Crescent defeat leaves Ormond adrift at the bottom

RUGBY UNION: Energia All Ireland League Division 2A Round 8

Nenagh Ormond 15

Old Crescent 30

Report: Shane Brophy in Lisatunny

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Gary Fitzgerald (Old Crescent)

SCORERS – Nenagh Ormond: Tries: O’Flaherty (2), Pearson

Old Crescent: Tries: Fitzgerald, Hurley, McDermott, Murphy. Convs: McKenna (2) Pens: McKenna (2)

The mid-season break cannot come quickly enough for Nenagh Ormond as they suffered their sixth defeat from eight games in All-Ireland League Division 2A against fellow strugglers Old Crescent last Saturday.

Not only did the visitors depart with the win, but it was also a bonus-point one at that which leaves Nenagh ten points off safety ahead of their final match of the first series of games against Dolphin this Saturday before the Christmas break where Nenagh will hope to get some players back from injury which has been a large reason for their struggles this season.

A lack of consistency in selection has meant changing things around from week to week with Derek Corcoran playing in his third position in as many games, starting at out half on this occasion, while they were also missing captain John O’Flaherty, but was offset by the return of John Hayes who was his usual impressive self at number eight.

Despite the upheaval in selection, Nenagh started brightly and crossed for the first try inside two minutes with Hayes making a break from the back of the scrum to the five-metre line and after some strong carries, Kevin O’Flaherty crossed for an unconverted try such was the strength of the breeze.

Scoring into the elements should have been a big score but Old Crescent quickly set into a rhythm and by the tenth minute had gone in front through two Ronan McKenna penalties, the second after the Nenagh scrum disintegrated, another area where the home side have been under pressure in this season.

Crescent crossed for their first try on twenty minutes when Eoin Murphy put Val McDermott away, but he was brilliantly held up short off the line, but impressive scrumhalf Garry Fitzgerald was on hand to burrow over for a McKenna converted try.

The visitors scored their second try eight minutes later as McDermott intercepted an intended Cian Ryan pass to Scott Pearson on the wing, for an unconverted score and an 18-5 half time lead.

Nenagh had the elements to come in the second half and from the off looked to pin Crescent inside their own half and after 48 minutes they got back into the match when Evan Murphy won a penalty and from the kick to the corner, the opportunity was lost however, Nenagh forced a turnover on the ground as Crescent tried to exit and from the penalty, John Hayes made the big incisive before the powerful Kevin O’Flaherty crossed for his second try, unconverted, as Nenagh trailed 18-10.

The next score was going to be crucial as Nenagh were building a head of steam, and looked threatening moving the ball wide, however, the home side conceded a penalty right from the restart and from the kick to the corner, the visitors mauled effectively before moving the ball back down the short side to where the livewire Dan Hurley just got over in the corner, for an again, unconverted conversion.

Any chance of a Nenagh revival went on 73 minutes when Crescent centre Eoin Murphy crossed with McKenna adding the extras.

The home side did manage a third try on 77 minutes with Scott Pearson, who impressed on the wing off the bench, getting a good try after strong carries from Kevin O’Gorman and John Hayes, which provided the platform for Fionn McGibney and Derek Corcoran to create the opening for Cian Ryan to play in Pearson on the wing.

The manner of this try is Nenagh at their very best but the need more from the pack to help get themselves out of the predicament they find themselves in where they need wins and quickly.

TEAMS – Nenagh Ormond: Fionn McGibney, David Gleeson, Conor McMahon, James Finn, Peter Coman; Derek Corcoran, Cian Ryan; Cathal Ryan, Ben Armitage, Damien Dunne; Kevin O’Gorman, Kevin O'Flaherty; Rob Buckley, James Meagher, John Hayes.

Reps: Scott Pearson for Finn (15 inj); Johnny Hayes for Dunne (32); Peter Rainsford for Cian Ryan (34); Evan Murphy for O’Gorman (HT); Kevin O’Gorman for Buckley (57 inj); Cian Ryan for Corcoran (57); Damien Dunne for Cathal Ryan (62); Conor Muldoon for Johnny Hayes (66 inj).

Old Crescent: Jordan Higgins; Val McDermott, Eoin Murphy, Brendan McSweeney, Dan Hurley; Ronan McKenna, Gary Fitzgerald; Cathal O’Reilly, Eoghan Quinn, Jake Considine; Tevita Toia, Paudie Monaghan; Kevin Doyle, Karl Madden, Ronan Reynolds.

Reps: Cathal Monaghan for McSweeney (43); Cian Reale for Toia (47); Nesta Nyamakazi for O’Reilly (47); Darragh O’Brien for Quinn (65); Brendan McSweeney for Reynolds (67); Jack O’Mahony for McDermott (69).

Referee: Sam Holt