Ormond get no reprieve in season finale from Old Belvedere

RUGBY: Energia All-Ireland League Division 1A Round 18

Old Belvedere 61

Nenagh Ormond 12

Report: Mike McMahon at Ollie Campbell Park, Donnybrook

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Josh Ericson (Old Belvedere)

SCORERS - Old Belvedere: Tries - Keating (2), Ericson (2), McWey, Meredith, Ryan, Dillon, H Wilkinson. Cons - Meredith (6), D Wilkinson (2).

Nenagh Ormond: Tries - Kerr, Burke. Con - O’Doherty (1).

The long and arduous season for Nenagh Ormond in division 1A of the All-Ireland League ended as it began, with defeat to fellow newcomers Old Belvedere on Saturday.

The Dubliners have had Nenagh’s number over the last two seasons, tasting victory in all four encounters in that time, winning division 1B last year and consolidating their place in the top tier this year.

With little or nothing to be gained for either team, this match very much had the feel of a dead-rubber and whilst it was entertaining throughout, the lack of jeopardy was palpable.

Nenagh started brightly and had the home team pinned in their own half for the first few minutes, dominating the early exchanges.

Ollie Campbell Park has been a bit of a fortress for Belvedere this season however and that has been built on excellent defence.

The same cannot be said for Nenagh unfortunately as Belvedere scored with their first attack, winger Jack Keating intercepting a speculative long pass in the seventh minute to race the full length of the pitch and touch down under the posts.

After seventeen straight defeats in this league, the Nenagh reserves of confidence and belief are at rock bottom and they capitulated far too easily to the extent that they were 28 points down by the end of the first quarter.

Belvedere’s excellent open side flanker Josh Ericsson grabbed a second try after ten minutes and was followed by a third from Fionn McWey and another from Keating, all converted by impressive out-half Morgan Meredith.

Although Luke Kerr did pull a try back for Nenagh with half-time approaching, the home side were rampant as they responded with two more tries before the half came to a close with the scoreline at 42-5.

With pride severely dented and looking down the barrel of a heavy defeat, Nenagh picked up their performance significantly in the second half and saw plenty of possession without troubling the scoreboard.

A close range drive from replacement prop Matthew Burke brought a well-deserved try for Nenagh but Belvedere added three more tries in the second period, with Ericsson grabbing the last to cap off a fine individual performance.

Despite failing to secure a win in their first entry into division 1A, Nenagh Ormond have shown more than enough throughout the season to give hope that they can build from this experience and be very competitive as they move down to division 1B next season.

With six under 21 players in the match day squad and a total of 40 players gaining 1A experience over the course of the season, there is every reason to believe that Nenagh can bounce back under the leadership of head coach Derek Corcoran and his team.

TEAMS - Old Belvedere: James Dillon; Jack Keating, Jayden Beckett, Andre Ryan, Hugh Wilkinson; Morgan Meredith, Hughie O’Sullivan; Hugo O’Malley, Luke McLaughlin, Ryan McMahon; Paddy Dowling, Fionn McWey; Tom Mulcair, Josh Ericson, Will McDonald.

Reps: Liam Granville, Hugh Flood, James Ruddy, Evan O’Boyle, James O’Dwyer, David Wilkinson.

Nenagh Ormond: Sam Cusack; Davy Gleeson, Willie Coffey, Conor McMahon, Brian O’Rourke; Charlie O’Doherty, Luke Kerr; Mikey Doran, Mateo Sentous, Ivan Struzia; Fionn O’Meara, Kevin O’Flaherty (capt); Jake O’Kelly, John Brislane, John O’Flaherty.

Reps: Dylan Murphy, Matthew Burke, Richie Whelan, Robbie Tynan, Patrick Scully, Matt Brice.

Referee: Rob McGreer.