CLONTARF SWAMP HARLEQUINS!
27/03/2006
Clontarf 36 Belfast Harlequins 8


On a day made for mud skippers, mudlarks, and mud pies: with most of the assembled support risking an outbreak of trench foot, Clontarf overcame the conditions and a vigorous Belfast side to slither to the top of the AIB League on the slimmest of points differentials.
In doing so they scored 6 tries and moved their bonus point tally to 11 which is a record for the League.

Playing in a torrential downpour requires a certain mix of brawn and ballet. A wet messy pitch can make the best of thoroughbred backlines look like cattle in a bog. Often it is the larger players who end up looking silly, and the smaller lighter guys who end up looking like Torvill and Dean.

On Saturday Dave Hewitt and Mark Woods skimmed over the pitch like ducks. Hewitt’s first score came after a period of pressure looked like it had broken down when the ball popped out of a tackle straight up in the air. Ellison fielded with his back to the line and after a split seconds hesitation powered through the static Belfast pack into the 22. Hewitt skated up to him for the scoring pass and 7 nil.

On 30 minutes after a Belfast penalty Hewitt struck again with a perfect through ball which he followed up to score. 12 3 Clontarf.

8 minutes later Belfast, who had tried to impose a mauling game too deep decided to kick long but found full back O’Shea in superb form. He returned one effort to their 22 and the full back elected to run , got caught, and squirted the ball towards his own line. Mark Woods beat his skating partner to the touch down thereby denying him a hat trick! 19 3 Clontarf.

The first half ended with Clontarf holding out under serious pressure on their own line. It was effectively the visitors last major physical effort.

The second half began with Belfast getting a try after a mix up under the ‘Tarf posts. The conversion was missed which is a good indication of the prevailing conditions underfoot. 19 8 Clontarf.

Then the Home bench was introduced…… Jackman , Wickham and Quinn..… ‘impact subs’…..jeez….. nuclear subs more like. They set about the Belfast pack like muggers. After 60 Jackman set off down the left wing spreading havoc: the ball was powered off the side until Gissing went in under the posts. 26 8 Clontarf.

5 minutes later wing Niall O’Brien had a cut around the half way , he found Ellison in support and he thundered into the visitors 22 drawing and levelling defenders like a medieval warrior. There were so many down that when the ball went left Out half Woods had a clear run to the line with 4 players unmarked outside him. 31 8 Clontarf.

Finally on 75 minutes Clontarf forced a scrum on the Belfast line and drove them backwards for an impeccably clean Darragh Geraghty to dot down for 36 8.
So 2 tries for Hewitt and 2 tries for Woods and 2 for the heavies ….. Not bad.

Most comforting of all is the realisation that Clontarf have a heavy weather game as well as a ‘fast’ one. Congrats to Jacob Ellison who was awarded the man of the match award …. Maybe we should arrange a mud bath for Jacob before the game rather that an ice bath afterwards. Congrats also to Mark Woods who having slotted in for Pete O’Brien had a flawless match in appalling conditions.

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