Long lauds never-say-die attitude
By Shane Brophy
“You never give up hope,” was how Nenagh Ormond Director of Rugby John Long described the dramatic finish to Saturday’s AIL Division 1A Promotion Playoff final.
“Everyone on the sideline was asking what’s left (time) but we always knew the boys had it in them,” he said of the eleven point deficit with the referee indicating there were four minutes to play.
“The chance was always there,” he added.
“It wasn’t that we were expecting to win or assuming we’d win but you always know there is something left in them, always that fight which is phenomenal. They are an unbelievable group.”
Long has doubled up as Club President this season and paid tribute to the players for their commitment, not just this season, but over the last three years since turning the page on what was needed to be competitive week in, week out.
“I go back to belief and mentality, the boys just never stopped working and believing,” Long added.
“Most of the players have been on this squad for the last three, five, ten years. It is just reward for these boys, I am just delighted for them and proud of them.”
Nenagh played 25 games over the course of the season in various competitions, a massive amount of rugby and they still had reserves in the tank to outlive a young and powerful UCC side on Saturday.
“It’s a phenomenal amount of rugby, eighteen standard AIL games, five games in the Munster Senior Cup and now two playoff games,” he said of the matches played over the last eight months.
“It is some about of ball and some mileage racked up this year, but they are a group that look like they could go out and play again next week.
“Our driving force for the last three years, is fitness. We can see other teams failing which nearly gives us another gear.”
Through the successful Munster Senior Cup campaign, Nenagh Ormond defeated 1A sides Young Munster and Cork Constitution, the latter losing the 1A final at the Aviva Stadium on Sunday by just one point to Clontarf, all those sides will be making the trip to New Ormond Park next season.
“We’ll soak it in and we’ll be ready for it like we were for 1B,” concluded the Nenagh Director of Rugby.