Player/Coach Corcoran shows the way for young and old

By James Hayden

Nenagh Ormond capped off the most successful year in the club’s illustrious 141-year history with the most memorable of victories over a stacked UCC side to propel them into the realms of rugby’s elite on Saturday.

One of the main architects of the victory, player/head coach Derek Corcoran cut an elated figure following a win which sees Nenagh Ormond become the first ever side from Tipperary to play in the top tier of rugby in the country next season.

Nenagh Ormond’s story is remarkable. Under Corcoran and a top-class coaching staff, they have achieved the unthinkable in just two short years. After climbing out of Division 2A last season, they have taken the league’s second tier by storm in their debut year, and now find themselves preparing for the visit of high calibre sides such as Cork Constitution, Young Munster and Clontarf to New Ormond Park for the 2025/26 season, a feat that will no doubt rank highly the annals of AIL history.

Paying tribute to his teammates, supporters, and all at Nenagh Ormond, Corcoran lauded his side’s belief and determination to fashion the victory despite staring squarely into the jaws of defeat.

“It was crazy there at the end, I just think it was a belief,” he began.

“When we took the quick tap and then they scored after we kind of felt it was dead, but we just spoke about it under the posts about getting a competitive kick-off and trying to get the ball back and get a score and just push it the whole way to the final whistle. Luckily, we got that score, and the last try was just unbelievable. It was just a determination to win.”

Regarding the match winning try, Derek paid tribute to his winger Davy Gleeson and full back, Josh Rowland for the way they fashioned it.

“In the 80th minute plus of a game when you are tired that’s a tough pass to make under pressure. It was a great pass and Josh had the legs to finish it,” he said.

Corcoran also felt that UCC were waning in the closing stages, adding that the call was to keep the tempo up.

“The plan when I came on was to keep moving the ball and just keep stretching them and try and make passes stick,” Corcoran revealed.

“We did kick away too much ball in the first half but we wanted to represent ourselves correctly in the second half and take the game to them, back our fitness and see where that would take us.

“We stuck to the process out there and fitness is the bedrock of our game. We work so hard at it outside of Tuesdays and Thursdays and the lads have been relentless and it tells when you can play your best rugby in the last six or seven minutes of a game that’s all you can ask for from the boys.”

Describing the step up to Division 1A rugby as a dream come through for the club Corcoran said this season has been one which will live long in the memory of all associated with Nenagh Ormond, adding that it’s a dream come true for everyone to win the Munster Senior Cup and secure promotion to the top tier in the same year.

“It's phenomenal to be welcoming Division 1A rugby here next season,” Corcoran added.

“It’s a dream come true for everyone here at Nenagh Ormond.

“I coach the Under 9’s as well and seeing them all here today in their jerseys and showing them what we can do as a club is just fantastic. The place was full here today of kids in Nenagh jerseys and they are all in our underage system. We just want to show them the way. We are just the tip of the arrow for the club and they are all behind us and long may it continue.”