Kicking their goals key as Ormond trump Queens

RUGBY: Energia All-Ireland League Division 1B Round 6

Nenagh Ormond 22

Queens University 14

Report: Shane Brophy at New Ormond Park

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Mikey Doran (Nenagh Ormond)

SCORERS – Nenagh Ormond: Try – Doran. Conv – McMahon. Pens – McMahon (4), O’Doherty (1).

Queens University: Tries – McLoughlin, McKillop. Convs – Murphy (2).

Nenagh Ormond have won a lot of games over the last two seasons, in many different fashions, and they continued that way on Saturday in round 6 of the All-Ireland League with a gritty victory over Queens University.

This was a real arm-wrestle of a game on the clubs new all-weather, indeed one of two halves as the fresh breeze more than played a part with all bar three points scored into the Town End.

Nenagh led 19-0 at half time but there was no sense that it was game over as despite dominating possession and territory, Queens defence was superb and from early on there was a realisation from the Nenagh camp that kicking their points would be key to victory and that is how it proved.

They were outscored two tries to one but four penalties from the boot of Conor McMahon and a crucial late one from Charlie O’Doherty left the visitors facing the long trip back to Belfast with nothing to show from a really physical game, with plenty of back and forth between the players on both sides.

McMahon’s first successful penalty came on seven minutes after a high tempo start in the unseasonably mild conditions, as the visitors defended their line well after sustained attacks.

The trend continued as Nenagh again set up camp in the Queens 22 but were forced to settle for another McMahon penalty on twelve minutes and he converted a third six minutes later as Nenagh’s scrum forced a third penalty of the game, with prop Mikey Doran really getting the upper hand on his opposite number.

Nenagh continued to build pressure and a superb break from Angus Blackmore led to a great position inside the 22 but Queens captain Lorcan McLoughlin cynically killed the play and was sent to the sinbin. With a man advantage, Nenagh turned down the three points and went for the lineout where they impressively mauled from ten metres out with Mikey Doran touching down, and Conor McMahon converting for a 16-0 lead.

It took Queens a full thirty minutes to a create a sustained attack, but it was short lived with the concession of a penalty. Two minutes later, Nenagh were almost in for a second try when a measured cross-kick from Ben Pope led to Josh Rowland running onto the ball in stride and ran on but was tackled on the line with the ball knocked on. From the goal-line drop out, Nenagh forced another penalty which McMahon converted for a 19-0 half time lead, although the home side had to withstand a Queens attack right on the break with Bryn O’Connor held up over the line.

As the second half played out, the importance of that play became clear as it was Nenagh who were pinned back inside their own half, defending well but were finally breached on 47 minutes when Lorcan McLoughlin crashed over from close range, with Jack Murphy converting from the hand, as Queens sensed something.

It took Nenagh almost fifteen minutes to get out of their own half and when Queens lock James McKillop was sin-binned on 53 minutes, it looked as if Nenagh had weathered the storm. However, sloppy play prevented them from stemming the tide before play was held up for a period after referee Andrew Fogarty got too close to the action and was tackled hard requiring treatment.

He was able to continue as the game was really well-balance with the next score key, and it came for the visitors on 68 minutes when a good break off a scrum by Michael McDonald brought Queens to the line from where James McKillop crashed over for Murphy to convert to reduce the arrears to five points.

Nenagh were really under pressure now and their ambitions weren’t helped by losing Conor McMahon to an ankle injury. When awarded a penalty on 71 minutes, an option was to kick deep into the 22 and try and kill the clock a little, but even into the strengthening breeze, there was belief in replacement scrum-half Charlie O’Doherty to nail the three points and he converted to open the lead to eight points, now two scores in front, Nenagh were as good as safe despite Queens piling on the pressure late for a third try.

It’s 23 points from a possible thirty from Nenagh Ormond as the league reaches it’s third way point as they hit the road next Saturday, although it’s a relatively short one to Limerick to play Shannon on the main pitch in Thomond Park at 5.00pm, in what is both sides derby match in the campaign.

Not long ago, Nenagh could have only dreamed to play the mighty Shannon, now they do so as their equals and indeed will be favourites when they meet under the lights. A true indication of how far they have come.

TEAMS – Nenagh Ormond: Josh Rowland (6); Patrick Scully (6), Angus Blackmore (8), Willie Coffey (8), Conor McMahon (8); Ben Pope (7), Nicky Irwin (7); Mikey Doran (8), Dylan Murphy (7), Colm Skehan (7); Jake O’Kelly (7), Kevin O’Flaherty (Capt, 7), Rob Buckley (7), Evan Murphy (7), John O’Flaherty (7).

Reps: Charlie O’Doherty (7) for Rowland (47); Craig Hannon (7) for O’Kelly (50); John Brislane (6) for Buckley (50); Jack O’Keeffe (6) for Doran (55); Derek Corcoran (6) for Irwin (69); Nicky Irwin for McMahon (72 inj); Jack Devanny (NR) for D Murphy (78); Jake O’Kelly for K O’Flaherty (78); Mikey Doran for Skehan (80).

Queens University: Dan Green (7); Rory Telfer(6), Wilhelm de Klerk (7), Callum Florennce (7), Ryan Street (6); Jack Murphy (7), Michael McDonald (7); Jack Boal (6), Zac Soloman (6), Bryn O’Connor (6); Oliver Hughes (6), James McKillop (7); Josh Stephens (7), Tom Brigg (6), Lorcan McLoughlin (Capt 8).

Reps: Henry Walker (7) for Soloman (HT); Tyrese Abohalorian (6) for Boal (68); Will Cusack (6) for Brigg (68); Jack Boal for O’Connor (77).

Referee: Andrew Fogarty.