Ormond’s Senior experience tells in extra time win over Kilfeacle

RUGBY: Bank of Ireland Munster Junior Cup Semi-Final

Kilfeacle 24

Nenagh Ormond 43

(After Extra Time)

Report: Thomas Conway in Kilfeacle

Photos: Odhran Ducie

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Charlie O’Doherty (Nenagh Ormond)

SCORERS – Kilfeacle: Tries - von Wyngaart, Heuston, McLaughlin. Cons - Heuston (3). Pen - Heuston

Nenagh Ormond: Tries - Tynan, O’Doherty, Crofts, Struzia, Higgins (2). Cons - O’Doherty (5). Pen - O’Doherty (1)

Nenagh Ormond knew full well they weren’t going to get it all their own way down in Kilfeacle last Sunday in this Munster Junior Cup semi-final and sure enough, the North Tipp side required extra-time to finally conquer their western opponents in an enthralling and at times abrasive contest which stretched well beyond the 100 minute mark.

Truth be told, this was an absolute belter of a Tipperary derby, played out under perfect conditions in what has to be one of Ireland’s most scenic rugby venues, the Galtee Mountains tower spectacularly in the distance.

Ormond can consider themselves fortunate. Three times Kilfeacle had penalty kicks to snatch the lead and potentially win this game, and three times the ball drifted wayward.

Ultimately, Nenagh produced a hat-trick of well-constructed, match-winning tries in the first period of extra-time and cruised home comfortably thereafter.

The first was touched down by the substitute Ivan Struzia following a magical Fionn Higgins break. Higgins finished the second himself, fielding a sublimely weighted cross-field kick from Charlie O’Doherty inside the landing zone.

And the third? Higgins, of course. The mercurial winger had been largely absent from proceedings up until that point, but boy does he know how to put on a show when a show is needed.

Still, it was a puzzle why Nenagh - a team stacked with AIL Division 1A-capped players - struggled for so long against a side effectively playing several levels below them.

But Kilfeacle are a well-drilled, capable outfit with a ferocious work-ethic and huge inner belief. They did not cruise to this year’s Munster Junior League title for no reason.

Ormond’s opening try win the first minute showcased them at their best. It arose from a sweeping Sam Cusack break and involved an interchange between O’Doherty and Tom Crofts.

Suddenly, Nenagh had advanced forty metres and bought a lineout near the Kilfeacle line. Up rose Fionn O’Meara to snatch the throw, and seconds later Robbie Tynan was sliding over the line. Vintage Nenagh.

But Kilfeacle required just five minutes to respond, centre Jacques von Wyngaart steaming over right of the posts, with Luke Heuston adding the extras.

Ormond soon returned the favour, O’Doherty surging from the back of a maul and powering home, before floating the conversion over himself from a tricky angle. It was tit-for-tat, end-to-end, entertaining stuff.

Nenagh led 17-10 at half-time, and yet there was sort of a curious atmosphere around the ground. You could tell that Kilfeacle sensed they were in with a shot and as the second half began to materialise, their hopes grew.

Both out-half Luke Heuston and his brother Gavin at 9 were central to everything their side did and when the former powered home to score Kilfeacle’s second try, there was a thundering roar from the home crowd.

Enter Tom Crofts. On 52 minutes, the scrumhalf released a gorgeous grubber inside the 22 before dashing forward and catching it on the bounce while at the same time flinging himself over the line. It was the sort of skill you can’t really teach or prepare for - sheer, instinctive stuff.

Now leading 24-17, Nenagh should have closed out the game but to Kilfeacle’s credit, they reigned their opponents back in. Bryan McLaughlin’s try, just approaching the hour mark, was converted by Heuston, restoring parity once more.

The final twenty minutes of normal time were wild, frenetic and extremely tense. Kilfeacle were the dominant team, and could have kicked their way to victory, had Heuston nailed even one of the penalties they secured in the 67th, 72nd and 79th minutes.

Nenagh were just about clinging on at the whistle. But they re-emerged an entirely different animal. Higgins was untouchable. O’Doherty superb.

TEAMS – Kilfeacle: Kevin Doyle (7), Ben Farrelly (6), Muiri Lambe (6), Jacques von Wyngaart (7), Killian Noonan (7), Luke Heuston (7), Gavin Heuston (7); Adam Farrelly (7), James Ryan (7), Daniel Lambe (7), Thomas Fogarty (6), Bob Purcell (7), Rian Doody (7), Bryan McLaughlin (7), Kevin Kinane (7).

Reps: Richard Whitney (NR) for Ryan (58-62 blood); James Hogan (7) for Lambe (69), Gavin McCormack (7) for Fogarty (70).

Nenagh Ormond: Sam Cusack (6), Conor O’Shaughnessy (6), Patrick Scully (7), John Healy (7), Fionn Higgins (8), Tom Crofts (7), Charlie O’Doherty (8); Richie Whelan (7), Jack Devanny (6), Matthew Burke (6), Fionn O’Meara (7), Jake O’Kelly (7), Joe Coffey (6), Robbie Tynan (6), John Brislane (Capt 7).

Reps: Niall O’Gorman (7) for Burke (55), Kevin O’Gorman (6) for Devanny (55), Rob Buckley (7) for Brislane (60), Derek Corcoran (7) for Crofts (62), Brehon O’Donnell (7) for Corcoran (15 ET).

Referee: Matthew Murphy..