Bonus-point victory continues Clontarf momentum

Clontarf 47 Garryowen 18

Clontarf continued their march towards the Ulster Bank League title with a bonus-point victory over Garryowen at Castle Avenue.

The Division 1A table toppers laid the groundwork with three converted tries in the first half, the best of them being a 70-metre dash from centre Killian Lett.

Noel Reid and Adrian D’Arcy nabbed a brace apiece and captain Barry O’Mahony also crossed the whitewash, helping ‘Tarf move a point clear of second-placed St. Mary’s whom they meet next time out.

The north Dubliners lost prop Ben Barclay to an early injury, but Kenny Dorian was a more than adequate replacement in the scrum.

‘Tarf took the lead when Lett, one of the division’s leading lights this season, gobbled up a loose ball in his 22 and outstripped the Garryowen cover for a superb solo try.

Richie Lane’s conversion was cancelled out by a penalty from Garryowen’s Declan Cusack, who added another soon after for a 7-6 scoreline.

But Andy Wood’s men pushed on after that and their pack really took over during a sustained period of dominance.

A penalty try was converted by Lane and a terrific maul drive sent the Light Blues backwards right on half-time, allowing the tricky Reid to glide in for a seven-pointer.

Leinster prospect Reid scooted over for his second try and ‘Tarf’s bonus point score, early in the second period, to effectively end the game as a contest.

A charging D’Arcy got in on the try-scoring act by dummying a couple of Garryowen defenders for the home side’s fifth, which went unconverted after Lane hit an upright.

Garryowen got into the game again after Clontarf’s Dermot O’Meara was sin-binned. Their talented centre Corey Hircock made it four tries in two games for himself with a brace in the closing 30 minutes.

However, the division’s front runners were never really troubled and completed their seven-try tally with a second from D’Arcy and a trademark burst from O’Mahony, who thundered in from inside his own half.

Scorers: Clontarf: Tries: Killian Lett, Penalty try, Noel Reid 2, Adrian D’Arcy 2, Barry O’Mahony; Cons: Richie Lane 6

Garryowen: Tries: Corey Hircock 2; Con: Declan Cusack; Pen: Declan Cusack 2

HT: Clontarf 21 Garryowen 6