Ormond are Munstered by the Cookies

RUGBY: Energia All-Ireland League Division 1A Round 9

Young Munster 57

Nenagh Ormond 10

Report: Thomas Conway

at Tom Clifford Park, Limerick

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Shane O’Leary (Young Munster).

SCORERS – Young Munster: Tries - Hanson, Ryan, McLoughlin, O’Reilly, Poland, Gibbons, Foley, McCready. Cons - O’Leary (7). Pen - O’Leary.

Nenagh Ormond: Tries - O’Shaughnessy, Gleeson.

Nothing could disguise the looks of sheer, utter dejection on the faces of the Nenagh Ormond players as the second half of this festive local derby in the All-Ireland League unfolded in a damp Tom Clifford Park last Saturday afternoon.

Things had taken a terrible turn just after half-time, and then they escalated. By the time the final whistle arrived, it was hard to believe that Ormond had trailed by just three points at the interval. Conor O’Shaughnessy’s 40th minute try had startled Young Munster and created a sense of unease around the ground.

But any anxiety amongst the home crowd soon turned to elation, as the Limerick club ripped into their Tipperary opponents, helping themselves to seven converted tries and exacting revenge for last season’s dramatic Munster Senior Cup semi-final. On that occasion the Cookies (as they are known) had crumbled when the pressure grew most intense. In this instance, they turned up the heat and watched Nenagh simply melt away.

Most of Ormond’s first eight games in Division 1A of the AIL have been marked by a clear and identifiable pattern. They start strong, defend well, work their way into a reasonable position and then fade, or sometimes collapse entirely. That trend replicated itself here.

Young Munster, off the back of a statement away win against Terenure College the previous week, attacked the game with vigour and had touched down within six minutes, flanker AJ Hanson surging over after a sweeping move which emanated from a lineout on the far side.

Shane O’Leary - the Ballina native who tormented Nenagh with his quick feet and accuracy off the tee - was centrally involved in the move. The 32-year-old kicker is a journeyman professional who has represented Canada at World Cup level and featured for clubs such as Connacht, Grenoble in France, and most recently the Miami Sharks in the US.

O’Leary’s class shone through on Saturday, and his side dominated the early stages and might have scored more were it not for the relentless efforts of the Nenagh pack, who defended superbly for most of the first half.

Twenty minutes had passed before Ormond made their first meaningful foray up the field, and though the play was swept back down to the clubhouse end within minutes, Nenagh did show a spark. Charlie O’Doherty tried an audacious kick in behind. It didn’t really work but there was a sense that if Nenagh could retain possession in the right areas, they might well score.

It took them forty minutes, but eventually they did, O’Shaughnessy bundling over the line near the corner as the half-time whistle drew near.

Referee, Hanru van Rooyen, could be seen having a word with both captains prior to the start of the second half, and it was little wonder. At times this was a bad-tempered affair. Several skirmishes broke out, Mikey Doran suffered a blow to the face, and there was audible sledging taking place on the pitch. Young Munster had evidently been stung by last February’s 32-21 loss in the same venue, and they were motivated.

From a Nenagh perspective, the dam burst in the 44th minute. Young Munster winger Hubert Gilvarrey tossed a ball out to prop Keiran Ryan and he slid over, leaving O’Leary to arrow his conversion between the posts.

The next try, three minutes later, was far more visually pleasing, Shay McCarthy sweeping the ball out to Kevin Langan, who teed up Oran O’Reilly to finish.

At this stage it was obvious that things were going south and the Nenagh management was compelled to intervene. On came Luke Kerr, but his impact was limited, primarily because Nenagh just couldn’t get a hold of the ball.

Ironically it was the other substitute scrumhalf, John Poland, who whisked in to score Young Munster’s fifth try on 58 minutes. Further scores from Fionn Gibbons and Christian Foley followed, and the home side were thoroughly enjoying themselves.

For all their scoring however, the best try of the game actually came from Nenagh. Player/head coach Derek Corcoran, who had entered the fray in the 64th minute, opened the Limerick side up with one of his trademark cross-field kicks. It landed in the hands of Davy Gleeson, and the winger did superbly to retain his composure and burst over in the corner, fielding a tackle from O’Leary in the process.

The try offered little consolation, and it was cancelled out minutes later by Luke McCready. In truth this was a poor way to sign off a historic year for Nenagh Ormond, but it doesn’t in any way diminish this side’s achievements in 2025 - which speak for themselves.

TEAMS - Young Munster: Shane O’Leary (9); Hubert Gilvarrey (7), Fionn Gibbins (8), Luke McCready (8), Shay McCarthy (7), Kevin Langan (8), Jake O’Riordan (7); David Begley (7), Stephen McLoughlin (8), Kieran Ryan (8), Alan Kennedy (7), Oran O’Reilly (8), Ajae Hanson (8), Leo Lanbridge (7), Bailey Faloon (7).

Reps: Arron Roulston, Christian Foley, Paul Allen, James Horrigan, John Poland, Alex Flanagan Smith, Harry Langbridge.

Nenagh Ormond: Sam Cusack (6); Davy Gleeson (7), Conor McMahon (6), Patrick Scully (6), Conor O’Shaughnessy (7); Charlie O’Doherty (6), Nicky Irwin (6); Mikey Doran (7), Dylan Murphy (7), Matthew Burke (6); Kevin Seymour (6), Kevin O’Flaherty (7); John Brislane (6), Willie Coffey (7).

Reps: Mateo Sentous, Ivan Struzia, Robbie Tynan, Fionn O’Meara, Luke Kerr, Derek Corcoran.

Referee: Hanru van Rooyen.