away side rolling. Some abject defending followed allowing centre Clarke to slide in under the posts and when Steenson cancelled McAllister’s penalty the away team had a 16 to 3 lead and were worth every point.

At times like this, when all plans for width on the game go astray, it pays to have a plan B. As the first half came to an end the Clontarf pack mauled off a lineout for David Tafanel to score.

The second half intensified the pressure on the Ulstermen with the Clontarf pack pounding hard yards around the edges. John Duffy was next to score with a close in lunge at the refs feet, McAllister converted despite having received a firm kick in the head and when, 5 minutes later, Declan Quinn knocked a few out of his way and plunged over in the same spot, the number 10 repeated the task.

Dungannon were now a beaten side although a penalty from Steenson did give them hope. When Wickham and Duffy combined to send Van Zyl for the corner it was done and dusted and a bonus for the home team. Woozy McAllister converted that one from the sideline as well prompting someone to suggest that he should get a kick in the head before every game!

So 3 wins out of 3…… a sense of comfort but little joy. The backs had a torrid day, at times even the much vaunted defense misfired badly. The good news is that we have a month before the next AIL game away to Con so plenty of time to right the wrongs.

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