O’Keeffe is testament to Ormond’s home grown development
By Niall McIntyre
"If you build it, they will come!". It’s a famous line from ‘Field of Dreams’ and it applies to Nenagh Ormond, having christened ‘New Ormond Park’ with a remarkable win over Cork Constitution in the Munster Senior Cup two weeks ago.
Speaking at the launch of the 2024/2025 Energia All-Ireland Leagues last week, prop Jack O’Keeffe describes the refurbished facilities as the ‘product of tireless work and dedication from everyone in the club.’ A new gym, floodlights, dressing rooms and a smaller all-weather pitch all complement the full size all-weather where Ormond hosted reigning AIL champs Cork Con.
The floodlights and surrounding cornfields brought you back to the fantasy world of the classic American baseball movie, and the people of Nenagh must have thought they were dreaming after a 31-12 victory.
But it’s the continuation of a remarkable rise for the North Tipperary club - on and off the field - having gone from the verge of 2B to 1B contenders in the space of a couple of years.
This latest victory is another timely step on the journey with their 1B campaign beginning next Saturday as Dublin University come to town.
O’Keeffe is a tighthead prop and along with his team-mates he’s revelling in the buzz surrounding the club, having also experienced leaner times before their 2A triumph last year.
“Three years ago, we were one game away from 2B, now we’re up in 1B,” he says of how far they have come.
“We’ve been in a (Munster) senior cup final. It’s going up, hopefully it stays going that way.
“It was tough when we first came up,” he says, “as 18/19 year-olds playing against fully fledged men.
“We struggled for a while. But now the team is mostly 23, with a few 20s and 21-year-olds too. Most of the lads have stuck together.”
AIL heavyweights such as Shannon and Old Belvedere provide stern opposition in 1B, but Nenagh Ormond have a formidable outfit of their own. Their numbers are higher than ever with 30/40 generally at training, the majority of them homegrown players who have lined out together since day one.
“We’ve had a great underage set-up for a number of years now,” O’Keeffe added.
“Most of the lads, you’ve grown up playing with since you were under-14. The bond between everyone is incredible, on and off the field.
“I don’t think the win at the weekend was expected. The management said earlier in the week to go out and play. Take risks. Don’t fear them. We did that. It sets us up nicely for the new season.”
O’Keeffe pays tribute to the businesses in the town and the club committee, having built the new facilities with zero debt after the sale of their old grounds to the HSE.
“The club have done great, with everyone working together,” he said.
“They were there for us four or five years ago when we were in relegation. And twenty years ago, when we were in junior rugby. They’ve stuck by us.
“People in the town have been amazing too. A lot of the local businesses have supported us. It’s a real collective effort.
“We took care of the gym bits ourselves (as players) We’ve done a few fundraisers too, everyone wants to help out with it.
“Our coaching staff have been brilliant. Derek Corcoran, James Hickey, Dan Fogarty, there’s a great vibe there now, everyone is happy and ready to go.
“Look, the speed and physicality (of 1B) will be a big step-up. We’ve played Highfield and Cork Con, 1A and 1B teams already in the Cup. It was great to experience that and hopefully it will stand to us as the season progresses, but AIL will be a different animal, we know that.
“It’s the unknown in some ways, but that’s the exciting part of it too.”
Terence Mann, played by James Earl Jones who died this week, wondered in The Field of Dreams about his role in the scheme of things. But everyone in Nenagh Ormond knows their part in bringing the club to the next level.