Ormond’s good run of form continues
RUGBY: Energia All-Ireland League Division 2A Round 14
Nenagh Ormond 38
Rainey Old Boys 0
Report: Thomas Conway in Lisatunny
MATCH DIGEST
Player of the Match: Nicky Irwin (Nenagh Ormond)
SCORERS – Nenagh Ormond: Tries: Corcoran, McGibney, Penalty, J O’Flaherty, Gleeson, Coman. Convs: McGibney (3)
Nenagh Ormond’s good run of form continued last Saturday with an impressive bonus-point victory over Rainey Old Boys, further confirmation that the Tipp club have finally found their groove in what has been, at times, a turbulent 2021/22 season.
The win extends Nenagh’s advantage over Rainey at the bottom of the table to nine points. The Magherafelt side entered this game imbued with the knowledge that a win might somehow salvage their hopes of getting out of the relegation playoff in Division 2A.
If nothing else, an away victory in Lisatunny would have added spice to a relegation battle which has been bubbling for some time, but Ormond did everything in their power to prevent that eventuality. And they succeeded, delivering an unspectacular performance which ticked all the necessary boxes, satisfying a home crowd which was sizeable, though not enormous.
From a rugby perspective at least, Saturday failed to produce its anticipated levels of excitement. France v Scotland was a one-dimensional affair; Nenagh were imperious for vast swathes of this AIL fixture, but their opponents were underwhelming throughout.
The Derry side could certainly play rugby - they carried the ball well and did their best to move the play wide but lacked the outright conviction which Nenagh displayed in possession.
Ormond looked dangerous from the get-go, Evan Murphy powering through the centre following a brilliant steal from the foot of the rook. His impromptu decision to kick might have been a little misguided, but Nenagh gained ground nonetheless and soon after, they forged a first try - Nicky Irwin whisking a pass straight to the oncoming Derek Corcoran, who glided through and grounded just left of the posts. McGibney slotted the conversion - an easy, confidence-building kick. Nenagh were up and running.
A slight scare moment gave the home side pause for thought - Rainey flanker John McCusker carving through a gap on the far wing. He was eventually halted, with play shifting quickly to the centre before the Derry side committed one of numerous handling errors, allowing the ball to slip from their grasp at the most inopportune time. The mistakes themselves were never fatal, but from a Rainey perspective, the frequency was frustrating.
Nenagh capitalised, spotting Rainey's lack of attentiveness and seizing on it without remorse. A quick tap from Derek Corcoran enabled Nicky Irwin to slip through and shoot towards the corner, and although he was bundled down, a recurrent theme was emerging.
Something similar occurred with Peter Coman about five minutes later and this time Nenagh were rewarded. Coman's break unleashed a series of rooks, with the ball eventually scattered out wide towards McGibney, who found just enough space to fling himself over the line, pinning the ball down right of the posts. He failed to connect sweetly with the conversion, but the miss never looked like it would cost Nenagh in the long-run.
Save one powerful maul in the centre of the field, there was an absence of energy in the Rainey attack, which seemed unable to sustain Nenagh’s high-tempo tackling and structural solidity.
By his standards, Davy Gleeson had been relatively quiet, until a burst in the 34th minute saw him dart towards the corner. Had he grounded, the conversion would have been difficult, but it wasn't required, as Gleeson was dragged down illegally en route to the line, prompting referee John Carville to grant a penalty-try.
Various stoppages contributed to what was, at times, a fairly drab first-half, and even though Nenagh ran in several second-half tries, the closing forty minutes also seemed to lack fluency. Even so, Ormond responded to their duties and did what was required, loading the pack with fresh bodies from the bench and grinding their way into scoring positions.
Davy Gleeson’s try midway through the half was a sheer illustration of Nenagh’s counter-attacking efficiency, with the winger breaking from midfield and weighting his kick superbly before touching down in style.
Peter Coman would polish the scoreboard with a late try of his own, but by that juncture, the emphasis had already shifted, with a Friday night clash against UL Bohemian now the main topic of conversation amongst spectators. Return from Limerick with a win and Nenagh will suddenly find themselves on the verge of climbing out of the relegation zone.
Their stated ambition is to catch either Dolphin or UL Bohs, each situated on 28 points, six ahead of Nenagh. The prospect of climbing out of the relegation playoffs is the focus with four games to go, it’s certainly achievable, but a win next Friday night is, in no uncertain terms, essential.
TEAMS - Nenagh Ormond: Fionn McGibney (8), David Gleeson (8), Conor McMahon (7), Willie Coffey (7), Peter Coman (7), Derek Corcoran (8), Nicky Irwin (8); Fergal Brislane (7), Peter O'Connor (7), Niall O'Gorman (7), Kevin O'Flaherty (7), John O'Flaherty (8), Rob Buckley (7), Evan Murphy (8), John Hayes (7).
Reps: Patrick Scully (7) for Coffey (39); Jake O’Kelly (7) for K O’Flaherty (HT inj); Brendan McAdams (7) for Buckley (49); Cathal Ryan (7) for O’Gorman (58); Niall O’Gorman (6) for Brislane (71).
Rainey Old Boys: Kane McIlroy (6), Mark Mulholland (7), Conor Fitzsimmons (7), Gareth Hall (6), Andrew Donagh (7), Scott McLean (7), Rory MacGinty (6); Tommy O'Hagan (6), Ben McCulloch (7), Fintan Quinn (6), John McCusker (7), Adam Bratton (7), Connor Smith (6), Calvin Smyth (6), Michael McCusker (7).
Reps: Daniel O’Neill (7) for O’Hagan (45); Ronan McCusker (6) for Smith (57); Michael Nevin (6) for Quinn (71); Jack Breslin (6) for Hall (75).
Referee: John Carville.