Clontarf fell to a 14–10 defeat to St Mary’s at Castle Avenue, but with a home semi-final already secured, the result carried little consequence beyond pride and momentum.
Don’t you feel privileged to attend a game where the result, while important, really has little bearing on progression in the competition? I remember, back in the day, where the tension on the sideline was palpable; where every home supporter was stuck on mobile phones, checking scores and points differentials, because we were generally staring at relegation and hanging on for dear life.
The games are etched like battles in my mind ….. Terenure away where with the clock in injury time Clontarf scored in the corner to save themselves ….. UCD at home, where a legendary tackle on our line from a modest Clontarf hero (initials PW ….. NOT ME), saved the day and we survived again !!
So being able to watch on Saturday knowing we had a home semi secured was, frankly, a gift. The chat was all around who we would get and whether we would prefer one or the other. It was a little like speculating on which of your friends you would like to sleep with your wife ! ……
The game fell into a pattern very quickly. On a wind dominated day, Mary’s played like a bunch of 17 year olds at the parish disco …… All hands and sweaty endeavour. Clontarf played like the local PP in charge. Ruining the fun with loads of “A now …. Stop that ! ….. be careful there ! …… Put her/him down”!!
It was a rugby version of whackamole, Mary’s zippy attack against Clontarf’s resolute defence; Mary’s freewheeling, studenty, running game against Clontarf’s party pooping walloping defence. The visitors threw themselves at the home team and for most of the first half the home team threw them back.
After 35 minutes, Mary’s got the breakthrough. It had a bit of wobbly good fortune about it. Tarf couldn’t control their own lineout on their line and the relieving kick was caught by the wind and blown infield where the Mary’s fullback moved it wide and their left winger took advantage of a slip in defence, made ground to the Tarf line where, after some phases, Mary’s found space out wide and scored in the clubhouse corner.
Tarf responded with a lineout maul, which was carried through a few phases, before Jordan Coghlan bullied his way over for 5 7 at half time.
The second half was a looser affair. Clontarf hoped to have wind advantage but storm Dave had other ideas and the wind shifted in Mary’s favour for the second as well!
15 minutes in, Mary’s got their second try after two efforts were arguably denied, one for a double movement and the other for a knock on in the corner. The ball was moved slowly across the Tarf 22 inviting a block which duly arrived and centre O’Gara followed up to score for 5 14.
The game now entered the “What we have we hold phase” and the raft of substitutions from both sides, with the semi in mind, meant it took on a more cavalier tone.
The arrival of Angus Lloyd added some grey haired freshness to the home side and, when Mary’s were pressured into conceding a penalty at the half way, his fast tap caught their defence narrow and Dec Adamson gunned a beauty off his right hand to substitute Dan Magner in space. His sheer pace fuelled by excitement and roared on by the home support saw him home into the corner for a classic try on his AIL debut and 10 14.
That was the final score in the game. Clontarf finished strongly but couldn’t find that little bit of space to make their growing strength tell. Mary’s finished deserved winners and will host Terenure in a Dublin 12E derby, which is guaranteed to produce fireworks and lifetime bragging rights to the winners.
Clontarf will welcome our near neighbours and honoured rivals Lansdowne in a repeat of last year’s semi final. Both teams know each other well. The Hatfields and the McCoys have nothing on this…..
On a final note, hats off to two AIL debutants, Charlie Coghlan and the try-scoring Dan Magner, who have both come right through the Tarf underage system, to make the step-up on Saturday.
Peter Walsh
Chronicler of scrums, storms, and all the beautiful chaos at Castle Avenue and beyond
