CLONTARF START TO PLAY!
05/11/2007
St Mary’s 15 Clontarf 31


Well what a difference a week makes … Clontarf arrived at Templeville Rd for the second outing of the AIB AIL season following a performance last week that in artistic terms could have been described as a black and white photograph of a golf ball. On Saturday they exploded over St Mary’s like a Jackson Pollack painting. Maybe it was the fireworks during the week at training but there was a power of a difference in this performance.
Where to start? ….. 
The pack to a man was magnificent in the loose.
AJ Clarke is like a player reborn and he and his partner on the other side, Niall Treston, tormented Mary’s all over the park. The home side’s insistence on under manning their rucks was a nightmare as the ‘Tarf props drove through them like snowploughs. Their mauls fared no better with Treston ripping through and appearing out the other side, ball in hand, gleefully running over anything that stood in his way.
The second rows flew all over the park and the back row showed superb balance with Crawford’s physicality neatly balanced by Elvin’s positioning and link play. Between them Garvey had his most complete game yet at no 8 and showed well going forward off the away side’s dominant scrum. At hooker Niall Carson showed superb composure to keep his work rate up despite the wobbles in the lineout. St Mary’s will be mightily relieved that Clontarf faltered in that set phase because it allowed them respite at a time in the game where they looked like shipping some serious points. Future opponents may not be so lucky.
Outside the pack saw the introduction of Ian Keatley at out half partnering his Irish under 20’s, Leinster Schools, Belvedere College, Wesley Disco, Free Gaff, etc etc buddy Paul O’Donohoe at 9.
Jeez…. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid have nothing on these two.
Inside you had O’D mesmerising the opposition back row and outside Keatley was gunning them down with skip passes all over the park.
How do you defend against this? ….. go early and O’D is strong enough to take your weak shoulder and bring the monsters straight up the middle, go late and you might as well light a fag because your not going to get anywhere to make a difference.
Keatley showed his intent from the start with a drop goal effort after 30 seconds that missed. Chastened by that experience he decided to go conservative ….not.
2 minutes later Mary’s went long with a kick and Keatley received the ball at half way, took it up straight and threw a skip pass off his left hand that put Elvin in acres of space. He found Max Rantz Mc Donald at the 22 and the scorched grass confirmed the inevitable.
5 minutes later Tarf mullered the Mary’s scrum and P O’D intercepted and got to the line for Keatley to feed Duffy for try number 2. Keatley converted for 0 12.
Mary’s then had their purple patch which resulted in a penalty and a try on 32 minutes for 8 12.
At 39 minutes Tarf again turned over possession on the 22 and with seemingly nothing on Max R Mc D took a skip pass on the right and turned the Mary’s defence on its head for his second try and 8 19 at half time.
6 minutes into the second half Garvey picked and O’Donohoe went open and found Max who put O’Shea in near the corner. Then, in the 65th minute, Mary’s scored to get back to a 9 point deficit only for ‘Tarf to reply immediately with a great cut from O’Shea who fed Keane coming around him in support. So final score 15 31 and relief all round. We are now looking at two home games in a row.
Back to Castle Avenue with a side that when it hits the buttons is capable of rocking the joint!

On Sunday the J1’s played away to Lansdowne and despite being 10 nil down to a lively and noisy Lansdowne side managed to turn it around in the second half for a 17 10 victory . It was a superb performance with the pack outgunning the larger home eight in the tight for the victory. Phil Purdue again showed his versatility in moving from the back to the front row as did Phil Howard who started at 9 and finished in his more customary wing position. Phil made the play of the game when running down a breakaway score by the Lansdowne 9. It was critical for two reasons, it saved a score and helped to shut that guy up…god he’s noisy!
The game was played in Lansdowne and Old Wesleys new facility in Ballycorus Rd. Brand new and glittering!..... Pity its in another country…..

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