Ormond grind out win over Naas

RUGBY: Energia All Ireland League Division 1B Round 8

Nenagh Ormond 19

Naas 18

Report: James Hayden at New Ormond Park, Nenagh

Nenagh Ormond staved off a stiff Naas challenge to register another victory in Division 1B of the All-Ireland League at a bitingly cold New Ormond Park on Saturday afternoon.

Naas made the journey down the M7 confident of causing an upset as the remnants of Storm Darragh tracked across the country, making for extremely difficult playing conditions for both sides despite the game taking place on Ormond's Astroturf pitch.

With a storm force wind blowing into the scoreboard end, the home side, playing into the teeth of the tempest, put in a tremendous opening half, which ultimately served to lay the platform for a hard-earned victory and in doing so consolidate second place in the table, four points behind leaders Old Belvedere and six clear of Old Wesley in third spot.

Unusually both sides played their best rugby while playing against the breeze with Ormond deservedly leading by four at the break whilst the second half saw Naas turn the tables and fashion a performance which saw them deservedly come away with a fully deserved losing bonus point.

Throw in the fact that they finished the first half with thirteen men and were forced to begin the second with the same numerical disadvantage after their number eight, Ryan Casey saw yellow following a raft of penalties. Second-row Eoin Casey was then sent to the bin on 35-minutes following a dangerous hit on Nenagh centre-Angus Blackmore, a challenge that could as easily have resulted in red given the degree of danger involved and the prone nature of Blackmore as Casey made contact.

In total, the visitors registered three yellow cards in the opening half with tight-head prop Adam Deay also pinged after just ten minutes for a high tackle. Nenagh also lost influential centre Willie Coffey to injury late in the half while Blackmore was unable to resume his position for the start of the second-half, with Charlie O’Doherty drafted in his stead.

The sizeable crowd expected the home side to fight a rearguard action in the opening half considering the severity of the gusting breeze but instead Nenagh took the game to the Kildare side for the majority of the half.

It wasn’t the best of starts for Derek Corcoran's charges however when, after just two minutes, a whipped pass out the line from the base of a ruck was intercepted by the Naas left-wing Jack Sheridan and he raced unhindered from inside his own half to draw first blood for the visitors. Fly-half Peter Osborne stepped up to convert the resulting conversion, but Nenagh’s response was impressive with a marauding ninth minute break from captain, Kevin O’Flaherty setting Evan Murphy up for the first of three Nenagh Ormond tries.

Conor McMahon expertly added the extra points as Nenagh worked hard to keep Naas at bay. With the visitors racking up the penalties, Nenagh deployed a tap and go tactic as kicking to touch was not an option given the ferocity of the breeze. They were eventually rewarded when a scything Willie Coffey break after fifteen phases saw the centre tap down under the posts on 25 minutes. Again, Conor McMahon was on target for the additional points and against all odds Nenagh led by double scores, 14-7.

Nenagh physicality was a telling factor throughout and it served them well in the latter stages of the half with the visitors restricted to just a 28th minute Peter Osborne penalty to ensure the home side took a deserved 14-10 lead to the break.

Nenagh’s faithful support expected Ormond to build upon their half-time advantage but conversely it was the visitors who upped their game noticeably. A 50th minute Osborne penalty on the 22’ after Nenagh were pinged for holding on brought Naas to within one before the home side started to cough up penalty after penalty.

A 57th minute Naas penalty saw a kindly gust intervene at just the right time for the home side and prevent the ball crossing the uprights, but a subsequent knock-on provided Naas with a tasty scrum right on the Nenagh line. They held firm though and lifted the siege before they struck for their third try, after a surging Conor McMahon break allowed Charlie O’Doherty to cut through the Naas cover. He spun out a sublime pass to Josh Rowland on his left shoulder and the winger switched on the afterburners to dot down in the corner for a cracking 61st minute try, 19-13.

Undaunted, the visitors battled back for all they were worth before a well-worked backline move culminated with Jack Sheridan finishing in the corner for the Leinster side with just eight minutes remaining. Crucially, Peter Osborne failed to add the extra points as Nenagh surged back up field in search of a bonus-point fourth try.

Ormond threw everything at Naas in the closing stages and successive penalties almost yielded a try following yet another surging break from the impressive Kevin O’Flaherty. Nenagh were somewhat harshly pinged right on the line, however, and the chance went a begging. There was time for just one more attack, but a botched lineout put pay to Nenagh’s bonus point ambitions as the home side recorded a hard-earned victory.

On a day which wasn’t conducive to flowing rugby, Nenagh put in a decent shift with Dylan Murphy, Mickey Doran, Jake O’Kelly, and Kevin O’Flaherty all carrying well. Rob Buckley made gains off the back of the rucks while Evan Murphy and John O’Flaherty chipped in with impressive carries also.

Nicky Irwin and Ben Pope managed the ‘pill’ well in the horrendous conditions while Conor McMahon kicked well from placed balls. The loss of Angus Blackmore and Willie Coffey were big blows for Nenagh but Conor O’Shaughnessy and Charlie O’Doherty admirably deputized while Patrick Scully and Josh Rowland were a constant threat on the flanks.

For Naas, Peter Osborne pulled the strings while Koloa Aisake, Ryan Casey and Will O’Brien all carried well in the loose while Jack Sheridan proved elusive on the flanks.

Nenagh now face back-to-back meetings with UCC with a trip to the Mardyke next Saturday, December 14th, before the return fixture at New Ormond Park on the 11th of January.

TEAMS - Nenagh Ormond: Josh Rowland; Patrick Scully, Willie Coffey, Angus Blackmore, Conor McMahon; Ben Pope, Nicky Irwin; Mike Doran, Dylan Murphy, Colm Skehan, Jake O’Kelly, Kevin O’Flaherty (Capt), Rob Buckley, Evan Murphy, John O’Flaherty.

Reps: Conor O’Shaughnessy for Coffey (37 inj); Charlie O’Doherty for Blackmore (HT inj); John Brislane for Buckley (50); Jack O’Keefe for Doran (64); Craig Hannon for O’Kelly (64); Mikey Doran for Skehan (72); Jack Devanny for D Murphy (72).

Naas: James O’Kane; Donal Conroy, Michael Haznar, Paddy Taylor, Jack Sheridan; Peter Osborne, Cormac King; Conor Doyle, Aidan O’Kane, Adam Deay; James O’Loughlin, Koloa Aisake; Eoin Walshe, Will O’Brien (Capt), Ryan Casey.

Reps: Stephen Lackey for O'Kane (14 inj); John King for Doyle (66); David O'Sullivan for King (68).

Referee: Shane Gaughan.