SEXTON NAILS CLONTARF AT THE DEATH
29/01/2007


Clontarf 22 St Marys 23


Clontarf took their first steps towards applying for ‘Registered Charity’ status with a first half backline performance that could be ranked as ….well….. ‘RANK!’.

Last year in the corresponding fixture in Templeville Rd, Clontarf overcame their opponents rush defence in the end but still managed to throw an interception to John McWeeney.

On Saturday we threw him two.................. Not good …….

The head wrecker about this was that we were doing well up front, dominating territorially and holding possession through multiple phases close to the breakdown. St Marys were having terrible trouble defending these surges but when we went wide for the coup de gras it all went pear shaped.

You know how it is?....you reach for the dagger and pull out a banana!

We did manage one superb score when, after Marys were dragged right and left through multiple phases, no 12 Keegan was put through a huge hole to score near the posts. Clontarf piled it on again almost immediately and were awarded a penalty which we kicked. Perhaps with the benefit of hindsight, we might have been better kicking that to the corner as Marys were drained by their defensive effort.
The first half ended 10 17 after Marys scored, without our help, from a maul on the Tarf line.

The second half left off where the first had ended but this time without the intercepts. Clontarf piled it on and scored two tries; one wide on the right and one after a superb maul level with the 15 yard line. We failed to convert the second score which left us 22 20 up going into the final stages. With time effectively up, Marys out half, Sexton took a ball going left to right into contact and seemed to go down facing the Tarf line. The referee, however, ruled that the Clontarf back row were off their feet and awarded a penalty all of 55 yards out.
It was to be St Marys day ; Sexton nailed a classic kick to put the visitors up by a point. Clontarf set a final frantic maul but were denied in the Clubhouse corner.
So the honours went to St Marys who gutted it out to the end. Their supporters were understandably delighted and sportingly volunteered that the result was a ‘steal’.

It wasn’t’…….. It was a gift!

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