Ormond unable to break duck in 16-try encounter with UCD
RUGBY: Energia All-Ireland League Division 1A Round 16
Nenagh Ormond 49
UCD 57
Report: Shane Brophy at New Ormond Park
Photos: Bridget Delaney
MATCH DIGEST
Player of the Match: Ruben Moloney (UCD)
SCORERS - Nenagh Ormond: Tries - O’Shaughnessy, Scully (2), Corcoran, Sentous, Kerr, O’Rourke. Cons - McMahon (4), O’Doherty (3)
UCD: Tries - Quinn, Hurley (3), Aschenbrenner (2), Handley, Moloney, Gilbourne. Cons - Clancy (4), Gilbourne (2).
This latest defeat for Nenagh Ormond was a microcosm of their season as a whole in the unforgiving nature of division 1 of the All-Ireland League.
Once again, they scored more than enough to win most games but conceded too much to be able to win any.
Welcoming second from bottom UCD to Lisatunny on Saturday, Nenagh would have targeted this game to finally break their winless duck in the league but from an early stage they found the students were up for the challenge as they prepare for the promotion/relegation playoffs.
Playing with the stiff breeze at their backs in the opening half, Nenagh would have needed a decent lead at the break but within two minutes had conceded the first of nine tries, caught short on the blindside with scrum-half Thomas Quinn easily running in after Daniel Hurley’s break.
Nenagh’s potent attack quickly got moving as Patrick Scully’s break was cynically killed by UCD skipper Daniel Barron who was sent to the sinbin. Within two minutes, Nenagh took advantage with Jake O’Kelly touching down after wing Conor O’Shaughnessy made the key incision; Conor McMahon added the extras.
However, the home side were unable to take greater advantage of the extra man and indeed before UCD returned to their full complement, they scored their second try with wing Hurley touching down after a measured cross-field kick from Patrick Clancy.
The strong wind made conversions difficult into the Town End but Quinn did find the range on 24 minutes after the students scored their third try through wing Maxim Aschenbrenner, following strong carries by Mark Canniffe and outstanding full-back Ruben Moloney.
Trailing 7-17, it looked grim for Nenagh but they responded with their second try on 28 minutes through centre Patrick Scully, converted by McMahon. However, within two minutes, they had conceded again, a repeat of the first try with Nenagh caught short on the blindside with flanker Oran Handley running in, with the students ball movement and speed perplexing the home defence.
Nenagh responded again with player/head coach Derek Corcoran touching down in the 36th minute and right on half time, hooker Mateo Sentous scored off a line-out maul as they went in at the break 28-24 in front.
Facing into the elements, Nenagh would have wanted a good start but within two minutes had conceded another poor try, weak tackling off a scrum allowing Hurley to score his second, converted by Clancy.
From here to the hour mark, Nenagh really piled on the pressure and had a number of opportunities to score again but came up empty-handed. Their defence also dug in manfully on a number of occasions also but were again breached on sixty minutes when Aschenbrenner scored his second try after Moloney’s returned a clearance kick to great effect, 28-38.
Nenagh came again and as UCD began conceding penalties, replacement scrum-half Luke Kerr jinked over for a try, converted by Charlie O’Doherty.
Crucially, Nenagh were unable to get their noses back in front as Daniel Hurley completed his hat-trick on 69 minutes, set-up by Moloney, who got the try his performance deserved on 72 minutes, 35-50.
It was almost like sevens rugby as Nenagh hit back two minutes later with O’Doherty making a break from inside his own half with Brian O’Rourke running in from half-way, under the posts, O’Doherty converting.
Nenagh conceded again on 79 minutes with more slick handling in the backs seeing replacement out-half Darragh Gilbourne scoring and converting, but there was still time for the home side to score their seventh try, Patrick Scully scoring his second, with O’Doherty converting, not even for a losing bonus-point for their efforts.
Nenagh Ormond have one last opportunity to avoid a winless league campaign when they travel to Old Belvedere for the final game of the season next Saturday, the Donnybrook side having little to play for as their safety has been secured.
TEAMS - Nenagh Ormond: Davy Gleeson (7); Luke Kerr (7), Willie Coffey (7), Brian O’Rourke (7), Conor McMahon (7); Derek Corcoran (7), Charlie O’Doherty (7); Mikey Doran (6), Mateo Sentous (8), Ivan Struzia (6); Kevin Seymour (6), Fionn O’Meara (7); Jake O’Kelly (8), Joe Coffey (7), John O’Flaherty (Capt 7).
Reps: Patrick Scully (8) for O’Rourke (4); Conor O’Shaughnessy (7) for Kerr (4); Brian O’Rourke for O’Shaughnessy (44 inj); Matt Burke (7) for Struzia (53); Kevin O’Flaherty (6) for O’Meara (53); Dylan Murphy (7) for Sentous (55); Luke Kerr for McMahon (60); Mateo Sentous for O’Kelly (74); Richie Whelan (NR) for Doran (74).
UCD: Ruben Moloney (9); Daniel Hurley (9), Mark Canniffe (8), Ben Brownlee (8), Maxim Aschenbrenner (8); Patrick Clancy (8), Thomas Quinn (8); Tom O’Riordan (7), Duinn Maguire (7), Jack Spencer (7); Donnacha Maguire (7), Daniel Barron (Capt 7); Oran Handley (8), Conor Tonge (7), Paul Gerard (7).
Reps: Mikey O’Reilly (6) for Spencer (60); Conall Hodges (7) for Quinn (63); Darragh Gilbourne (7) for Clancy (63); Lucas Maguire (6) for D Maguire (63); Andrew O’Mahony (6) for Gerard (67).
Referee: Andrew Fogarty.