Sloppy Nenagh fall to rare defeat to Barnhall

RUGBY: Energia All-Ireland League Division 2A Round 17

MU Barnhall 26

Nenagh Ormond 10

Report: Shane Brophy in Parsonstown

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Adam Chester (MU Barnhall)

SCORERS – MU Barnhall: Tries: McKeown (2), Higgins, Lacey. Convs: Chester (3), Hannon (1)

Nenagh Ormond: Tries: K O’Flaherty (2).

Nenagh Ormond’s hopes of promotion to Division 1B of the All-Ireland League will lie through the playoffs after this defeat to MU Barnhall in the penultimate game of the round-robin section of division 2A on Saturday.

The loss was Nenagh’s first in the league in eight games, and coupled with wins for Queens University and Blackrock College, means they cannot now secure automatic qualification by topping the table, and will be away from home for the playoff semi-final later this month. With one game to go against UL Bohemian on Saturday week, their target is to hold onto third place in the table and the possibility of a home playoff final if the higher seeded teams fall in the semi-finals.

The short break couldn’t have come at a better time as Nenagh’s busy schedule of ten games in the last eleven weeks looked to have taken their toll on Saturday. Even accounting for the very wet conditions at the Celbridge venue, Nenagh’s error count was unusually high with penalties either kicked out over the end-line or not finding while there were numerous knock-ons in promising positions.

The break will also allow the players to freshen up as injury is beginning to hit Nenagh at the worst time, particularly on the wings where they lost Patrick Scully to a shoulder injury after just six minutes, and with David Gleeson already out, they are running out of position players in the backs.

The final scoreline was harsh on Nenagh with Barnhall only securing the bonus-point win with the last play of the game. Despite this, Nenagh had more than enough territory and possession to amass more than just Kevin O’Flaherty’s two tries but numerous knock-ons, plus strong home defence saw their unbeaten run come to an abrupt end.

It all started so well for Nenagh as they began on the front foot and after Patrick Scully’s raid up the right wing was brought to an abrupt end with a questionable high challenge which ended his game, from the subsequent penalty, Jake O’Kelly won the lineout and Nenagh mauled well from where Kevin O’Flaherty touched down. Despite Conor McMahon missing the conversion, it was the ideal start into the elements.

However, they failed to build on it and within four minutes, Barnhall went over for their first try after a well-worked quick-tap penalty five-metres out completely flummoxed the Nenagh rear-guard with Tom McKeown going over untouched under the posts, converted by Adam Chester.

Nenagh were already under pressure at the scrum but an unforced error by Josh Rowland in their own 22 handed the home side field position and following patient play, McKeown went over for a converted try and a 14-5 lead after 23 minutes.

Another unforced error by replacement wing Cian Ryan handed MU Barnhall the field position for their third try on 33 minutes as his knock-on allowed Sean Higgins to score an easy try under posts as the deficit grew to sixteen points.

Nenagh were really struggling to break down a driven Barnhall defence who were fired up after shipping fifty points to Queens the previous week. Conor McMahon missed a penalty shortly before half-time while a promising position from a scrum in the opposition 22 saw the home side win a huge penalty to maintain their 21-5 lead at half time.

All was not lost but Nenagh needed a strong start to the second half and they got it in terms of field-position but another knock-on, the theme of the game, prevented them from putting scoreboard pressure on the home side. It didn’t help that the conditions deteriorated but Nenagh kept trying to play positive rugby, helped by a more stable scrum when Sean Frawley was introduced but struggled again late on when he was forced off through injury.

Barnhall lost winger Sean Sexton and lock Shane Sweeney to the sin-bin in the space of four minutes, but Nenagh only took advantage of it towards the end as Kevin O’Flaherty touched down for an unconverted try.

There was still time for Nenagh to claim a losing bonus-point but instead it was Barnhall who secured the five points with the final play, from a scrum inside the 22 where full back Conor Duggan kicked a measured grubber to the corner where Conor Lacey slid over to touch down and seal a much-celebrated win for the home side who, in the process, secured their place in the playoffs, and you wouldn’t rule out these sides meeting again for a third time in a promotion final next month.

TEAMS – MU Barnhall: Conor Duggan (7); Sean Sexton (6), Sean Higgins (6), David Dooley (6), Conor Lacey (7); Adam Chester (8), Rob Holt (7); Geoff Brooks (7), Gareth Murray (7), Darragh Bellanova (7); Shane Sweeney (6), Ryan Doyle (6); Shane Stokes (7), Abdul Olaosebikan (6), Tom McKeown (8).

Reps: Jack Hanley (6) for Stokes (49); Cathal Duff (6) for Murray (52); Conor Turley (6) for Bellanova (59); Darragh Bellanova for Brooks (66); Jack Hannon (NR) for Chester (78).

Nenagh Ormond: Josh Rowland (6); Conor McMahon (7), Willie Coffey (7), John Healy (7), Patrick Scully (NR); Derek Corcoran (6), Nicky Irwin (7); Mikey Doran (7), Dylan Murphy (7), Jack O’Keefe (6); Jake O’Kelly (7), Kevin O’Flaherty (7); Rob Buckley (6), John O’Flaherty (7), John Hayes (6).

Reps: Cian Ryan (6) for Scully (6 inj); Sean Frawley (7) for O’Keefe (31); Joe Coffey (6) for Buckley (53); Jack O’Keefe for Doran (62); Peter O’Connor (6) for Murphy (62); James Finn (6) for McMahon (62); Rob Buckley for Hayes (68); Mikey Doran for Frawley (70 inj).

Referee: Christopher Lough