Hartigan try paves way as Bohs head pack again

UL Bohemian 10 Clontarf 3

THERE are times when, during a marathon 15-game league season, teams are happy just to grind out a win while performing below their best. This was one such occasion as UL Bohemian staggered their way back to the top of the All-Ireland League with a hard-earned victory over a Clontarf outfit at Thomond Park yesterday.

The Limerick side may have set the competition alight, scoring a staggering 12 tries over the opening two weekends, but this was an occasion when they were relieved to claim the precious four points on offer.

This was a hugely disappointing contest, with neither side managing to impose themselves on the game.

A single try was sufficient for last season’s fifth-placed team to maintain their winning start to the campaign.

In a scrappy contest, Ryan Hartigan’s opportunist touchdown after 33 minutes ultimately proved the difference between the sides.

That score was created by the only real piece of quality, attacking rugby on show in the entire opening half.

UL Bohs’ Aussie-born out-half Ben Martin made a terrific break from inside his own half, stepping inside his opposite number, before wrong-footing several ‘Tarf players. The move eventually broke down close to the Clontarf ‘22 when Martin’s long, looping pass was knocked on by a team-mate. Clontarf failed to gain clean possession from the resultant scrum, thanks to the tenacity of UL Bohs’ scrum half, Fergal Lawlor. And the alert Hartigan pounced on the loose ball to score a crucial try. Martin added the extras to see the home side into a 7-0 half-time lead.

The Dublin side failed to score for the opening hour of the game, with Darragh O’Shea accounting for their only score through a 63rd-minute penalty goal.

Crucially, the home side responded with a score when the prolific Martin brought his points tally for the competition this season to 30 with a well-struck penalty goal three minutes later.

The Limerick side continues to boast the meanest defence in the competition, having coughed up a total of just 14 points in three AIL outings this season.

In contrast, Clontarf made the journey back to Dublin with just a single bonus point to show for their efforts.

UL/BOHEMIAN: M Butler; M McPhail, T. Luke, C Finn, I Hanley; B Martin, F. Lawlor; K Flanagan, F. Leonard, M Storey; B Madigan, A Hartigan; R Hartigan, J E O’Connor, J O’Neill.

Replacements: C Parkes for F Leonard, A O’Gorman for R Hartigan (both 56), M Skelton for M Butler (64), D Farrell for F Lawlor (79).

CLONTARF: D O’Shea; P Howard, M Hewitt, N McNamara, M Rantz McDonald; P O’Brien, F O’Loughlin; J Wickham, N Carson, A Clarke; A Trenier, M Garvey; S Crawford, D Quinn, P Purdue.

Replacements: A O’Donnell for A Clarke (36), M Nethery for D O’Shea (63), C Healy for D Quinn, K Dorian for J Wickham (both 66), R Dillon for M Hewitt (70).

Referee: M. Kilgore (IRFU).