Nenagh Ormond get back to winning way with solid home win over Highfield

All-Ireland League - Division 1B - Round 14

Nenagh Ormond 38      

Highfield 25

Report by Mike McMahon

With only five games remaining in the regular season, this was a crucial game for both sides, albeit for very different reasons.

Nenagh were hoping to bounce back after a very disappointing loss away to Queens last weekend. A defeat that more or less put paid to their hopes of winning the Division 1B title.

Highfield are battling to exit themselves from the relegation zone but despite improved performances of late, they remain in deep trouble in ninth place and a good distance from safety.

Both sides put in excellent performances in this game, which was exciting throughout and remained in the balance until the final quarter when Nenagh finally pulled clear of a gallant Highfield side who will be disappointed not to take anything from the tie.

The Cork visitors started brightly and Nenagh were lucky to be only three points down in the early stages. 

The home team took their chances well though and scored the game’s opening try after seven minutes courtesy of a well-worked driving maul – the touchdown coming from hooker Dylan Murphy.

Shortly afterwards, Nenagh gained possession from a penalty and kicked to the corner. 

A lineout move straight from the training ground sent captain Kevin O’Flaherty clean through for his side’s second try. Centre Conor McMahon expertly converted both from wide on the right.

Highfield responded immediately from the restart and went close a couple of times before finally getting over through prop Daragh Fitzgerald. 

They quickly added another three points through a Shane O’Riordan penalty and when McMahon was sent to the bin for foul play on 27 minutes, it looked very much game on.

Down a man, Nenagh were holding on for a spell but finished the half in exhilarating fashion. Running the ball from deep, the home side created space for full-back Josh Rowland to break clear. 

Brilliant support play from Nicky Irwin, Kevin O’Flaherty and Dylan Murphy eventually led to winger Conor O’Shaughnessy touching down in the corner for one of the tries of the season.

A useful 19-11 lead then for the Tipperary men at half time but playing into a breeze in the second half, the outcome was still very much in the balance. Eight minutes into the new half, however, Nenagh won a penalty and again kicked for the corner. 

In a similar fashion to their first score, the home side set up a driving maul from the lineout, with the same result – a touchdown from hooker Murphy.

Once again, Highfield responded with a second try from Fitzgerald just as Charlie O’Doherty and Fionn O’Meara entered the fray for Nenagh. 

Both introductions had a positive influence on the game and it took second-rower O’Meara only 5 minutes to get on the end of a flowing move and gallop in for a try in the corner.

Leading 33-18, Nenagh looked rampant at this stage but Highfield just refused to go away and with 12 minutes left, they carved open the home defence with a superb backline move which resulted in a cracking try finished by winger Eoin Dorgan. 

The last word went to Nenagh however when replacement scrum-half O’Doherty placed a beautiful kick over the defence for Rowland to run onto and dot down in the corner for his side’s sixth try and their highest tally for the season.

With Old Wesley falling to a narrow defeat at the hands of leaders Old Belvedere, second-placed Nenagh are now seven points clear of Blackrock College in third. The AIL now takes a break until March 1st when Ormond will travel to Old Belvedere for a top-of-the-table shoot-out. 

In the meantime, they have the small matter of a Munster Challenge Cup semi-final away to Young Munster on Friday 21st February at 8 pm in Tom Clifford Park.

Scorers: Nenagh Ormond: Tries: Dylan Murphy (2), Kevin O’Flaherty, Conor O’Shaughnessy, Fionn O’Meara, Josh Rowland. Cons: Conor McMahon (4).

Highfield: Tries: Daragh Fitzgerald (2), Eoin Dorgan. Cons: Shane O’Riordan (2). Pens: Shane O’Riordan (2).

Nenagh Ormond: Josh Rowland; Davey Gleeson, Conor McMahon, Angus Blackmore, Conor O’Shaughnessy; Ben Pope, Nicky Irwin; Mikey Doran, Dylan Murphy, Jack O’Keeffe, Jake O’Kelly, Kevin O’Flaherty, Joe Coffey, John Healy, John O’Flaherty.

Replacements: Shane Maloney, Matthew Burke, Fionn O’Meara, Evan Murphy, Charlie O’Doherty, Derek Corcoran.

Highfield: Jamie Shanahan; Colin O’Neill, Elliot Smith, Mark Dorgan, Eoin Dorgan; Shane O’Riordan, Richard Cassidy; Rob Murphy, Travis Coomey, Daragh Fitzgerald, Eoin Keating, David O’Halloran, Conor Kennelly, Mark Fitzgibbon, Dave O’Connell.

Replacements: Euan Kennedy, Cillian Buckley, Aidan Keane, Miah Cronin, Shane Buckley, David O’Sullivan.

Referee: Oisin Quinn