Hosie Cup Semi Final

Clondalkin (12) vs Cill Dara (18)
Gordon Park 23 Nov 08

Article by Jonny Stapleton

Two rugby illnesses literally cost Clondalkin a place in their first ever Hoise Cup final in Gordon Park last Sunday afternoon. A mystery front row bug spread rapidly through the visiting Cill Dara pack and eventually forced the referee to make the scrum, an area were Clondalkin were completely dominant, uncontested. If the scrum remained competitive there is no doubt the hosts would have packed down one of the many five meter penalties they won in the second half and walked it over to secure victory.

As it was however, the Gordon Park men were denied their scrum advantage and despite dominating territory and possession they failed to register the decisive score as a more common rugby sickness, white line fever cost them dear. Clon, who have been hit and miss this term, didn’t make a bright start and fell behind to an early try and penalty. The Clon pack then lifted their game and got due reward with yet another push over try from a 5 metre scrum. At this point Clondalkin took the initiative and out played and out fought the Division 1 side. The home scrum was phenomenal and it eventually led to a second Clondalkin score. After driving Cill Dara back nearly 20 yards the diminutive Mark Molloy broke from the back of the scrum. He popped the ball to the inspirational Kevin Hanlon and he wasn’t going to be stopped from three yards and gave Clon the lead at the turn.

Clon continued to dominate after the interval, but a second visiting prop fell foul to injury and was removed from the park forcing uncontested scrums. This injury coincided with Clondalkins first scrum of the 2nd half that within striking distance of the Cill Dara try line. Despite loosing a key advantage the hosts seemed to dominate in most areas, but fell behind to a break away score to regain the league. Clon instantly went in search of the score that would put them into the final, but it was a case of close but no cigar on more than one occasion. A number of penalties gave them the perfect platform of attack on more than one occasion. Brian Doyle, Tom Duffy, Sean Brennan and particularly Philly Byrne all threatened but were held up short.

With the pressure pilling on the Kildare side began to become defensively disorganised leaving huge gaps and overlaps but Clondalkin failed to take advantage and eventually exited the competition at the penultimate stage.

Added by Murts November 28, 2008 (9:16AM)

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