Cork Constitution dished out a severe beating to one of their main play-off rivals at Castle Avenue this afternoon.
Munster out-half Jeremy Manning was in man-of-the-match form as he tallied up 19 points for Con, thanks to a try, a conversion, two penalties and two drop-goals.
A third-minute breakaway try from Max Rantz-McDonald caught Con on the hop but Manning steered them to a 13-7 half-time lead.
Tries from Cronan Healy, former Munster and Ireland winger John Kelly and Daragh Lyons followed as Con maintained their first place position in Division One.
Clontarf have been building up some serious momentum in recent weeks with home wins over UL Bohemians in the AIB League and Garryowen in the AIB Cup, so this was a deflating defeat.
With former Ireland Under-20 scrum-half Paul O’Donohoe ruled out due to injury, ‘Tarf started with noted winger Phil Howard in at number nine and they made a blistering start with Con being turned over badly and a lightning break finishing with Rantz-McDonald touching down.
However, Con’s strength at the breakdown and Manning’s ability to kick his side 40-50 yards downfield proved crucial as the Leesiders soon swung the game in their favour.
Manning was well served by his half-back partner John Stringer, who stepped in for the injured Duncan Williams, and scampered over close to the posts for his try.
The New Zealand-born number ten converted it, added a penalty and then swung over a delightful drop-goal close to half-time to give Con a six-point lead heading into the second half.
Flanker Billy Holland continued to show well for the league leaders during the early part of the second half. A further penalty and drop goal from Manning sent Con into a 19-7 lead before his departure.
A superb try by winger Healy, after a dinked kick from Stringer, edged Billy Walsh’s men further in front.
A simple case of numbers out wide then saw Kelly get in on the scoring act and Lyons, on as a replacement for Manning, did likewise as ‘Tarf’s defence disintegrated and the north Dubliners coughed up far too many turnovers.
Scorers:
Clontarf: Try: Max Rantz-McDonald; Con: Ian Keatley
Cork Constitution: Tries: Jeremy Manning, Cronan Healy, John Kelly, Daragh Lyons; Cons: Jeremy Manning, Daragh Lyons; Pens: Jeremy Manning 2; Drops: Jeremy Manning 2.
