Dunne sticks boot into Clontarf
ST MARY’S COLLEGE 19
CLONTARF 17
A HAUL of 14 points from the boot of full-back Gavin Dunne proved decisive at Castle Avenue as St Mary’s College recorded their fourth victory of the campaign against Clontarf.
The reigning champions opened the scoring courtesy of a 22-metre penalty from Dunne, but Clontarf’s Noel Reid replied 16 minutes in.
Dunne soon added a second penalty, but a mazy run from Leinster ‘A’ star Reid paved the way for right-wing Michael McGrath to touch down moments later. Reid missed the conversion, and Mary’s then nicked a third Dunne penalty before Gerry Sexton drove over for a converted try.
This gave the visitors a 16-8 lead the break, but this was reduced eight minutes after the resumption by a Reid penalty, and HIS supremely struck effort on 66 minutes left just two point between the sides.
This intensified the pressure on Mary’s, but Dunne rose to the occasion by restoring his side’s five-point lead with his fourth penalty with six minutes remaining.
Reid gave last season’s runners-up some hope with a 77th minute three-pointer, but out-half Darragh
Fitzpatrick’s two drop-goal attempts in stoppage fell short, much to the relief of a jubilant Mary’s bench.
CLONTARF – N Reid; M McGrath, K Lett, E Ryan, T McCoy; D Fitzpatrick, D O’Meara (S Cronin 44); B Barclay, C O’Flynn (J Larbey 71), R Burke-Flynn (T Furlong 53); B Reilly, M Flanagan (S Crawford 53); C O’Keeffe, A D’Arcy, M Garvey
ST MARY’S COLLEGE – G Dunne; D Hudson (C Hogan 80+1), M O’Driscoll (A Burke 71), R Hudson, D Fanning; P Brophy, M D’Arcy; C McMahon (A Lyons 57), D Fawcett, Rob Sweeney
(C McMahon 72); S Bradshaw (M Fallon 57), G Sexton (S Bradshaw 70); C Ruddock, G Austin, D Keller.
REF – M Patton (IRFU).