Scrum half Paul O’Donohoe, hooker Niall Carson and lock Simon Crawford all touched down as ‘Tarf maintained their league position of fourth.

A penalty from former ‘Tarf out-half David McAllister had Terenure leading 3-0 at the break.

But McAllister turned villain when he was sin-binned for clashing with O’Donohoe after the latter’s try and the home side took control over the closing half-hour.

The sides took part in a ten-try thriller at Lakelands Park last March but this renewal of rivalries was never going to be a try fest.

Played in freezing temperatures, this clash had plenty of niggle and some of the tackling meant referee Ken Henley-Willis could easily have sin-binned more than two players.

As it was, it was Terenure duo McAllister and Brian Moroney who saw yellow in the second half and the visitors could not recover after leaking that first try to the impressive O’Donohoe.

‘Nure could not make use of the elements in the first half and it was almost like Andy Wood’s Clontarf side were biding their time until the turnaround. McAllister’s penalty, ten minutes in, was the only score of the opening half.

‘Tarf got motoring when their forwards put together a well-worked series of attacks and five phases later, O’Donohoe was scampering over in the right corner. The referee spotted a dig by McAllister on O’Donohoe as he dotted down the ball and promptly sin-binned the ‘Nure number 10.

The conversion was missed but ‘Tarf strengthened their lead when they turned a quick lineout into a maul drive and hooker Carson piled over the line, again in the right corner.

The third and final try was initiated from another lineout with team captain Crawford the man to get the touchdown and full-back Peter O’Brien’s conversion was the icing on the cake.

Scorers: Clontarf: Tries: Paul O’Donohoe, Niall Carson, Simon Crawford; Con: Peter O’Brien

Terenure College: Pen: David McAllister