Such a typical post-Christmas game, with all of the inaccuracy you would expect after the long break. It doesn’t help either that the fixtures are bookended pre and post-Christmas, so we end up playing the same Club in game 10 that we played in game 9. Surely it would make sense to play in the same order as games 1 to 9 with home advantage reversed.
On Saturday Tarf and Hinch renewed rivalry, after Tarf prevailed in the Bateman Cup final before Christmas. The games followed a similar pattern, although this game was dominated by post-Christmas rustiness, rather than the storm that marred the final.
The first quarter was eminently forgettable, with the exception of Clontarf’s defence, which managed 3 turnovers. to cancel its set piece inaccuracy. Hinch opened the scoring with a penalty early and dominated territory for the first quarter because Tarf were giving them the ball at every opportunity.
It wasn’t until deep into the second quarter that Tarf got some field position and, as the cobwebs loosened, the vision cleared, that the forwards set about the Down men and, after some pounding, the ball was transferred left to right and Tadhg Bird put Alex O’Grady in under the posts for 3 7.
Five minutes later Tarf were back and Fionn Gilbert got in, again , after minutes of pounding on the Hinch line. It wasn’t pretty, but in the circumstances it was appropriate and effective. Hinch added another pen for 6 13 which took us to half time.