CLONTARF bagged a deserved bonus point on home territory after keeping a firm grip on the game in the second half once they had built a 15-3 lead before half time.

They started on an offensive footing and earned a quick penalty courtesy of Darragh O'Shea. This opener was followed by a show of forward strength which led them to the UCD line for a virtual push-over try before scrum half Fiach O'Loughlin darted round his forwards for the touchdown.

Both sides gave value for money for the rest of the first half. UCD were particularly expansive with out-half Ian Keatley leading the way, but while they entertained the crowd they failed to put points on the board.

Despite their flourishes and a barely-missed dropped goal attempt by Keatley, they only had a Fergus McFadden penalty to show for it all at half-time.

Clontarf always looked more dangerous close-in and out-half Peter O'Brien showed their second lethal touch with a try close to the posts which O'Shea converted.

UCD hardly deserved to turnover so far behind, but their open style began to let them down early in the second half despite another penalty by McFadden.

Clontarf 's pre-planned introduction of Bernard Jackman and Adrian Clarke just after half time added further steel to a pack that was already beginning to dominate proceedings.

Clontarf also began to monopolise the territorial advantage and UCD's ball handling began to slip into disarray in the face of more organised aggression from the Northsiders.

A good break by O'Brien from within his own half brought play to UCD's fivemetre line and produced a push-over try which was touched down by loose head prop Johnny Wickham after 52 minutes. The long-awaited bonus finally came after a number of disappointments when Peter O'Brien got his second try.

CLONTARF M Nephery, P Howard, D O'Shea, N McNamara, M Rantz McDonald, P O'Brien, F O'Loughlin (capt), J Wickham, C Healy, A O'Donnell, A Prenier, J Duffy, S Crawford, N Carson, M Garvey Subs A Clarke for Healy, 44 mins; B Jackman for O Donnell, 44 mins; N O'Brien for Howard, 61 mins; R Dillon for O'Loughlin, 63 mins; P Purdue for Duffy, 72 mins UCD D Nyhan, Hickey-Crowe, F McFadden, M Hastings, K Lett, I Peatley, B O'Neill, B McGovern, C Geoghegan (capt), N Best, A Houlihan, C Doyle, L Burke, G Murphy, K Croke Subs A Franciosi for Murphy, 10 mins; B Hall for Best, C Quinn for Nyhan, M Buckley for O Neill, all 61 mins Referee Olan Trevor (Munster)