I was making a mental list of activities that are ruined by raging wind. Things like lighting a cigar outdoors, playing badminton, eating a sandwich on a beach… a romantic dinner for two… and, of course, rugby.
It was to the credit of both sides that they managed to deliver such a tight, skillful match given the horrendous weather conditions. A howling gale blowing from the car park end made a lottery out of the defensive kicking game for the team playing towards Castle Avenue. The prevailing wind dictated where the game would be played on the pitch, so the team that applied the more effective tactics into the wind were always odds-on to come out on top.
Clontarf kicked off with the gale and were rewarded straight away with a jackal penalty for 3–0. James Tarrant replied for Lansdowne after two successive scrum penalties gave the visitors territory in the home 22. Tarf looked to have scored the first try after a sweeping right-to-left move, but it was brought back for a foot in touch. Lansdowne then lost their lineout, and from the resulting possession Dylan Donnellan crashed over after some patient shunting on the visitors’ line.
With ten minutes to go in the half, Stephen Ryan got in on the right after an off-the-ball slap on Sam Owens gave Tarf another attacking platform close to the Lansdowne line. This time, the hod carriers handed it to the backs, and Ryan finished well to make it 15–3. As half-time approached, Lansdowne enjoyed a spell of dominance and earned a lineout in the Tarf 22 after two penalties in quick succession. Another penalty at the maul gave them a throw on the 5, but strong home defence forced an error to bring the half to a close at 15–3.
Tarf turned into the wind for the second half and conceded early when a searing break out of defence by Dylan O’Grady broke down, allowing Lansdowne to counter back to the home line. A pick-and-shunt try, followed by a beautiful conversion from Tarrant, closed the gap to an ominous 15–10.
Clontarf then had to dig deep against both the storm and a resurgent Lansdowne. It was during this period that their game management came to the fore. Tarf began to use their scrum dominance as a defensive weapon, forcing penalties that not only relieved pressure but also gave them attacking possession from the lineout — crucial when playing into the wind.
The home try of the game came from this very platform. Moving into the final ten minutes, Tarf won a scrum on their own line and, guided by Ivan Soroka, forced a penalty that was drilled to touch just outside the 22. The resulting maul marched 15 yards towards halfway, where Lansdowne conceded again — and another ten yards were added for dissent. Suddenly, Tarf were inside the visitors’ 22. From the lineout, the ball emerged for Alex O’Grady to carry hard, before Con Kelly found his brother cutting a superb line and his pass sent Peter Maher over in the corner for 20–10.
Tarf now had some breathing space — and a touch of luck — when Tarrant smacked a penalty off the upright, allowing Conor Fahy to monster the rebound into touch five yards inside the Lansdowne half. As full-time approached, Lansdowne struck again after a dab through wasn’t dealt with and full-back Lawlor showed nifty footwork to regather and score. Tarrant converted to make it 20–17 and set up a big finish.
Clontarf worked the ball down the left and earned a lineout on the visitors’ line, but a lapse in concentration saw the forwards pinged for offside on the throw just as a bonus-point try seemed on the cards. The closing stages were all about concentration and application. Ben Griffin earned a heroic turnover in a Lansdowne maul, the scrum continued to dominate to the delight of the home crowd, and when tackles were needed, they came in abundance. Fittingly, Aaron Coleman sealed the result with the final jackal of the game.
Peter Walsh
Chronicler of scrums, storms, and all the beautiful chaos at Castle Avenue.
