Clondalkin continue good run of form

CLONDALKIN Rugby Club continued their impressive league form with a dominant 41-10 victory over North Kildare, securing their fifth consecutive league win and closing the gap on leaders Coolmine to just two points.

North Kildare started the match brightly in Clondalkin, taking an early lead with a well-struck penalty.

However, Clondalkin responded in style with some excellent attacking rugby.

Mikey Russell crossed for the first try, followed by Eoin Delaney, who broke free from a maul to touch down.

Niall Nolan added the conversion, giving Clondalkin a 12-3 advantage.

North Kildare refused to back down and applied sustained pressure on Clondalkin’s defensive line before eventually scoring a try of their own.

With the successful conversion, the halftime score stood at a narrow 12-10 in favor of Clondalkin.

At the start of the second half, Clondalkin regained control through a moment of opportunism.

A loose ball popped out of a ruck and landed in the hands of captain Mikey Russell, who sprinted from the halfway line to score under the posts.

Niall Nolan slotted the conversion, extending Clondalkin’s lead to 19-10.

This pivotal moment gave Clondalkin a surge of confidence, and they began to dominate proceedings.

Karl Jebb showed his finishing ability on the wing, while substitute Neil Finlay capped off a well-worked team move with another try.

Michael Russell then provided a moment of brilliance with an audacious offload to set up Niall Nolan for yet another score.

Clondalkin rounded off their emphatic performance with a seventh try, as Simon King powered over from a 5m pushover scrum.

This result marks Clondalkin’s fifth consecutive league win and, with Coolmine suffering a defeat to Longford, leaves them just two points behind the league leaders.

With both teams set to face off in the final game of the season, Clondalkin now has a golden opportunity to claim the league title.