Ulster Bank Division 1A – Clontarf V Lansdowne – Irishrugby.ie

Jamie Chipman, Noel Reid, Ben Barclay; Cons: Richie Lane 2; Pens: Richie Lane 2

Tries: Matt Healy 2; Pen: Craig Ronaldson

Noel Reid; Richie Lane, Killian Lett, Collie O’Shea, Timmy McCoy; Evan Ryan, Sam Cronin; Ben Barclay, Aaron Dundon, Niall Treston, Ben Reilly, Jamie Chipman, Simon Crawford, Barry O’Mahony, Frank Cogan.Replacements: Jason Harris-Wright, Adrian D’Arcy, Des Merrey, Conor Keegan, Dermot O’Meara.

Ross McCarron; Cian Aherne, Sean Carey, Willie Walsh, Matt Healy; Craig Ronaldson, Paddy O’Driscoll; Jack O’Connell, Dave Toomey, Martin Moore, Neilus Keogh, Marc Feeley, Kieran Essex, Jordi Murphy, Ron Boucher.Replacements: Steve Collins, Darren O’Reilly, Willie Earle, Trevor Conneely, Greg Stafford.

Clontarf Win Floodlit Clash With Lansdowne

This was a competitive clash played as part of the Ulster Bank League’s Friday Night Lights series, with the visitors hoping to upset the form book.Lansdowne started the game brightly, and even though out-half Craig Ronaldson narrowly missed a penalty two minutes in, he showed great awareness to put winger Matt Healy through for the first try of the evening five minutes later.

This was exactly the kind of opening that Andy Wood’s ‘Tarf side would have been hoping to avoid. But they responded well as Richie Lane successfully converted a 35-metre penalty.

This helped to settle the home side down and they added to their tally after 22 minutes when towering second row Jamie Chipman touched down in the left corner at the end of a sweeping move.

Lane was on target with the subsequent conversion, and their lead soon increased to 10 points thanks a try from Noel Reid, set up brilliantly by centre Killian Lett in the 27th minute.

A Ronaldson penalty with six minutes of the first half remaining helped reduce the gap, but a third Clontarf try from bustling prop Ben Barclay handed the north Dubliners a comfortable 22-8 interval advantage.

Lansdowne had threatened to get a try just before the break though, and they finally managed to breach the stern Clontarf defence four minutes after the restart, as the elusive Healy got in for his second try.

Lansdowne continued to control possession for a time after this, but they failed to capitalise during this crucial juncture as a second penalty from Lane helped to calm down the nerves of last season’s beaten semi-finalists.

Mike Ruddock’s charges did their best to force the issue towards the finish, but Clontarf had just enough to hold out for four valuable league points.

Referee: Leo Colgan (IRFU)