Seconds Towns Plate

Towns Plate Cill Dara 15 Clondalkin 17 Jonny Stapleton Clondalkin second’s kept their season alive battling as if their lives depended on it to progress to the next round of the Towns Plate with victory over divisionally superior opposition. Cill Dara yesterday. Tries from Crazy, Kingo and Darragh Ward ensured Clon killed Dara’s cup hopes, but fight rather than flair was the true catalyst behind the impressive win in a very physical encounter. Now having after winning the key battles to eventually win what was a rugby war the Gordon Park side will renew acquaintances with another Division 1 side Porlaiose on Easter Sunday. “It was a brilliant result for us here today. This side had the potential to win the league but we messed that up. We have a tough run if we are to make it to the final of this competition, but we proved ourselves against away to a great side today. We will do our best to get the silverware this side deserves,” captain Ali told CRTV after the tie. Clon made a bright start to proceedings and set up camp in opposition territory while both camps set the physical tone for the game with big hits early on. There was no quarter given or ask for come ruck time, but also no scores early on as defences reigned supreme. Fittingly when the open score came it arrived as a result of true grit rather than guile. Kev , who would be disgruntled he didn’t get as much playing time as he wanted this term, bullied his was through a ruck before dispossessing the opposition and hacking the ball down field. Clon won the race for possesion and after a few marvellous off loads the inform crazy found himself in possesion and the player, who is enjoying his best ever season in yellow, raced home. Ben Ten added the extra’s and clon went 7-0 ahead. The visitors continued to dominate with Brain Berry on his return from a eye injury and Kingo excelling. ‘Straight Jacket’ was let loose on the tie- and the substitute also impressed. Indeed Kingo nearly extended the away sides lead just minutes into the second half as he intercepted deep into his own half before being caught just yards before the line. Cill Dara were much more aggressive and pumped up after the half time break and it took good defense by clon with the forward to keep them at bay. The front eight also dominated the set piece with the 'Sweet' putting the opposition line out under pressure. The home pressure finally told however and Cill Dara kicked their way back into contention. The home side, however still found it frustratingly hard to breach the opposition defensive line, with the likes of O’Connor, Sweets, MeGraw, Kingo, Ali and particularly Ben Ten registering essential hits. As a result the hosts became somewhat frustrated and an indiscipline crept into the their game and Clon took full advantage and punished them for their rugby sins. As the hosts questioned a referee decision Clon took a tap and sent substitute winger Ward, who has flirted with brilliance in the nine shirt at times this term, scampering home. Cill Dara did get a consolation score with the last kick of the game but it was too little to late and Clon march on at their expense.

Added by TomDuffy April 19, 2011 (6:35PM)

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