Ormond retain Charity Cup

RUGBY: North Munster Limerick Charity Cup Final

Nenagh Ormond 36

Garryowen 14

Report: Mike McMahon in Dooradoyle

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Tom Crofts (Nenagh Ormond)

SCORERS - Nenagh Ormond: Tries - Hodgins, O’Donnell, O’Shaughnessy, O’Rourke, Kennedy, Malone; Cons - O’Brien (3).

Garryowen: Tries - Gleeson, Barry; Cons - Joyce (2)

Nenagh Ormond retained the North Munster Limerick Charity Cup title when they accounted for Garryowen in the final on Friday night.

The cherry & whites made the short trip to Dooradoyle after losing the toss for venue; qualifying for the final courtesy of a tough 15-5 win over Shannon in Coonagh while Garryowen had overcome Old Crescent on a slightly more comfortable 35-14 scoreline.

Earlier this season, these two sides met in Nenagh in the North Munster League where they played out an enthralling 15 try game in which a late score gave Garryowen the spoils, 50-43.

The opening stages were played between the two 22s as both sides tried to get the measure of each other. It took a sublime break from Brian O’Rourke and a lovely long pass to Matthew Hodgins to break the deadlock after ten minutes with Conor O’Brien adding the extra two for a 7-0 lead.

Garryowen came back strongly and countered off a Nenagh lineout error resulting in a lineout of their own on the Nenagh 22. They secured good ball in the middle and mauled over for their opening try scored by hooker Harry Gleeson. Marcus Joyce added the extras.

On 15 minutes, another line break in the middle set up 18-year-old Brehon O’Donnell for a fine try to give Nenagh the lead again at 12-7.

On the half hour, Nenagh were camped inside the Garryowen 22, laying siege to the try-line and eventually the pressure told with Conor O’Shaughnessy going over from close range to deservedly stretch the lead to 17-7.

Garryowen refused to lie down and just before half time a neat break off the back of a ruck on the Nenagh 22 resulted in scrum half Thomas Barry getting a try. Joyce again added the extras to leave the half-time score 17-14 in Nenagh’s favour.

It looked like all to play for going into the second half but Nenagh had other ideas and totally dominated the second forty minutes. Almost immediately from the restart, excellent centre Brian O’Rourke, only recently back from a long term injury, broke through for a try with Conor O’Brien added the extras to make it a ten-point game at 24-14.

Nenagh continued to impose their style on the game and Kieran Kennedy further stretched the lead on the three-quarter mark. O’Brien again added the extras to stretch the lead further.

Ten minutes later, replacement hooker Shane Malone went over from close range to add another five points and a 36-14 lead.

From there, Nenagh comfortably held out for the final ten minutes to retain the trophy, their third triumph in this competition in four years. Hopefully, this performance will carry though into the Munster Junior Cup which kicks off in the coming weeks.

TEAMS - Nenagh Ormond: Matthew Hodgins; Brehon O’Donnell, Brian O’Rourke, Conor O’Shaughnessy, Kieran Kennedy; Conor O’Brien, Tom Crofts; Sean Frawley, Jack Devanny, Niall O’Gorman; Jake O’Kelly (Capt), Fionn O’Meara; James Meagher, Robbie Tynan, John Brislane.

Reps: Shane Malone, Richie Whelan, Ivan Struzia, Charlie Grace, Kevin O’Gorman, Davy Corcoran, Alex Quinn.

Garryowen: Pelle van de Polder; Jack Murphy, Andre Birthistle, Sam Murphy, Mark Glynn; Marcus Joyce, Thomas Barry; Jibril Koura, Harry Gleeson, David Geoghegan; Samuel Connolly, Kieran Roche; Richard Costello, Dean Fanning, Jordan Power.

Reps: Dylan Doran, Eric Cantillon, Christopher McSweeney, Matthew Collins, James Houlihan, Daniel Magee, Cillian Ahern.

Referee: Adrian McInerney.