AIL Match Report:
Tarf 17 Dungannon 30
By Mark Byrnes
Clontarf succumbed to their first AIL defeat of the season after a disappointing performance at Stevenson Park on Saturday.
Clontarf got off to a flier with Martin Garvey scoring a try inside three minutes with Noel Reid unlucky to see his touchline conversion hit the post. The lead was reduced to two points when Dungannon kicked a penalty and Clontarf controlled the game for the next 15 minutes.
On the quarter hour, Clontarf came very close to a try when Mick McGrath was forced into touch, but Reid kicked a penalty to make it 8-3 and repeated the trick on 22 minutes with another strike to make it 11-3.
The match swung in Dungannon’s favour on 34 minutes with outhalf Paddy Jackson slicing through the defence to touch down for a try that he converted and the same player added a penalty on the call of half time to make it 13-11 to the hosts.
Clontarf made the worst possible start to the second half when they conceded another try that was converted to leave it 20-11. Reid’s penalty reduced the lead after 54, with Clontarf attacking the line, a Dungannon hand deliberately knocked the ball on and subsequently was sent to the line.
Dungannon’s response was quick and devastating as they added a penalty and converted try within two minutes of each other leaving it 30-14 going into the final quarter.
Try as they might Clontarf could not breach a teak tough Dungannon defence and sub Phil Howard kicked a late penalty to leave it 30-17 for the home side on a disappointing day for Clontarf.