In the end Clontarf can count themselves lucky to leave Greenfields with a share of the points and a free lesson in what happens when you lose control of the basics of your game.
Clontarf were by far the more polished side in this encounter. However, a lack of ball control, particularly at restarts, handed momentum to the Young Munster pack who seemed to get bigger and bigger as substitutions were made in the final quarter.
Clontarf began the game receiving the ball and opened up with an error which ceded territory to the home side and ultimately the opening score to the YM scrum half. ‘Tarf replied almost immediately with a burst through the middle from Mick McGrath which tied the sides. The first half continued positively for Clontarf with massive inroads being made through the backs. They added two more scores through a rumbler from Karl Moran and a bash through from Conor O’Brien.
All the first half tries were converted by Joey Carbury who was peerless from the tee and would ultimately make the key successful kick at the end of the game. At half time the score was 13-21 with Young Munster adding two penalties to their earlier try, the second of which was a pure case of daylight robbery at a scrum where the home pack concertinaed back on the hit to dupe the penalty out of the referee.
In the second half Clontarf began to lose composure and started coughing up possession in all the wrong places. Young Munster took heart and upped the ante from their pack which resulted in a mauled score and a well worked try down the blindside of a scrum. A Clontarf penalty brought the game to 27-24 with 5 to go so when Munsters infringed in front of the posts after a solid drive from Tarf, Joey Carbury stepped up to ensure a share of the points for the visiting team.