I really felt I needed to get into the mood of the match day before writing this. Much like method acting, revisit the emotional stimuli to drive the creative juices … so I went into my back garden, stripped down to my jocks and poured a bucket of cold water over my head. There we go ….. that brings me back to 2.30 on Saturday in Castle Avenue.
What an awful day! Groups of spectators huddled like emperor penguins in a storm, players disco dancing around the pitch to keep warm! I remember a few years ago, in Greenfields was a similar experience, but it’s been a while since we’ve experienced a day so ugly.
Credit to everyone who turned up to support and credit to the players for not dying of hypothermia!
Nenagh Ormond arrived for their first ever visit to Clontarf and brought loads of heat and a little bit of light as well. Currently sitting in 10th place in the league with 1 bonus point to their name, they are stoically resigned to relegation but intend to distribute liberal bruises before they go!
To their eternal credit, they refused to lower the flag for the full 80 odd minutes, defended like Spartans and scored first and last in the game. It was a powerful lesson in commitment to watch a team ignore the form book and league position to play every phase, both sides of the ball, like their lives depended on it. My money is on them springing a surprise on someone before the league is finished.
Thankfully, having played Nenagh twice already, Clontarf were well prepared for the physical onslaught to come.
The game opened with both sides trying to play a bit and getting mullered for their trouble. First blood went to Nenagh after a superb carry by centre Blackmore was carried into the home 22 where Tarf conceded a penalty in front for 0 3. Nenagh promptly made a horlicks of the restart, inviting Tarf into their 22 where they conceded a pen and the lineout maul did the rest for 7 3.
5 minutes later Fionn Gilbert blocked a releasing kick in the Nenagh 22 which forced a knock on for a home scrum. A few phases later Tadhg Bird found Con Kelly on the loop and Tarf were in again for 14 3.
Towards the end of the first quarter Nenagh caught Tarf faffing around in their own 22 playing hot potato, turned the ball over, and after another great surge from Blackmore his centre partner Coffey broke umpteen tackles on his way to the line for 14 10.
With 5 to Half Time, Tarf set up camp in the Nenagh 22 and, after a couple of tap penalties, Jordan Coghlan got in to the right of the posts for 21 10.
Nenagh stayed true and after Tarf again made a mess of clearing their 22, the visitors turned it over and Matthew Burke scored near the posts for 21 17. Once again Nenagh couldn’t deal with the restart and conceded a scrum for accidental offside. Tarf won a penalty at the set piece, and drove the lineout to the line where Jordan got in again for 28 17 and Half Time.
It was rugby in awful conditions. Notably, there were no jackal turnovers in the first half for either side and the Clontarf handling close to the opposition line was flawless. A serious effort of ball control considering the cold and the wet.
The second half started with a scrum fest in the right hand corner on the Nenagh line with multiple resets as the forwards stayed warm and the backs turned a light shade of purple.
When the ball was finally released, it was nothing short of a miracle that they managed to move it across the line through numb hands where Alex O’Grady was well tackled by the Nenagh left winger. From the resulting ruck he was not be denied and scored when the ball was moved left again. Con Kelly added his fifth conversion, out of 5 efforts, which brought the score to 35 17.
That was pretty much that. The forwards dominated the game from that point on and seemed to manufacture set piece, after set piece, which kept them warm at least. Nenagh got the final score after Blackmore took a switch pass from a scrum and made the line to the left of the posts. So 35 24 the final score and the sweet relief of a warm club bar!
Next week we visit Lakeland’s and renew our old rivalry with Terenure. A quick glance at the table shows 6 teams in pursuit of 4 playoff spots with the teams from 3rd to 6th all, currently, with similar points.
This is going to be a cavalry charge to the line. Every game will be a final. And everyone will be especially motivated against Tarf …… nothing new there …. Thought I’d mention it though .
Peter Walsh
Chronicler of scrums, storms, and all the beautiful chaos at Castle Avenue and beyond.
