Nenagh sink Shannon to get back to winning ways

RUGBY: Energia All-Ireland League Division 1B Round 12

Nenagh Ormond 24

Shannon 18

Report: James Hayden at New Ormond Park

Photos: Odhran Ducie

MATCH DIGEST

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

SCORERS - Nenagh Ormond: Tries: Murphy, K O’Flaherty, Penalty Try. Pens: McMahon (1); Convs: McMahon (2).

Shannon: Tries: TePou, Penalty Try; Pens: O’Sullivan (2).

Nenagh Ormond got back to winning ways with a hard-earned yet fully deserved victory over bottom of the table Shannon at a chilly New Ormond Park on Saturday.

With the remnants of the destructive Storm Éowyn tracking away to the north, Shannon went into this encounter determined to deny Nenagh a clean sweep of victories over the Limerick side this season, but they faced an Ormond side determined to atone for was only their second loss a week previous away to Naas.

Nenagh’s place kicker, Conor McMahon, the division’s top scorer with 114 points, returned to the starting line-up at centre to partner Angus Blackmore while the Nenagh selection also saw Josh Rowland and Brian O’Rourke come in as starters.

Furthermore, any concerns regarding Nenagh’s scrum with both front rowers Mikey Doran and Colm Skehan unavailable were alleviated early on with the Nenagh pack acquitting themselves very well in the face of a strong Shannon front eight.

A strong and biting cross-field breeze blowing into Kinane’s freshly ploughed field adjacent to the Astro pitch offered little in the way of advantage to either side but in was the visitors who fashioned an early period of dominance with the home side under the cosh for the opening ten minutes before a productive foray into the opposition 22 saw Shannon pinged for a blatant offside offence. Conor McMahon slotted over the resulting penalty from straight in front of the posts to afford Nenagh Ormond an unlikely early lead.

With the rain and sleet now sheeting down, Shannon quickly set up camp inside Nenagh’s 22, but stout defence kept the Limerick side at bay until the home side were penalised for wheeling the scrum and Shannon were afforded the chance to level. John O’Sullivan stepped up, but his effort tailed wide of the upright.

Nenagh continued to soak up the mounting Shannon pressure and prevented the visitors from gaining too much traction. However, a sustained period of pressure on the 25 minute mark saw Nenagh cough up another kickable penalty after Shannon had strung together multiple phases. This time John O’Sullivan readjusted his sights and slotted over from close-range to restore parity.

Nenagh upped the tempo as the half hour approached and, with the skies now brightening overhead, manufactured a number of incisive gain-line breaks. However, there was still a lack of impetus or pace from either side as the game trundled towards half-time. Nenagh had the better of the exchanges late on but a potential scoring foray deep inside the Shannon 22 on the stroke of half-time came to nought after Nenagh’s line-out failed to function.

Both sides went into the break tied at 3-3 but from the restart it was clearly evident the home side were intent on injecting both pace and drive into their game. Nenagh’s ball carriers started to gain some serious traction with Jake O’Kelly, Kevin O’Flaherty and John O’Flaherty all carrying well while Angus Blackmore, Josh Rowland and David Gleeson all made incisive line breaks.

Just four minutes into the second half, Nenagh’s scrum powered through their Shannon counterparts for a penalty. Fly-half Charlie O’Doherty deftly found touch with the resulting penalty to set up a Nenagh line out deep inside the Shannon 22. On this occasion Nenagh’s line-out malfunctioned but it merely served as a dry run for a successful line-out play three minutes later. John O’Flaherty gathered well from Dylan Murphy’s throw with Murphy snaffling the ball back into his possession before Nenagh expertly mauled over for their opening try. Conor McMahon expertly added the extra points.

Shannon weren’t for lying down though and came roaring back with a John O’Sullivan penalty reducing the gap to four before it was the visitors’ turn to again soak up a period of sustained Nenagh pressure, a period that culminated with a penalty try for the home side and the subsequent sin-binning of Shannon’s influential blindside flanker, Kelvin Brown following yet another successful Nenagh maul close to the Shannon line, 17-6.

Once again, the visitors responded well though and fashioned a penalty try of their own after Joe Coffey was pinged for an infringement on the Nenagh line and with eighteen minutes remaining the Limerick men side were back to within four points, 17-13.

With both sides now down to fourteen men, Nenagh came roaring back at the men in black & blue hoops and great work in the loose from Dylan Murphy and Kevin O’Flaherty culminated in scything Angus Blackmore break deep into the Shannon 22, a break that yielded an expertly executed tap and go penalty from Nenagh’s captain Kevin O’ Flaherty and he deservedly dotted down for their third try. Conor McMahon once again added the extra points to put a little more daylight between the sides with ten minutes remaining, 24-13.

The home side emptied their bench in a bid to revitalise their efforts for the closing minutes, but a quick breakaway unconverted try from Shannon winger Matt Tepou cut Nenagh’s lead to six and made for a nervy enough closing period as the visitors went in search of a late try to cut the deficit even further.

Nenagh Ormond managed the closing minutes well though and they kept Shannon pinned down inside their own half and almost snatched a late bonus-point try after winger, Davy Gleeson broke down the left touchline and almost jinked his way over the whitewash for a bonus-point score but for the late intervention of a scrambling Shannon defence.

Nenagh’s victory now sees them lie eight points behind league leaders Old Belvedere in second place while Old Wesley are a further nine points adrift in third place. Up next for Nenagh in the AIL is an away trip to sixth place Queens University on Saturday, 8th February.

TEAMS - Nenagh Ormond: Josh Rowland; David Gleeson, Conor McMahon, Angus Blackmore, Brian O’Rourke; Charlie O’Doherty, Nicky Irwin; Sean Frawley, Dylan Murphy, Jack O’Keeffe; Craig Hannon, Kevin O’Flaherty (Capt); Jake O’Kelly, Joe Coffey, John O’Flaherty.

Reps: Matthew Burke for O’Keeffe (50); John Healy for Hannon (50); Ben Pope for Rowland (69); Fionn O’Meara for O’Kelly (70); Jack O’Keeffe for Frawley (70); Shane Malone for Murphy (76); Derek Corcoran for Irwin (76).

Shannon: Cillian Corkery; Jack O’Donnell, Harry Long (Capt), Luke Doyle, Matt TePou; John O’Sullivan, Ian Leonard; Conor Glynn, Alex Long, Cathal Hynes, Jack Brady, Jade Kriel, Kelvin Brown, Tadgh O’Brien, Lee Nicholas.

Reps: Christian Storey for Nicholas (53); Jordan Prendiville for Long (63); Shane Carew for Hayes (63); Scott Gleeson for Brown (65); Sam Birrane for O’Donnell (73).

Referee: Andrew Cole.