Ormond rise like a Phoenix with miraculous late fightback against UCC

RUGBY: Energia All Ireland League Division 1A Promotion Playoff Final

Nenagh Ormond 36

UCC 33

Report: James Hayden at New Ormond Park

Player of the Match: Willie Coffey (Nenagh Ormond)

SCORERS - Nenagh Ormond: Tries – Bourke, Rowland (2), J O’Flaherty, Penalty Try.

Convs – McMahon (2), O’Doherty (1). Pen – McMahon.

UCC: Tries – Penalty Try; Edogbo, Condon. Convs – Squires (2); Pens – Squires (4)

Nenagh Ormond mounted a stunning and sensational late comeback to snatch the most memorable of victories in a thrilling roller-coaster of a Division 1A Promotion Playoff final clash at a packed New Ormond Park on Saturday afternoon.

Comebacks of such calibre are a rare occurrence in the world of sport but somehow Nenagh found the necessary wherewithal to fashion the most memorable of resurrections, one that even Lazurus himself would have to stand back and applaud, to secure promotion to the top tier of rugby in the country.

With just two minutes of normal time remaining a buoyant UCC side appeared to have copper-fastened victory after Sean Condon dotted down in the corner following a stunning line break, and Dan Squires added the extras to fire UCC eleven points clear, 33-22.

Cue the early departures, many of whom were confident in the knowledge UCC had secured a hard-fought promotion to the top tier. The faithful remained though and witnessed a sporting comeback to rank right up there with the best the AIL has ever witnessed, a comeback that will live long in the memory of all who were present in New Ormond Park, and one which will be spoken of for decades to come.

Nenagh Ormond’s meteoric rise to the highest rung of rugby in the land has been nothing short of breathtaking. Just five short years ago, Nenagh were embroiled in a relegation scrap when Covid cancelled the 2020 season finale and when rugby returned the men in red and white survived a relegation play-off and stave off a drop down to the fourth tier.

In the intervening three years, Nenagh Ormond have soared up through the ranks and despite losing a promotion semi-final in 2023 they captured the Division 2A title last year before last Saturday's events saw them amazingly securing promotion to the top tier of rugby in the country in front of a jubilant crowd at New Ormond Park.

Munster derbies are always high-stakes affairs but this latest clash between Nenagh Ormond and UCC was on another level. UCC lost twice to Nenagh during the regular season, including a dramatic 38-34 loss in January at New Ormond Park after Nenagh snatched the result with a last-minute Mikey Doran try.

Tomas O’Leary’s UCC side came into the clash on the back of a four-match winning streak, and the former Munster and Ireland scrum half selected a potent side stacked with Munster academy players and also built around some exciting youngsters who have represented their province and country to date. However, Michael Foy’s absence in the back row was a big loss with Jason Ahearne called upon to step up. Munster’s Ben O’Connor started at full-back, while current Ireland Under-20 international Gene O’Leary Kareem and Daniel Squires, their top points scorer, partnered each other in the centre.

Nenagh struggled to make everything stick in the opening half and a number of questionable officiating decisions served to frustrate the home side and supporters.

Played in at times breezy conditions the home side were forced to soak up early UCC pressure. UCC made the brighter start capitalising on their early dominance to force a penalty try and deservedly seize the initiative after just seven minutes.

Despite having John O’Flaherty sin-binned for the penalty try infringement, Nenagh settled and forced their way into UCC’s 22 before prop Matty Burke crashed over for Nenagh’s first try on 25 minutes; Conor McMahon duly added the extras and the sides were all square, 7-7.

UCC edged back in front thanks to a well-struck Daniel Squires penalty, but Nenagh responded in kind with Conor McMahon expertly dispatching a close-range penalty straight in front of the UCC posts after the visitors were pinged at the breakdown.

With five minutes remaining to the break Nenagh were forced onto the back foot from the re-start. UCC built upon their momentum as Nenagh struggled to soak up the mounting pressure and the visitors struck again though right on the stroke of half-time after their blindside flanker Sean Edogbo barrelled his way over the line for UCC’s second try. Daniel Squires obliged with the extras once more to leave Nenagh trailing by 17-10 at the break.

From the re-start, Nenagh once more found themselves under the cosh with Squires kicking two further penalties inside the opening seven minutes, the first after Nenagh’s scrum was penalised and the second at the breakdown.

Nenagh’s backroom team elected to run their bench in a bid to inject some impetus but were once more dealt a cruel blow when Conor McMahon was binned for a very debatable tackle in the air in the 48th minute.

Nenagh rode out the period of numerical disadvantage impressively though with Willie Coffey’s sublime pass putting Josh Rowland in for a try on the hour mark. Charlie O’Doherty added the conversion to ensure Nenagh were back within striking distance, and it was game on once more, 17-23.

UCC were in no mood to capitulate though, and the 'Skull and Crossbones' retorted with a fourth Daniel Squires penalty on 63 minutes to restore a two-score buffer.

A deft piece of footwork from full-back Ben O’Connor after he controlled a Nenagh clearance with his boot before launching another UCC attack almost proved fatal for Nenagh but once more their defence held fast.

With ten minutes remaining, UCC cut the look of a side who were starting to struggle physically, and a fantastic John O’Flaherty try served to imbue the home side with a renewed vigour. Conor McMahon’s attempted conversion failed to bisect the uprights, but Nenagh were within striking distance once more, 22-26.

With Nenagh’s dominance growing they were hit with what appeared to be a game defining sucker punch after the visitors pounced off a break from a Garryowen which was gather by Harry Murphy who played in Sean Condon and the winger dotted down in the corner. With less than two minutes remaining Daniel Squires added the extra and the game appeared ‘done and dusted’.

At this juncture many could be forgiven for thinking Nenagh were dead and buried but in a thoroughly astounding series of events they somehow managed to pull off the most astonishing and staggering of comebacks.

From the re-start Ormond surged back up the field and a quickly taken penalty brought Nenagh right to the five-metre line. The maul expertly surged through the splintering UCC defence and referee Andrew Cole had no hesitancy in running under the posts for a penalty try with UCC’s Jason Ahearne was sent to the sin-bin.

UCC were unravelling like a cheap jumper at Christmas and with time for a restart, Nenagh Ormond fashioned what will forever be remembered as the ‘miracle moment’ at New Ormond Park.

Nenagh gathered excellently from the re-start and drew UCC in with a number of impressive phases before switching the ball wide to Davy Gleeson on the wing. Gleeson, who had been sent back into the fray for the injured Conor McMahon, embarked on an explosive break down the right wing before sublimely off-loading to Josh Rowland on his shoulder who ran in from forty metres for a try which sent a jubilant home crowd into joyous rapture, 34-33.

The conversion didn’t matter but Charlie O’Doherty slotted the extras to ignite a pitch invasion of epic proportions as the Nenagh Ormond faithful rushed to fete their heroes following one of the most memorable, amazing, and astonishing comebacks ever witnessed on a rugby field, let along this one in Nenagh.

For Nenagh Ormond, the victory heralded a fairytale ending to an incredible season, a season that saw them claim the Munster Senior Cup for the first time ever and also clinch a place amongst rugby’s elite in AIL Division 1A for the 2025/26 season. Roll on the good times as Nenagh Ormond RFC!

TEAMS - Nenagh Ormond: Josh Rowland (8); David Gleeson (7), Angus Blackmore (8), Willie Coffey (8), Conor McMahon (7); Ben Pope (7), Nicky Irwin (7); Mikey Doran (8), Dylan Murphy (8), Matt Burke (8); Jake O’Kelly (8), Kevin O’Flaherty (Capt 7); Joe Coffey (7), John Healy (7), John O’Flaherty (8).

Reps: Charlie O’Doherty (7) for Irwin (44); Rob Buckley (7) for O’Kelly (44); Evan Murphy (7) for Healy (47); Niall O’Gorman (7) for Burke (47); Derek Corcoran (7) for Pope (53); Patrick Scully (7) for Gleeson (53); Jake O’Kelly for K O’Flaherty (67); David Gleeson for McMahon (72 inj); Matt Burke for Doran (77); John Brislane (NR) for J O’Flaherty (77); John Healy for D Murphy (77).

UCC: Ben O’Connor (8); Sean Condon (8), Gene O’Leary Kareem (8), Daniel Squires (8), Mark Hetherington (7); Darragh French (7), Andrew O’Mahony (7); Michael Cogan (7), Luke McCauliffe (8), Daniel McCarthy (7); Sam O’Sullivan (7), Conor Ryan (7); Sean Edogbo (7), Jason Aherne (7), Peter Hyland (8).

Reps: Kamil Novak (7) for Ahearne (47); Stephen O’Shaughnessy (7) for McCauliffe (59); Jason Ahearne for Edogbo (67 inj); Evan Clarke (6) for Hyland (76 inj); David Cogan (6) for Hetherington (76); Harry Murphy (7) for French (76); Jack Casey (6) for O’Mahony (76).

Referee: Andrew Cole (LRR).

Nenagh Ormond mounted a stunning and sensational late comeback to snatch the most memorable of victories in a thrilling roller-coaster of a Division 1A Promotion Playoff final clash at a packed New Ormond Park on Saturday afternoon.

Comebacks of such calibre are a rare in the world of sport but somehow Nenagh found the necessary wherewithal to fashion the most memorable of resurrections, one that even Lazurus himself would have to stand back and applaud, to secure promotion to the top tier of rugby in the country.

With just two minutes of normal time remaining a buoyant UCC side appeared to have copper-fastened victory after Sean Condon dotted down in the corner following a stunning line break, and Dan Squires added the extras to fire UCC eleven points clear, 33-22.

Cue some early departures, confident in the knowledge UCC had secured a hard-fought promotion to the top tier and Nenagh’s season ends on a losing note.

The faithful that remained though witnessed a sporting comeback to rank right up there with the best sport has ever witnessed, a comeback that will live long in the memory of all who were present in New Ormond Park, and one which will be spoken of for decades to come.

Nenagh Ormond’s meteoric rise to the highest rung of rugby in the land has been nothing short of breathtaking. Just five short years ago, Nenagh were embroiled in a relegation scrap when Covid cancelled the 2020 season finale and when rugby returned the men in red and white survived a relegation play-off and stave off a drop down to the fourth tier.

In the intervening three years, Nenagh Ormond have soared up through the ranks and despite losing a promotion semi-final in 2023 they captured the Division 2A title last year before last Saturday's events saw them amazingly securing promotion to the top tier of rugby in the country in front of a jubilant crowd at New Ormond Park.

Munster derbies are always high-stakes affairs but this latest clash between Nenagh Ormond and UCC was on another level. UCC lost twice to Nenagh during the regular season, including a dramatic 38-34 loss in January at New Ormond Park after Nenagh snatched the result with a last-minute Mikey Doran try.

UCC, managed by former Munster and Ireland scrum-half Tomas O’Leary came into the clash on the back of a four-match winning streak, a potent side stacked with Munster academy players and also built around some exciting youngsters who have represented their province and country to date. However, Michael Foy’s absence in the back row was a big loss with Jason Ahearne called upon to step up. Munster’s Ben O’Connor started at full-back, while current Ireland Under-20 international Gene O’Leary Kareem and Daniel Squires, their top points scorer, partnered each other in the centre.

Nenagh struggled to make everything stick in the opening half and a number of questionable officiating decisions served to frustrate the home side and supporters.

Played in at times breezy conditions the home side were forced to soak up early pressure. UCC made the brighter start capitalising on their early dominance to force a penalty try and deservedly seize the initiative after just seven minutes.

Despite having John O’Flaherty sin-binned for the penalty try infringement, Nenagh settled and forced their way into UCC’s 22 before prop Matty Burke crashed over for their first try on 25 minutes; Conor McMahon duly added the extras and the sides were all square, 7-7.

UCC edged back in front thanks to a well-struck Daniel Squires penalty, but Nenagh responded in kind with Conor McMahon expertly dispatching a close-range penalty straight in front of the UCC posts after the visitors were pinged at the breakdown.

With five minutes remaining to the break, Nenagh were forced onto the back foot from the re-start. UCC built upon their momentum as Nenagh struggled to soak up the mounting pressure and the visitors struck again though right on the stroke of half-time after their blindside flanker Sean Edogbo barrelled his way over the line for UCC’s second try. Daniel Squires obliged with the extras once more to leave Nenagh trailing by 17-10 at the break.

From the re-start, Nenagh once more found themselves under the cosh with Squires kicking two further penalties inside the opening seven minutes, the first after Nenagh’s scrum was penalised and the second at the breakdown.

Nenagh’s backroom team elected to run their bench in a bid to inject some impetus but were once more dealt a cruel blow when Conor McMahon was binned for a very debatable tackle in the air in the 48th minute.

Nenagh rode out the period of numerical disadvantage impressively though with Willie Coffey’s sublime pass putting Josh Rowland in for a try on the hour mark. Charlie O’Doherty added the conversion to ensure Nenagh were back within striking distance, and it was game on once more, 17-23.

UCC were in no mood to capitulate though, and the 'Skull and Crossbones' retorted with a fourth Daniel Squires penalty on 63 minutes to restore a two-score buffer.

A deft piece of footwork from full-back Ben O’Connor after he controlled a Nenagh clearance with his boot before launching another UCC attack almost proved fatal for Nenagh but once more their defence held fast.

With ten minutes remaining, UCC cut the look of a side who were starting to struggle physically, and a fantastic John O’Flaherty try served to imbue the home side with a renewed vigour. Conor McMahon’s attempted conversion failed to bisect the uprights, but Nenagh were within striking distance once more, 22-26.

With Nenagh’s dominance growing they were hit with what appeared to be a game defining sucker punch after the visitors pounced off a break from a Garryowen which was gather by Harry Murphy who played in Sean Condon and the winger dotted down in the corner. With less than two minutes remaining Daniel Squires added the extra and the game appeared ‘done and dusted’.

At this juncture many could be forgiven for thinking Nenagh were dead and buried but in a thoroughly astounding series of events they somehow managed to pull off the most astonishing and staggering of comebacks.

From the re-start Ormond surged back up the field and a quickly taken penalty brought Nenagh right to the five-metre line. The maul expertly surged through the splintering UCC defence and referee Andrew Cole had no hesitancy in running under the posts for a penalty try with UCC’s Jason Ahearne was sent to the sin-bin.

UCC were unravelling like a cheap jumper at Christmas and with time for a restart, Nenagh Ormond fashioned what will forever be remembered as the ‘miracle moment’ at New Ormond Park.

Nenagh gathered excellently from the re-start and drew UCC in with a number of impressive phases before switching the ball wide to Davy Gleeson on the wing. Gleeson, who had been sent back into the fray for the injured Conor McMahon, embarked on an explosive break down the right wing before sublimely off-loading to Josh Rowland on his shoulder who ran in from forty metres for a try which sent a jubilant home crowd into joyous rapture, 34-33.

The conversion didn’t matter but Charlie O’Doherty slotted the extras to ignite a pitch invasion as the Nenagh Ormond faithful rushed to fete their heroes following one of the most memorable, amazing, and astonishing comebacks ever witnessed on a rugby field, let along this one in Nenagh.

For Nenagh Ormond, the victory heralded a fairytale ending to an incredible season, one that saw them claim the Munster Senior Cup for the first time ever and also clinch a place amongst rugby’s elite in AIL Division 1A for the 2025/26 season.

Roll on the good times as Nenagh Ormond RFC!

TEAMS - Nenagh Ormond: Josh Rowland (8); David Gleeson (7), Angus Blackmore (8), Willie Coffey (8), Conor McMahon (7); Ben Pope (7), Nicky Irwin (7); Mikey Doran (8), Dylan Murphy (8), Matt Burke (8); Jake O’Kelly (8), Kevin O’Flaherty (Capt 7); Joe Coffey (7), John Healy (7), John O’Flaherty (8).

Reps: Charlie O’Doherty (7) for Irwin (44); Rob Buckley (7) for O’Kelly (44); Evan Murphy (7) for Healy (47); Niall O’Gorman (7) for Burke (47); Derek Corcoran (7) for Pope (53); Patrick Scully (7) for Gleeson (53); Jake O’Kelly for K O’Flaherty (67); David Gleeson for McMahon (72 inj); Matt Burke for Doran (77); John Brislane (NR) for J O’Flaherty (77); John Healy for D Murphy (77).

UCC: Ben O’Connor (8); Sean Condon (8), Gene O’Leary Kareem (8), Daniel Squires (8), Mark Hetherington (7); Darragh French (7), Andrew O’Mahony (7); Michael Cogan (7), Luke McCauliffe (8), Daniel McCarthy (7); Sam O’Sullivan (7), Conor Ryan (7); Sean Edogbo (7), Jason Aherne (7), Peter Hyland (8).

Reps: Kamil Novak (7) for Ahearne (47); Stephen O’Shaughnessy (7) for McCauliffe (59); Jason Ahearne for Edogbo (67 inj); Evan Clarke (6) for Hyland (76 inj); David Cogan (6) for Hetherington (76); Harry Murphy (7) for French (76); Jack Casey (6) for O’Mahony (76).

Referee: Andrew Cole (Leinster).