Latest milestone can inspire Nenagh Ormond to even greater heights

By Shane Brophy

The Munster Senior Challenge Cup has been competed for on an annual basis for the last 139 years, and finally it will get to see the countryside as Nenagh Ormond became the first club outside of the traditional powerhouse clubs of Cork and Limerick to claim the prestigious trophy.

In becoming the first Tipperary club to have their name engraved on the impressive trophy, it’s a unique piece of history that will bond this group of players together for the rest of their lives.

In beating Old Crescent in the final, they were expected to, but considering they accounted for previous winners Highfield, Cork Constitution, Shannon, and Young Munster (all higher ranked teams at the start of the season) en route to the final, only adds to the scale of the achievement.

Unlike their one and only final appearance in 2023 when they were underdogs against Young Munster, Nenagh were hot favourites on Sunday which made them vulnerable, and much like that final, the underdog threatened an upset early on.

Nenagh’s first half performance was as poor as they have played all season, accounting for good Old Crescent play, but that they went in level at the break at ten-all, you felt they would settle in the second half, but it took until the final quarter before they finally put Old Crescent away.

The Rosbrien side were tremendous, particularly in the first half when they brought all the energy and intensity to proceedings, dominating the breakdown from where they also dominated territory and possession, which yielded an early try for Dan Hurley.

It could have been more but for stout Nenagh defence which was the only area that played to form in the opening half as their ball-handling and decision-making wasn’t up to the usual standard. Only the returning Willie Coffey was bringing the required physicality, back after over three months out through injury.

And it was from one of the his strong carries that laid the platform for centre partner Angus Blackmore to power over the line right on half time to bring Nenagh level and give them much needed momentum going into the second half.

The first score after half time was going to be crucial, and luckily it came Nenagh’s way with a second Blackmore try, under the posts, off the back of Old Crescent’s Oisin Toland being sent to the sin-bin for persistent infringing by the Limerick side close to the line.

When Dan Hurley joined him in the bin shortly after, Nenagh with a two man advantage were well set but failed to take advantage, too eager for the kill move instead of working the phases and sucking in the defenders.

Instead, it gave Old Crescent life when they survived that period and just as their yellow cards came back on the field, Nenagh lost Dylan Murphy to it, and it looked like the momentum would switch back in the direction of the Limerick side who themselves were chasing a first Munster Senior Challenge Cup.

The turning point of the game came on the hour-mark, shortly after Nenagh went down to fourteen men and Crescent had a penalty 5-metres from the line. Usually, it is a given that a kick goes to the corner but Charlie O’Doherty was so alert to read the short-range kick, intercepted it and took the ball clear.

You sensed that was the moment, particularly for the underdogs who had the chance to potentially level the score and put even greater pressure on a Nenagh Ormond side not playing to their best.

Still, Nenagh had one ace to play in the form of Derek Corcoran, the player/head coach entering the fray shortly after and produced a cameo that it wouldn’t have been a surprise if he had gotten the man of the match award.

It helped that Crescent were starting to tire and the Nenagh Ormond forwards were finally beginning to move through the phases but moves still needed finishing, and with Corcoran now at out-half, his class and composure was just what was required as a loop pass but Ben Pope away for the third try before two measured cross-field kicks led to tries for Josh Rowland and Pope’s second to finally put the game to bed.

Corcoran bleeds red and white, and you could see it in his reaction to each try, instead of celebrating it with the players, he ran back to his own position like a young buck, savouring what was about to be achieved for a man that has been central to Nenagh’s rise, both on and off the field, since the turn of the millennium.

Indeed, this was a win for all Nenagh Ormond members to share, both young and old, not only mixing it with the best teams in Munster at the highest level, now they are the best club team in Munster. They will get an opportunity to try and turn it into an All-Ireland next season as they will represent Munster in the Bateman Cup alongside the provincial cup winners in Connacht - Sligo, Leinster – Clontarf, and Ulster (Dungannon, Ballynahinch or City of Armagh).

Heady days indeed, maybe they’ll be doing that as a Division 1A side in the AIL. The momentum is with them, and they may as well strike while the iron is hot over the next few weeks.