Rear-guard action yields big win for Nenagh

RUGBY: Energia All-Ireland League Division 2A Round 10

Nenagh Ormond 20

Blackrock College 10

Report: Shane Brophy in Lisatunny

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: John Hayes (Nenagh Ormond)

SCORERS – Nenagh Ormond: Tries: D Murphy, Scully Convs: McMahon (2) Pens: McMahon (2)

Blackrock College: Tries: McMahon, Quirke.

Nenagh Ormond showed the grit which could carry them a long way as the season goes on as they secured a much-needed win over Blackrock College on Saturday to close in on the promotion playoff spots.

Despite the win, Nenagh remain in fifth place in the table but they have closed the gap on Blackrock and Cashel, the latter also losing at the weekend, as the battle for the four promotion playoff spots remains wide open. Queens University look like they will claim one of them and with Nenagh heading to Belfast for a very difficult challenge next Saturday, they needed to claim the win here to stay in the hunt and not to be cut too far adrift going into the last six games.

And not only did they get the win, they also denied the visitors a losing bonus-point in the process through Patrick Scully’s late try, doing to Blackrock what the Dublin club did to Nenagh before Christmas when they claimed a last gasp win.

Blackrock will feel they probably left this game behind them, particularly dominating the third quarter but they failed to turn their possession and territorial dominance into points. Their game management left a lot of be desired also as they turned down at least three opportunities for points in chasing tries but were met by a superb Nenagh rear-guard action, particularly the back row of Rob Buckley, John O’Flaherty and man of the match John Hayes who was immense all through.

In a game of fine margins, taking your chances is key and Nenagh did that with Conor McMahon nailing all four of his kicks, two conversions and two penalties, while his Blackrock counterpart Peter Quirke missed all three of his efforts from the tee, negating his impressive performance at out-half, which included finishing a superb first half try, one of the best team scores seen in New Ormond Park for some time.

Nenagh began well with John Hayes winning the first of a number of penalties in the game on the ground. Both sides had their periods of dominance in the scrum, initially by the home side which yielded a penalty with Conor McMahon converted on seven minutes.

Ormond dominated territory and possession in the first twenty minutes but were met by stiff Blackrock resistance, while the Nenagh scrum was also suffering the wrath of referee Paudie Sheehan.

From one such scrum on 27 minutes, Blackrock scored a superb try. Moving the ball wide from their own ten metre line, full back Brian Colclough broke the line before off-loading to Dave McCarthy with the ball moved quickly through the hands onto Matt Dwan and Mark Edwards with Peter Quirke coming on the angle to finish a superb score, however he failed with the kickable conversion.

The visitors crossed for their second try four minutes later. After Rob Buckley was penalised for off-side, Quirke went to the corner with the penalty and from the five-metre lineout, hooker Liam McMahon crossed following a maul for an unconverted score and a 10-3 lead.

Nenagh’s response was instant with John Hayes winning a penalty from the restart. Fionn McGibney kicked to the corner with John O’Flaherty winning the line-out, and from a strong maul, hooker Dylan Murphy burrowed over for the try with Conor McMahon adding the extras to bring the sides level at the break, 10-10.

Nenagh were pinned inside their own half for much of the twenty minutes after half time but Blackrock failed to make their dominance count with Peter Quirke missing a penalty while their lineout started to malfunction with Nenagh stealing a number in promising positions with the O’Flaherty brothers, Kevin and John, strong in this regard. As well as that, the returning Fionn McGibney’s kicking from the hand was superb, getting relieving clearances away.

Nenagh needed to be patient and in their first real foray into Blackrock territory, a charge down by Conor McMahon led to John Hayes winning another penalty on the ground which McMahon converted to retake the lead.

Blackrock came back on the attack and twice more inside the 22 they won penalties which they opted to turn down the points and they were made to pay for as Nenagh held out and a counter-ruck led to a relieving penalty.

The visitors were made to pay for their wastefulness in the 77th minute as replacement Patrick Scully crossed for a try. It began after a flowing move with Fionn McGibney held up short, Nenagh were patient in their carries and with Blackrock running out of numbers, they worked the ball to the right with Conor McMahon playing in Scully for the try. McMahon added the extras to seal the win and with it closing within two points of the playoff spots with seven games to go.

TEAMS – Nenagh Ormond: Josh Rowland; Conor McMahon, Willie Coffey, John Healy, David Gleeson; Fionn McGibney, Nicky Irwin; Mikey Doran, Dylan Murphy, Jack O’Keeffe; Jake O’Kelly, Kevin O’Flaherty; Rob Buckley, John O’Flaherty, John Hayes.

Reps: Evan Murphy for O’Kelly (51); Sean Frawley for O’Keeffe (60); Patrick Scully for Healy (75); Derek Corcoran for McGibney (78); Peter O’Connor for D Murphy (78); Jake O’Kelly for Buckley (78); Jack O’Keeffe for Doran (80).

Blackrock College: Brian Colclough; Chris Rolland, Matt Dwan, Dave McCarthy, Roghan McMahon; Peter Quirke, Mark Edwards; Paul McSweeney, Liam McMahon, Joe Byrne; Cian Reale, Hugh Doyle; James Burke, Dave Fortune, Matthew Cosgrove.

Rep: James Moriarty for Dwan (60).

Referee: Paudie Sheehan