On October 30th 1975 in Kinshasa, Zaire, Muhammad Ali fought the undefeated George Foreman for the undisputed heavyweight Championship of the World.
It ranks as one of the greatest sporting events of all time. Ali was 32 years old and a 4:1 rank outsider. Foreman, 25 years old was an Olympic Gold medallist and had won the undisputed title by demolishing Joe Frazier, knocking him down six times in two rounds. Foreman was a big hitting monster, who had a deserved reputation as a destroyer. His record coming into the fight was 40 wins, 38 by KO and no losses.
The fight was a classic of tactics. Ali knew he could not overpower Foreman, so he allowed the bigger man to punch himself out, by lying back on the ropes and covering up. Foreman only knew one way to fight, so he ploughed on and exhausted himself in the process. In the eighth round, with Foreman weakened by exertion, Ali spotted his moment and with a flurry of punches knocked the giant out to regain the heavyweight title.
The metaphor is a little tenuous because, on Saturday, Clontarf didn’t invite Nenagh on to them, they had no choice. The elements, along with the sticky pitch, were always going to ask questions of the visitors. In choosing to play on the grass on a messy day, Nenagh were counting on power and the bomb to get field position and to hopefully rattle Tarf into error in the process. Playing with the wind, the home side camped in the Tarf 22 and pounded away with short passes to big runners. Tarf hung on gamely and, as the half progressed, it became clear that while the elements were a leveller, they also slowed the accuracy of the attackers, which allowed the defence to realign and as long as the tackles went, in the try line was safe. It helped also that Clontarf’s back three were outstanding under the high ball. Tadhg Bird gave a masterclass in composure under pressure and wingers O’Grady and Maher were prepared to have a cut when the opportunity arose. As we went into the final 10 of the half Tarf broke out and could have registered the first score. In the end we got to the half with no score to either side. That was a victory to Tarf, Nenagh looked very tired indeed.
It did not help the home side that the first play of the second half saw a long kickoff , a kick to touch for a Tarf throw, a maul followed by a pass to Dave Hawkshaw who stepped inside his man, straightened and put Alex O’Grady in under the posts. It came like a crossbow bolt to the eye of the Tipp men.
Clontarf followed up quickly with a mauled score to Alex Usinov for 0 14 and, even at that early stage, it looked like curtains for Nenagh. Clontarf, now benefitting from the elements continued to apply maul pressure and Sam Owens got in after the pack brought it to the line for 21 nil.
Nenagh got in after a misdirected kick gave them a lineout just inside the Tarf 22 for 5 21.
As we moved to full time, Tarf went in search of the bonus point and camped in the home 22, where they managed to draw Nenagh into a mangle of repeated scrums.
Finally the pressure told and the ref awarded a penalty try to Tarf for 5 28.
The game pretty much fizzled out then, with a lot of slipping and sliding and general mudlarkery.
Nenagh got in at the death but to use the cliche it was too little, too late.
Fair dues to Nenagh. They shook things up and took risks which given a modicum of luck could have paid off.
In the end Clontarf’s superior skill kept the scoreboard static and when the teams changed ends there was really only going to be one winner.
Next week we welcome our good friends from the drumlins of Co Down , Ballynahinch. The game doubles up as both the final AIL game before Christmas and the Final of the Bateman Cup (Kick off 4pm), so there will be excitement. It will be followed by the players Christmas Party, so there will be carnage!
