On a day of high scores and fluctuating fortunes when the J2s, 1st and J1s all played in Castle Avenue, it was hard to believe the closeness of the scorelines of the last two games with the seniors coming out on the wrong side of an agonizing heartbreaking three-point loss, whereas the J1 team won by three points. In so doing, they went back to the top of this division with three games to play. This was a very important win in a game played in tricky conditions with a crosswind and intermittent rain showers.

They say the sign of a good team is one that deals well with adversity and bounces back when things do not go their way. This applies to this team who prevailed in this game despite the loss of home advantage with the game being transferred, coming off a loss and up against a side whose league ambitions were on the line. They were faced with a real physical challenge from Clontarf who had an enormous pack of forwards which they used early on to good effect. They found a way to win despite this which from a coaching point of view is very satisfying knowing that they are up for the fight as the season reaches its climax.

This game opened with a dominant Clontarf pack imposing their game plan on Lansdowne very much in the scrum and in the early stages of the game territorially. However, it was Lansdowne who struck first with the penalty after six minutes from out half Jack Connolly.

The home side then enjoyed a period where they exerted real pressure and after twelve minutes their right winger scored their first try from out on the left after good forward play and some missed tackles. With the conversion added the score was 7-3. This continued and after twenty minutes the score became 14-3 when with Lansdowne holding possession, they coughed up the ball and allowed Clontarf to break out. The Ball passed through hands into the centre number 12 who broke through the Defence from the 10-meter line to run in and score unchallenged in the right-hand corner. The conversion was also added. 

However, this team is nothing if not resilient with ball in hand and they fought back despite an opposition who tried to bully them and after thirty minutes they scored their first try courtesy of fullback Cathal Eddy after good work by the forwards. The conversion was added by Connolly and the scoreline was 14-10. 

It was now the J1’s who started to show more attacking intent and gained good field position as a result. With half time approaching, great work by centre Dylan O'Keeffe who broke tackles and bashed his way through the home Defence led to him scoring close to the posts allowing Connolly to convert. This left the half-time score at 17 - 14 a good return especially considering the opening exchanges.

This had been a good fight back by the J1 team and that was the message at half time with more of the same called for. This message got through and from the restart we were very much on the front foot moving the big home forward pack around and after eight minutes, the said Dylan O'Keeffe doubled his total by scoring another lovely try following great work by Connolly who added the conversion to make the score 14 - 24.

The home side were now on the back foot, and we grew in confidence and momentum throughout the first quarter of the second half. We continued the offensive and attacked Clontarf in the red zone, and it was from one of these attacks that prop Ben Popplewell showed up to break through to score and with Connolly's conversion made the scoreline 14 - 31. That was enough to deliver the bonus point.

It was to get even better for Lansdowne as the home side now shell shocked had no answer to the incessant attacking play. Midway through the half, no 8 Louis McGauran made a good break from inside the ’22 which was enough to score again leaving the score at a comfortable 14 - 38. One must remember that Clontarf had led 14 - 3… some turn around.

With such a healthy lead, you would have felt that the game was won but as the earlier result had shown you can take nothing for granted. With their league season on the line, unsurprisingly the home team showed resilience in mounting a fight back powering over for two quick converted tries within a five-minute period, changing the complexion of the score to 28 - 38 with ten minutes to go.

It then got somewhat nervy for the J1’s with yet another momentum swing. The message with personnel changes made from the bench was to keep Clontarf away from the red zone and play the game in their half. They were having none of this and they could smell that a real turnaround was possible.

They attacked and upped their energy levels, and it was they who now exerted pressure. The clock was ticking down into the last five minutes when Clontarf got a penalty on the 10-meter line and kicked for the corner. From the resulting line out, they moved the ball close to the Lansdowne line and several phases later scored in the corner. The conversion from the sideline followed 35 - 38 and time for a restart.

Surely, they could not repeat what their seniors had done earlier and come back to secure what looked like a most unlikely win. The restart was long from Lansdowne and the chase was good and despite several phases from Clontarf they were unable to get beyond their 22-meter line. Eventually the ball was turned over into Lansdowne hands who punted the ball to touch to end the game.

This week special mention for out half Jack Connolly who gave a man of the match performance. He is an elegant player and distributor of the ball. He is also a fine place kicker as well as having a mighty boot out of hand. Also, both centres Dylan O'Keeffe who scored two tries and Tom Bohan who again produced a very solid display. In the forwards, No. 8 Louis McGauran and lock Luke O'Connor play to a high standard and were a thorn in the side of Clontarf throughout the duration of the game.

This was a huge win no doubt and a very satisfying win which was greatly celebrated by the players after the match had finished. Any win here is a good win, and this team have now done this twice this season. 

The next Fixture is another tricky game away to Barnhall who are threatened with relegation and will no doubt be throwing everything at us in pursuit of an upset. That is all for now as this exciting season in terms of the league is nearing its conclusion and there is everything to look forward to from this team.