Nenagh Ormond record second Charity Cup success

RUGBY: Sporting Limerick North Munster Charity Cup Final

Nenagh Ormond 52

Shannon 14

Report: Shane Brophy in Lisatunny

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Nicky Irwin (Nenagh Ormond)

SCORERS – Nenagh Ormond: Tries: K O’Flaherty, Scully, Irwin, McMahon (4). Convs: O’Brien (7). Pen: O’Brien

Shannon: Tries: Moylan, Hurley. Convs: Bateman (2).

Nenagh Ormond claimed much deserved silverware after a hugely progressive season after crushing the mighty Shannon in the North Munster Charity Cup Final on Thursday evening.

After just missing out on promotion from the third tier of the AIL and coming up just short in the Munster Senior Challenge Cup final, no team deserved it more to end the season on a high as Nenagh claimed just their second senior trophy after previously winning it in the 2017/2018 season.

Their task was made much easier by the fact they were up against a very much second string Shannon selection as the Limerick side had secured their division 1A league status with a playoff win over Highfield last Saturday, with Aran Hehir the only starter to lineout in this game which would have been played much earlier in the second but for weather related league postponements and Nenagh progressing to the Munster Challenge Cup Final.

And Nenagh took full advantage by playing at a high tempo from the off, going over for their first try after just two minutes with second row Kevin O’Flaherty touching down from a strong maul close to the line. Conor O’Brien converted as he would do for all seven tries, giving an exhibition of place-kicking including quite a number right on the touchline.

O’Brien converted a penalty on twelve minutes and converted Nicky Irwin’s try from under the posts on 25 minutes as the scrum-half finishing off a flowing lineout move.

Irwin was outstanding on the evening, particularly with his tactical kicking and one such kick provided the platform for wing Patrick Scully to cross in the 28th minute, 24-0.

Shannon rarely threatened but they did respond with their first try on 35 minutes with back row Luke Moylan crashing over from close range as they trailed 24-7 at the break with both teams having their respective 12’s sent to the sin-bin as John Healy and Jack O’Donnell were yellow-carded by international referee Joy Neville for a nasty scuffle which threatened to boil over.

Both men were back on the field after half time by the stage Nenagh crossed for their fourth try as another Irwin kick into space allow replacement wing Colm McMahon to chase it down and touch down in the corner.

Shannon cancelled it out on 53 minutes when Daniel Hurley crossing in the corner for John Bateman to convert for 31-14 and a contest threatened to break out.

However, Nenagh went back on the offensive and following another sustained attack inside the Shannon 22, Nicky Irwin’s cross-kick found Colm McMahon in space to touch down.

On the hour mark, McMahon completed his 23-minute hat-trick as he intercepted a Shannon attack on half-way and race away untouched. His fourth try on 74 minutes was the best of the lot as he got on the end of another cross-kick, this time from Conor O’Brien, but it landed deep and right in the corner of the in-goal but managed to touch the ball down to put the seal in Nenagh’s impressive victory and season.

TEAMS – Nenagh Ormond: Conor O’Brien; Patrick Scully, Willie Coffey (Capt), John Healy, David Gleeson; Derek Corcoran, Nicky Irwin; Mikey Doran, Dylan Murphy, Jack O’Keeffe; Jake O’Kelly, Kevin O’Flaherty; Rob Buckley, John O’Flaherty, John Hayes.

Reps: Niall O’Gorman for O’Keeffe (35); Paudie Bourke for Doran (38); Joe Coffey for O’Kelly (38); Conor McMahon for Corcoran (39); John Brislane for Hayes (51); Peter O’Connor for Murphy (54); Evan Murphy for Buckley (54); Mason Cawley for Scully (63).

Shannon: Darren Gavin; Liam O’Shanahan, Alan Flannery, Jack O’Donnell, Daniel Hurley; John Bateman, Aran Hehir; Cathal Hayes, Shane Carew, Luke Rigney; Thomas Lillis, David Maher; Luke Moylan, Ian Brown, Odhran Ring.

Reps used: Darren Ferrar, Nathan Walsh, Matthew Burke, Colm Heffernan, Christian Storey, Eoghan O’Connor, Myles Lawlor, Kieran Noel Kennedy.

Referee: Joy Neville (Munster Branch)