Long pleased to have won title at home
By Thomas Conway
You won’t meet a more genuine individual than John Long. Nenagh Ormond’s Director of Rugby is as candid and articulate as could be imagined - always happy to chat, always open to the media.
Long has played a pivotal role in the evolution of this Nenagh Ormond outfit. He has been the man at the helm for directing and conducting the show and ensuring that Nenagh’s bid for this year’s Division 2A title never slipped off course.
In the aftermath of Saturday’s success, Long was in a characteristically calm, laid-back mood. He hailed the players, the coaching staff, the supporters, lavishing praise on all involved in Nenagh Ormond RFC. After a long season, Long was content. Nenagh had achieved exactly what they had been striving for, in front of an ebullient home crowd, in their own back yard.
“It’s huge, huge for us,” he began.
“I mean, we could have done it last week, but to do it at home here this week in front of such a huge crowd, is just amazing. And we can’t thank the supporters enough for coming out in such numbers, for cheering us on like they did. They made the day for us, made the match, made the game, and it’s after making the season as well - that support. Full credit to everyone who came today. We can’t thank them enough.”
Throughout the course of 2023/24, Long has consistently heaped praise on his players, citing their diligence and commitment as key factors in their astonishing run of form. The players, Long believes, are tight-knitted and fiercely competitive. They push each other to new extremes, new heights each night in training. They make sacrifices stoically and seek to improve themselves as individuals both on and off the pitch. Together, they have evolved into a ferocious team unit, but Long isn’t surprised.
“They’re a serious group of lads,” he added.
“We couldn’t be prouder of them - the players, the coaches, everyone of them. Personally speaking, I can’t say enough about these lads. They work tirelessly week in week out. I mean we only have them on a Tuesday and a Thursday for a couple of hours, but the work they do outside of that is phenomenal. It’s a credit to them, and this is a just reward for all that work, a Division 2A title.”