ENDEMIC of the club game in general, standards may well have dropped in the second division over recent years according to many in the know, but there's still life in the second tier. Indeed, Castle Avenue pulsated on Saturday by comparison to much of the half hearted fare of late in the top flight.
Indicative of summit meetings it revealed much and resolved plenty, if still leaving the key issues undecided. Clontarf blew Dolphin away with a clinical first half display which left the visitors in an almost palpable state of shock. Trailing 19-0, Dolphin redeemed something when sharing six tries in the second period but it had been an impressively dynamic performance by the home side.
"That's the best second division side I've played against in three years," gushed a sporting Dolphin captain, Phillip Scott. "They play a very quick game," he added, almost still catching his breath a half hour later.
It leaves Clontarf in pole position as they approach another summit meeting next Saturday at Bective in the penultimate round. Dolphin need a Clontarf win to regain second place before the three promotion contenders meet sides from the middle rump in the final round.
For much of the first hall, Dolphin looked the superior force. With Ken Spence only having eyes for Clontarf, Dolphin enjoyed a 16-4 penalty advantage in the first half (rising to 24-6 by the end), largely controlled the throw in and profited from a better lineout.
But Clontarf tackled brilliantly, and their potency off the base of a solid scrum was arguably the decisive difference between the teams.
Number eight David Moore probably made more yardage than any other player on the pitch, though flanker Pat Ward and hooker Brendan Jackman weren't far behind.
One of the game's abiding memories was of Moore taking the ball not just over the gain line but ten or 15 yards over it, whereupon Ronan O'Reilly would swiftly pop the ball up for the supporting runners, spearheaded by the ubiquitous Jackman, to arrive at full tilt. All superbly drilled with precision timing, the Kiwi coaching influence of Brent Pope was discernible.
"We try to play the type of game I played in Otago, with quick ruck ball and using Bernard and David especially. Recently we've been getting more attuned to playing a quick rucking, entertaining type of game - the way I think it should be played.
When stretched, Dolphin were easy prey for a sharp eyed Clontarf back line. The mercurial Micky Fitzsimons has always been one of the game's most gifted running out halves.
As if to emphasise the point he scored a trademark individual try - his seventh of the campaign - when switching an unrelenting post interval attack from the open side and skinning the entire Dolphin blind side - defence with a combination of acceleration, sleight of hands and strength.
Outside him Nicky Barry did everything - kicking, tackling and running - his best performance, apparently, of the season. And then there was the gifted Mark Woods. The 19 year old former Irish schools' outhalf took his tally for the campaign to five tries with a smartly taken hat trick and it is surely no coincidence that those tries and Clontarf's five game winning run have met with his switch from centre to full back.
Clontarf have always been a club high on potential but short on achievement, though that looks like changing now. With a huge chunk of the north side to themselves they could really flourish if promotion and progressive plans for a new 800 seater stand come to fruition.
Nor is it any harm that Skerries and Suttonians are also having their best season ever. The unfashionable northside seems to be a coming force in Dublin rugby and Clontarf are spearheading it.
