Devastation for Nenagh Ormond as last minute Young Munster penalty denies them famous win

Munster Challenge Cup Final

Nenagh Ormond 24

Young Munster 27

An incredible performance from Nenagh Ormond came up agonisingly short as a late penalty from Young Munster kicker Conor Hayes sent the Tipperary men to their knees in the Munster Challenge Cup Final in Thomond Park tonight.

Having put in a near flawless first half to take a richly deserved lead 17-10 over their Limerick opponents, with three tries coming from Davy Gleeson, John Healy, and back row colossus John Hayes, the final 20 minutes was a bridge too far as the fitness and relentlessness of the Division 1A side took control late on to score two late tries and a decisive last gasp penalty to claim their third title in a row in this competition.

The penalty concession was harsh from a Nenagh point of view as the relentless phases from the Young Munster men was creating space in the Ormond defensive line, and with the Tipp men all but out on their feet, Munsters' tried a flash pass out left and despite Davy Gleeson on the wing looking like he was going for the intercept, the referee adjudged him to have deiberately knocked on the ball; Conor Hayes stepping up to slot an ice cool winner with time up to break Nenagh hearts.

Nenagh Ormond got off to the perfect start when striking for the game's opening try in the fourth minute. A series of strong carries brought the North Tipp side deep inside their opponents '22. Out-half Derek Corcoran then spotted winger David Gleeson in isolation on the wing and found him with a pinpoint cross-field kick.

Gleeson had the straight forward task of dotting down for an early 5-0 lead. 

Back came Young Munster almost straight from the kick-off with a try of their own. Munsters' forced a couple of penalties inside the Nenagh '22 and opted for a kick to the corner in a bid to reap the biggest reward.

Their bravery was rewarded when Sean Rigney claimed the line-out and, following a well-executed maul, flanker Ronan O'Sullivan dotted down.

Out-half Evan Cusack duly added the conversion and the holders were now 7-5 to the good.

The exciting nature of the final continued through the opening quarter as Nenagh hit back with their second try. Following a series of pick-and-goes deep inside their opponents '22, Nenagh flashed the ball wide with out-half Corocoran linking up with Josh Rowland. The full-back found centre John Healy who crashed over the tryline before cleverly turning his body and dotting down. 

Young Munster then earned the chance to draw level in the 27th minute when Nenagh were penalised for holding on at a breakdown. Cusack duly dissected the uprights from 28 metres out to tie the scores at 10-10.

Nenagh continued to impress however with the Division 2A side willing to keep the ball in hand, repeatedly getting over the gainline with their carries and succeeded in securing quick ball at the breakdown. 

After Munsters' strayed offside in the 38th minute, Nenagh opted for a kick to the corner off the resultant penalty award. 

The holders were caught napping off a cleverly worked line-out routine from Nenagh with number eight John Hayes claiming their third try of the game and a 15-10 lead.

Winger Patrick Scully dissected the uprights with a beautifully struck conversion to push their half-time advantage out to 17-10.

It was a lead Nenagh Ormond deserved given their level of play in that opening 40 minutes.

Nenagh made a cracking start to the second half when stunning their opponents with a fourth try within the opening 60 seconds. 

First half tryscorer David Gleeson created the opening after making a smashing break off a lineout. Gleeson linked up with scrum-half Nicky Irwin who scampered his way over the tryline showing good strength to dot down.

Scully added the conversion and suddenly Nenagh Ormond's lead was out to two converted tries at 24-10. Long way back for Munsters' from here.

Munsters' did ask big questions of the Nenagh defence as the third quarter came to an end. However, resolute defence from the Tipp side held them at bay, including when the referee judged that number eight John Foley was held up over the Nenagh tryline in the 56th minute.

The lifeline Young Munster craved arrived in the 69th minute when the Limerick side's powerful scrum won three successive penalties close to the Nenagh tryline, with the match referee opting to award a penalty try. There was now just a converted try between the sides at 24-17.

That score really energised Munsters' challenge and the Limerick side had a third try in the 74th minute when James Horrigan barged his way over the tryline from close range.

Conor Hayes drew the sides level at 24-24 with a sweetly struck conversion.

The Young Munster cheers had hardly died down when Nenagh Ormond were awarded a penalty goal just outside the Munstrs' 22 on the right hand side.

Replacement Conor O'Brien saw his sweetly struck kick collide with the outside of the upright in the 78th minute, before the danger was ultimately cleared. The excitement was not at fever picth levels.

Hayes then proved the Young Munster hero when slotting the match winning penalty with the final kick of the game after Davy Gleeson attempted intercept which broke Nenagh hearts in front of a big crowd in Thomond Park.

Scorers: Nenagh Ormond: Tries: Davy Gleeson, John Healy, John Hayes, Nicky Irwin.

Cons: Patrick Scully (2).

Young Munster: Tries: Ronan O'Sullivan, James Horrigan, penalty try.

Cons: Conor Hayes (2).

Pens: Conor Hayes (2).

Nenagh Ormond: Josh Rowland, Patrick Scully, Willie Coffey, John Healy, Davy Gleeson, Derek Corcoran, Nicky Irwin; Mikey Doran, Dylan Murphy, Jack O'Keefe, Kevin O'Flaherty, Jake O'Kelly, Rob Buckley, John O'Flaherty, John Hayes.

Subs: Peter O'Connor, Sean Frawley, Evan Murphy, Joe Coffey, John Brislane, Cian Ryan, Conor O'Brien.

Young Munster: Patrick Campbell, Conor Hayes, Harry Fleming, Luke Fitzgerald, Shay McCarthy, Evan Cusack, Jack Lyons; David Begley, George Jacobs, Conor Bartley, Sean Rigney, Alan Kennedy, Bailey Faloon, Ronan O'Sullivan, John Foley.

Subs: Mark O'Mara, Paul Allen, Conor Moloney, James Horrigan, Donnchadh O'Callaghan, Werner Hoffman, Stephen Lyons.

Referee: Shane Kierans