Murphy brothers lay down the law

By Thomas Conway

Nenagh Ormond is, and always has been, one big family.

The senior squad, in particular, is ferociously tight-knitted. Their exploits over the past two seasons in particular have been outright sensational, but none of it would have been possible without a group of players willing to put their bodies on the line, willing to die for one another. Most of these men may not be related, they may not all come from the same gene-pool or share the same background, but they’re brothers alright.

So says Dylan Murphy, the UL Law graduate and former Ireland under-20 who talks as honestly and straightly as he throws (he’s a hooker)

“I think all of us kind of treat each other like brothers. There’s serious comradery in the squad. All of us are in it together,” he reveals.

Dylan and his brother Evan are one of a collection of three brothers in this senior squad. Captain Kevin O’Flaherty and his sibling John have a long-established presence in the team. Centre Willie Coffey, who captained the outfit last season, has in recent years been joined by his younger brother Joe, who frequently makes impactful appearances off the bench.

Families often play a role in sporting teams. There have, according to Irish Rugby, been 57 pairs of brothers who have featured in Irish international teams, the latest duo being Sam Prendergast and his older brother Cian. It isn’t unique, but it’s special nonetheless, and as Evan Murphy wryly notes, it adds a bit of fun and spice to everyday conversations between the brothers.

“There’d be a bit of friendly banter at home alright!” he chuckled.

“Dylan would have a few more tries than me this year so he’d be kind of rubbing it in a bit! But it is great, to line out alongside one another, especially on big days like next Sunday.”It will almost certainly add to the emotion, and perhaps the pressure, of the occasion, but that’s something both brothers are equipped to deal with at this stage. Each has gathered considerable AIL and Cup experience in recent years. Despite both being relatively young, they’re seasoned warriors (Dylan featured for Munster ‘A’ against Leinster ‘A’ in the Inter-provincial championship over Christmas), and they’re laser focused on the task at hand. Old Crescent will be tricky. They’re probably underrated and Evan is well aware of this. “We’ve played Old Crescent before, so we know what they’re like, and the one thing we definitely won’t be doing is underestimating them, that’s for sure,” he said.

They won’t be underestimating the crowd either. Thomond Park is unlikely to be packed to the rafters this Sunday, but it will feel as full and sound as noisy as any high-stakes Champions Cup game with Munster involved.

Old Crescent will bring numbers, you can bet your hat on that. They’re a traditional Limerick club with a strong following, and very little distance to travel. But Nenagh will match them.

Anyone who has been to an Ormond game these past two seasons will have noticed the increased crowd size. It isn’t just rugby fanatics either. You’ll find an eclectic range of spectators, even at the away games, as Dylan notes. “The support has always been huge,” he says.

“To be fair, the town is great to get behind us. Every single week, you see the massive crowds. Even up in Belvedere the last day, you could see it, everyone who had made the journey up. “The last time we played a Senior Cup final, in 2023, there was a massive Nenagh contingent inside Thomond Park, and we know it’s going to be the same this time around. And as players, it is huge having that kind of support behind us. It just gives you a boost on the pitch. We really appreciate it.”

Thomond might also present a particular advantage to Nenagh as they play an expansive, running game. They’re free-flowing and entertaining to watch. The pristine Thomond Park surface will thus be well suited to their style. The pitch conditions won’t be too dissimilar from Nenagh’s own 4G pitch, which, as Evan observes, enables them to play such a fast game.

“All the coaches have us playing a really good game,” Evan says.

“They encourage us to back ourselves with the ball, to make runs with the ball. And then when we’re playing at home, we play all our games on the 4G as well, because we like the surface. It encourages more running with the ball, that quick passing game. And that probably gives us an advantage over some other teams.”