AIL MATCH REPORT
Picture courtesy of Laurentc.geo
Clontarf 25 Buccaneers 15
by Mark Byrnes
Clontarf had to dig deep in an exciting match against a battling Buccaneers side last Saturday at Castle Avenue.
The match was only three minutes old when out half Noel Reid scored a wobbly drop goal to open the home sides account. Buccaneers subsequently missed two kickable penalties in an effort to register their first score. On twenty minutes, substitute Mick Kearney with his first touch raced into the corner for a well worked try. Reid missing a tricky conversion
Buccaneers finally got their first points on 28 minutes with winger David Connellan landing a penalty to close the gap to five points. However the lead was extended with Reid landing a penalty into the stiff wind on the call of half time to leave it 11-3 at the break.
Buccaneers began the second half at a great gallop and when Clontarf captain Niall Treston was binned after 49 minutes, they scored a try through Connacht winger Shane Monahan. Clontarf had barely recovered from this when Buccs scored a second try in as many minutes which they converted to go 15-11 in front.
Michael Keating restored parity with a brilliant try after a superb breakout from defence with Ross McAuley off loading to the star winger. McAuley was taken late by the Buccaneers number 8, which subsequently led to him taking a ten minute “break”. Reid converted to leave it 18-15 going in to last quarter.
With an extra man, Clontarf upped their game and freshened things up with the introduction of Justin Wilson and Martin Dufficy and the team were rewarded with five minutes left, when superb skill from Darragh O’Shea and then Noel Reid led to Aaron Dundon touching down for the match winning score which Reid converted.
Clontarf now play Dungannon in Stevenson Park on 30th October.