Clontarf go second

Clontarf 44 County Carlow 14

Classy Clontarf moved second in the Division One standings thanks to a seven-try 44-14 demolition of bottom side County Carlow this afternoon.

There was a complete mismatch at Castle Avenue as Phil Werahiko’s side roared to their sixth league win on the trot, and eighth in all. It was also the tenth bonus point the Dubliners had incredibly won in eleven league outings.

The game was effectively over at the break as ‘Tarf led 32-7. The opening minutes saw Carlow's Ross Barbour almost get in for a try, but the ball was slapped out of his hands within sight of the line.

Full-back Darragh O'Shea opened the 'Tarf scoring with a penalty. The try blitz started when winger Niall O'Brien touched down on 12 minutes. Marc Hewitt, O’Shea, Breffni O’Donnell and Daragh Ffrench followed suit in the first half. In between, Test referee Alain Rolland awarded Carlow a penalty try as the home pack wilted under some maul pressure.

Two 'Tarf tries in the first ten minutes of the second half sealed Carlow's fate. Number 8 Phil Purdue and Derek Keane, the league's top try-scorer, crossed the visitors' whitewash.

At 44-7 down, Carlow had little to play for but they did raise a cheer from their travelling support when replacement flanker Andy Melville grabbed a consolation score under the posts.