CLONTARF WIN LEDDIN FINANCE SENIOR LEAGUE CUP !
14/04/2008
Leddin Finance Leinster Senior League Cup Final


Clontarf 9 St Mary’s 6


After a battle of attrition in rain soaked sloppy Donnybrook Clontarf captain Simon Crawford accepted the trophy for the North side Club who now have won this venerable piece of silver 4 times in the last nine years having competed in the final 6 times in the same period.

This was no classic rugby match. St Mary’s had prepared elaborately , arriving at Donnybrook at 10.00am to set up camp from where they bussed to an offsite venue for team talks , food etc. It was clear that, like Clontarf, they were taking this final very seriously. Unfortunately for both sides the wet weather was the major influencer on the day.

The match itself left nothing for the faint hearted and, to be honest, not an awful lot to write about either. Both sides hurled themselves into each other from the off with Mary’s flinging themselves at the Clontarf gain line and Clontarf bashing them and flinging them back in turn. Time and again Mary's attempts at breaching the 'Tarf gain line resulted in significant yards conceded. It wasn’t pretty but it was very effective and is becoming a serious cornerstone to this ‘Tarf teams performances. I could start listing names but it would be a waste of time because the heroic commitment was clear through the whole side for the full 80.
The opening score came early after a Clontarf transgression and was cancelled out just on half time by Darragh O’Shea for 3 3 at the break. The second half saw some critical substitutions in the pack by St Mary’s which , as time went on , allowed Clontarf to slowly generate that grinding ascendancy they have developed over the season. However, the only score to show for this slight edge was another Penalty by O’Shea which was cancelled by the Mary’s out half Lynch who dropped an expert goal with about 15 minutes to go. As time wound down a long punt by Mary’s was gathered by debutante full back Keatley who headed off from right to left on one of those mazy runs you generally only see in mini rugby. Mary’s managed to haul him down at their 22 but the panic button was pressed and the result was a penalty to ‘Tarf at the ruck wide on the left.

Sporting justice was then served as Darragh O’Shea nailed the kick with consummate poise to erase the memories of a final penalty miss in the same game last year. So 9 6 to Tarf and after some more tooing and froing the referee put us all out of our misery and sent the trophy back to Castle Avenue.

Congratulations to all on a fantastic defensive performance ……. Thanks to the support who braved the weather and the ridiculously inefficient Donnybrook stand.

Thanks to St Mary’s who were class personified in defeat.

No thanks to the Leinster Branch officials who took time out from their glad handing, bodhran banging, horn blowing, and flag waving duties at the RDS to officiate at the final of their oldest and most prestigious competition. Was it too much to expect some after match representation?
It’s pretty clear that when it comes to the amateur game the focus of the amateur game administration is firmly aimed somewhere else. Perhaps a little bit of separation is required here?

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