Clontarf advanced to the semi-final of the Smithwick's Old Belvedere Floodlit Cup with a hard-earned victory over DLSP, who had a man sent off after 15 minutes, at Anglesea Road last night.

DLSP out-half Tommy James opened the scoring with a fifth-minute penalty, but Clontarf hit back just two minutes later, Alan Dignam diving over after Mick Coughlan had won possession at a line out. Richie Murphy kicked the conversion.

When a scrum inside the DLSP half suddenly erupted into a free-for-all DLSP's New Zealand flanker, Paul Nokori, was sent off. Several Clontarf players might have walked with him.

DLSP continued to battle on, and James cut the gap to the minimum with a second penalty. On the half hour DLSP were awarded a penalty inside the 22 and eventually gained a penalty try when Clontarf twice failed to retreat 10 metres. James kicked the conversion.

Richie Murphy kicked his first penalty in the 34th minute and Clontarf trailed 10-13 at half-time. Clontarf upped the pace from the start of the second half and from a five-metre scrum the excellent Dignam dived over for his second try. Back came DLSP again, James giving them a one-point lead with his third penalty, but the loss of Nokori was now beginning to tell. Murphy kicked penalties for Clontarf in the 54th and 68th minutes, and in between James, who had picked up a leg injury, was off target with a very kickable penalty.

Four minutes from time a somewhat laboured Clontarf passing move ended in a flourish, with centre Matt Smith swivelling away from the cover to score in the left corner. Right at the end Fitzsimons added a try, which Murphy converted.

DLSP: E Devitt; R Garvey, capt, N O'Riordan, K Lillis, S Gormley; T James, B Hogan; C O'Molloy, J Whitty, C Condron, D Kinsella, P McDonnell, P Nokori, J Lobban, P Werahiko. Replacements: N Byrne for B Hogan, 35 mins; S Walsh and S Cullen for T James and C O'Molloy, 72 mins.

Clontarf: M Woods; P Noble, G Aherne, M Smith, M Fitzsimons; R Murphy, S McCarthy; T Hannigan, B Jackman, P McQuillan, M Coughlan, M Meredith, S Guerin, S Horan, A Dignam. Replacements: I Stewart for S Horan, half-time; P Ward for S Guerin, 61 mins; J Jackman for M Meredith, 64 mins.

Referee: B Murphy (ARLB).