First half blitz sees Ormond rise to second in table

RUGBY: Energia All-Ireland League Division 2A Round 15

Nenagh Ormond 34

Ballymena 24

Report: Thomas Conway in Lisatunny

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: John O’Flaherty (Nenagh Ormond)

SCORERS – Nenagh Ormond: Tries: Rowland, Irwin, J O’Flaherty, McMahon, Scully.

Convs: McMahon (3). Pen: McMahon (1)

Ballymena: Tries: Lamont, Riley, Crowe. Convs: McKay (3). Pen: McKay (1)

We’re entering the final chapter of the All-Ireland League season, and as prologues go, Nenagh Ormond could not have wished for a better narrative.

Sure, they almost squandered a 26-point half-time lead on Saturday. Sure, they allowed Ballymena to race back into the game and almost catch them at the death. But ultimately, they secured all five points, and at this juncture of the season, with the promotion play-offs now within sight, winning is all that matters.

Of course, the AIL isn’t the only game in town these days. Nenagh are building towards what promises to be an epic Munster Senior Challenge Cup final against Young Munster in Thomond Park next week. But the cup is the cup and the league is the league. Neither should be viewed in isolation, but the two competitions are fundamentally different.

The Cup is where fairy tales happen, where one or two magical performances can offer the prospect of silverware. The League, by contrast, is all about consistency of application. The margin for error might be greater, but at this point in the season, slip ups are inevitably punished. Nenagh very nearly slipped up here, but they didn’t. Consequently, they now lie second in the Division 2A table, level on points with Blackrock and just two adrift of Queen’s University in first. The sense of possibility is inescapable.

But let’s not get too carried away. In reality, Nenagh should have ended last Saturday’s encounter as comfortable victors. Instead, they escaped by the skin of their teeth, sealing victory in the 78th minute with a blistering Patrick Scully try, rendered possible by an awe-inspiring run from deep by elder statesman John Hayes.

Were it not for Hayes’ cascading run and Scully’s sublime corner flag finish, their North Antrim opponents could very well have turned the tables entirely on the home side. Ballymena conjured up a sensational second-half come-back, quite literally resurrecting themselves in the closing forty minutes, having trailed by 24-3 at the interval. It took them an entire half to get going, but when they did finally alight, they played some scintillating rugby, and very nearly caught Nenagh at the death.

Still, one cannot deny the positives. Nenagh produced what should surely rank as their best first-half performance of the season, pinning down three exhilarating tries and looking virtually unassailable by the time the interval arrived. Their first, dotted down by full-back Josh Rowland just five minutes in, was as suave a move as any likely to have taken place in the AIL all weekend.

Really and truly, the credit has to go to Derek Corcoran. After all, it was his gorgeously weighted kick which released Conor McMahon, enabling him to break from just beyond the ten and spin a pass to Rowland on the wing. The combative full-back did the rest, sweeping down the line to finish just inside the corner. McMahon missed the conversion, but he would stroke a penalty over some ten minutes later.

Nenagh’s second try, on seventeen minutes, was the product of another superb breakaway move. The ball passed through the seconds of several players, Willie Coffey and Corcoran among them, before winger Nicky Irwin eventually landed underneath the posts. It was a feel-good try, a flowing move which garnered all seven points, once McMahon had taken care of the conversion.

Things would get better still. Although Ballymena out-half Ross McKay registered a penalty on 21 minutes, Nenagh responded emphatically, touching down for the third time thanks to John O’Flaherty, who piled over the line off the back of a ruck.

By the time the interval arrived, Nenagh were completely dominant, controlling every department and practically oozing with confidence across all sectors. Their lineout was functioning well, their scrum looked assured, and their ball-handling had been nothing if not efficient and wing Conor McMahon secured the bonus-point.

But things would change dramatically in the closing forty. Ballymena were never going to leave without a fight. They hadn’t made the 368km journey down to Lisatunny to simply bow in submission and be beaten. No, they produced a second-half comeback which very nearly caught Nenagh. Had another ten minutes been played, they might have left with all five points.

It took them some time to get going, but then, on 49 minutes, captain Adam Lamont charged through to land their first. Less than five minutes later, Brendan Riley was cruising through to snatch their second, and the home support were growing concerned. By the time Pierce Crowe added Ballymena’s third on 63 minutes, Nenagh appeared lost or dazed, unable to cope with the barrage of Antrim pressure, and devoid of ideas as well.

To the home side’s credit, they showed immense resolve to rescue victory at the death. Patrick Scully’s late try was absorbing to watch. John Hayes’ break up the field was just quintessential Hayes. He saw the gap, bolted, and made at least forty metres unchallenged. Once Scully grounded in the corner, the victory was effectively assured, and thoughts could turn to that mouth-watering Challenge Cup final.

For the next two weeks, that will be the priority, but make no mistake, Nenagh haven’t forgotten about the league. Promotion is now a real prospect. The sense of possibility is inescapable.

TEAMS - Nenagh Ormond: Josh Rowland (8), Nicky Irwin (8), Willie Coffey (7), Patrick Scully (7), Conor McMahon (7), Derek Corcoran (8), Cian Ryan (7); Mikey Doran (8), Dylan Murphy (7), Niall O’Gorman (7), Kevin O’Flaherty (7), Jake O’Kelly (7), Rob Buckley (7), John O’Flaherty (8), John Hayes (8).

Reps: Jack O’Keeffe (7) for Doran (45); Evan Murphy (7) for Buckley (56); Peter O’Connor (6) for Murphy (72); Conor O’Brien (6) for Coffey (74); John Brislane (NR) for Hayes (80).

Ballymena: Rodger McBurney (7), Mark Thompson (6), Rhys Irvine (7), Pierce Crowe (8), Liam McGuckian (6), Ross McKay (8), Adam Robson (7); Simon McWhirter (7), Alex Ferguson (7), Joseph Mawhinney (7), James Howe (7), Paddy Browne (6), David McKeeman (7), Adam Lamont (8), Brendan Riley (7).

Reps: James Taggart (7) for Browne (HT); Adam Mitchell (7) for Ferguson (HT); Dan Millar (6) for Thompson (55).

Referee: Damian Schneider