Clontarf supporters will be excused for chewing the insides of their cheeks bloody in frustration as their side lost a game due to a recklessly slow start on the 4G in Castle Avenue.
In a first half strewn with home attacking errors, Lansdowne tacked on a solid 13 nil advantage which was pulled back to 5 – 13 by a superb Rob McGrath try right on half time. Clontarf’s first half performance was horribly erratic, mixing excellence with abject error which boosted the visitor’s morale in a game where they were forced to defend possession and territory for long periods. Most of the Lansdowne attacks were developed off Clontarf mistakes going forward. It was like watching Man Utd, we attack, make ground, go left, and go right . . . Splat, unforced error . . . frantic rear-guard defence against the counterattack, and the inevitable penalty or try to the opposition.
Jeez . . . Think of the supporters blood pressure guys!
In all of this, and with all the attacking inaccuracy, we defended well and managed to contain Lansdowne despite our profligacy. In the second half we came out transformed. Lansdowne were hunted and battered in all phases, and were forced into a litany of turnovers and errors. Not only that, but the increase in physicality from Tarf in the loose visibly wore the opposition down. With the error count reduced, the home side dominated the exchanges and the penalty count. With out half Joey Carbury getting it right from the tee, we soon had the lead pinned back to 11 – 13. Deasy made it 11 – 16 after another lapse in discipline and then ‘Tarf got in at the corner after a grinding maul. JC added the two for 18 – 16 and, much like November’s game in the Aviva we strapped in for the big finish.
Unfortunately, we hit the charity button again and a superb surge by Mick Noone from the kickoff was squandered by bad body position in the ensuing phase, we were penalised in the scrum and Lansdowne Out Half Deasy put us back into our 22 to defend. At that point with Lansdowne in possession it was a case of who would crack first, their attack or our defence. After multiple phases of keep ball in front of the posts Lansdowne forced the error and Deasy killed off ‘Tarf with, essentially, the last kick of the game.