Clontarf re-establish top spot

Galwegians 16, Clontarf 34

Clontarf re-established their credentials as division one title holders at the expense of Galwegians' top four hopes in Crowley Park.

Galwegians had stayed in touch until the 80th minute, but with time running out Clontarf maintained the pressure to run in two tries in three minutes, thereby extending their lead to a comfortable 18 points.

Until then Galwegians had always been in the running, if on the back foot, and when hooker Jerry Flannery claimed the home side's only try after 70 minutes, there were just four points between the sides.

Ultimately, however, the superior Clontarf forward unit received its just reward for a peformance of total control and discipline.

Galwegians trailed by a single point at half time, having failed to turn the first 20 minutes of domination into anything worthwhile, other than an Eric Elwood penalty.

However they then lost control of the game and prop Peter Bracken through injury as Clontarf found their rhythm.

An opening try fashioned from a penalty kicked to touch, which hooker Bernard Jackman claimed, was the motivation for a period of Clontarf domination in which Galwegians conceded three penalties inside five minutes - two of which Daragh O¹Shea attempted, but only one of which was

successful.

Although Clontarf looked more able to find the gap, particularly through the strong No 8 Dave Moore, Galwegians kept in touch through the accurate kicking from veteran Eric Elwood, and another two penalties closed the gap to 9 - 10 at half time.

While O'Shea tacked on another penalty after 48 minutes, Galwegians once again failed to breach the well drilled Clontarf cover.

Instead Jackman claimed his second try before Galwegians hooker Flannery squeezed in after a

maul from John Casserly's line-out catch and Elwood converted, reducing the deficit to just four points.

Yet Clontarf's superiority up front manifested itself into two further tries - the first on 80 minutes when James Downey sealed the victory, and the second from fellow centre Daire Higgins who secured the bonus point.

Galwegians: W Ruane, M McPhail, G Duffy, M Murphy, J Cleary, E Elwood, A Page, D McFarland, J Flannery, P Bracken, D Browne, J Casserly, B Gavin, M Swift, E Peters. Replacements, R Hogan for Bracken (27m), J Muldoon for Swift (50m).

Clontarf: D O¹Shea, N O'Brien, D Higgins, J Downey, O Winchester, D Hewitt, M Walls, W O'Kelly, B Jackman, A Clarke, A Wood, B Gissing, D Quinn, S O'Dowell, D Moore. Replacements, A Cullen for Quinn (64m).

Referee: G Doyle (Leinster).