The most recent instalment of the new Matt Darcy series “Breaking Good“ took place on Saturday in the Belfield bowl as Clontarf took on a somewhat reduced UCD side after taking the Leinster Senior Cup from the students in the last outing.
Clontarf were clearly motivated by memories of the agony piled on them in the corresponding UBL fixture last year when a more seriously depleted and significantly hung-over motley crew of students ran the northsiders ragged and bloody nearly killed off our UBL hopes. If you remember we managed a last minute scrambled try for a bonus point in that game which, arguably, was the point that won the UBL for ‘Tarf.
It was no surprise then that Clontarf started in a nervous fashion and coughed up a try in the first five minutes causing a rush for the defibrillator among the crusty faithful on the sunny side of the pitch. The fears were short lived, however, and on this occasion were calmed by two pieces of sublime handling by novice hooker, Rory Litchfield, who, on his senior debut, put Royce Burke Flynn clear down the right for the try scoring pass to Rob McGrath and almost immediately afterwards had the presence of mind to transfer the ball quickly after cutting a great line through the middle of the College defence. On this occasion Matt Darcy was on hand to step in and score the first of his three tries and push -Tarf clear at 10-12 for half time.
The second half saw a continuation of the Matt show (and go); this time from a full 60 metres out which was greeted more by astonished silence than by cheers so outrageous was the skill. UCD then had a purple patch and were unlucky not to equalise. It was left to the bold Darcy to supply the coup de gras which took ‘Tarf beyond two scores. The rest of the game was played out in the UCD half with scores to Soroka and Cronin for ‘Tarf and a late breakout for Tom Fletcher for College.
P.S. Congratulations to Matt Darcy who has been awarded the captaincy of the Irish Club side to play Scotland on Friday night.
Jeez . . . Is it a bird . . . Is it a plane?