Ormond progress in the Battle of the Champions

RUGBY: Bank of Ireland Munster Senior Challenge Cup Quarter Final

Nenagh Ormond 33

Highfield 26

Report: Thomas Conway at New Ormond Park

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Matt Brice (Nenagh Ormond)

SCORERS – Nenagh Ormond: Tries - Brice (2), Coles, Falla, Graham. Cons - Stewart (4)

Highfield: Tries - McCarthy, Brugger, Delaney, MacFarlane O’Shea. Cons - Delaney (3)

It would take something truly special to recreate the ecstasy of Nenagh Ormond’s 2025 Munster Senior Challenge Cup triumph, but suddenly the club are only one game away from another decider, having dethroned defending champions Highfield in an absorbing quarter-final last Saturday.

The very fact that this last-eight tie pitted the reigning champions against their predecessors made it a fascinating match-up.

The fact that the two sides will once again lock horns in the first round of the All-Ireland League down in Cork in a few weeks’ time only added to the intrigue.

Ultimately, it was the hosts who prevailed, overturning a five point half-time deficit to win by seven, victory secured courtesy of a brilliant individual try from mercurial full-back Matt Brice in the 76th minute.

It was, in fairness, both a hard-earned and a well-deserved victory for Nenagh, following a performance which, although not without its imperfections, was gutsy and full of promise.

At one point in the first-half the home side trailed 26-14 and the game seemed to be sliding away from them. However, rather than panic, Ormond remained patient, whittling the lead down to five with an Ignacio Falla try on the cusp of half-time before eventually grinding out the win courtesy of two further tries in an attritional second-half. Highfield, on the other hand, failed to register a score in the second period, a statistic that will obviously hurt them in their post-match analysis.

Nenagh displayed plenty of spark early on and actually dominated the opening exchanges, but play was abruptly halted due to a clash of heads between prop Ivan Struzia and newly acquired hooker Ignacio Falla in the sixth minute.

The break in play benefited Highfield and they snatched the momentum thereafter, eventually running in the game’s first try in the ninth minute, captain and hooker Travis Coomey supplying a perfect pass to winger Dave McCarthy, who shot over at the town end, with out-half Ryan Delaney nailing the conversion.

The aforementioned Matt Brice would have a decisive influence on this game. In the 14th minute, he charged through to land Nenagh’s first try, just seconds after Highfield had squandered a guilt-edged opportunity at the other end.

Jonty Stewart converted for Nenagh, but two minutes later Highfield scrum-half James Brugger was flying over at the opposite end, pushing the Cork side back into the lead.

It was frantic, with some passages of quality rugby, one of which occurred in the 20th minute, when Nenagh executed a superb maul and blood-sub Taylor Coles finished with aplomb.

Two more Highfield tries, one both scored and converted by out-half Ryan Delaney, the other touched down by Rian MacFarlane O’Shea, propelled the Cork outfit into a twelve point lead.

However, Falla then struck from the back of another maul in the 38th minute. By the time the interval arrived Nenagh were trailing 26-21 but very much growing in confidence.

The second-half simply could not match the first in terms of energy and pace, but it did produce two excellent tries, both of which belonged to Nenagh.

Winger Luke Graham nabbed the first in the 46th minute, collecting a nicely weighted pass from out-half Stewart, whose conversion pinged off the post.

Each side made changes and for a while the game stagnated. Stewart missed a penalty to put Nenagh ahead, but gaps were appearing all the time and Ormond looked significantly more lively.

Both packs were working tirelessly and it seemed a question of which one would wither first. In the end, however, it was a moment of magic from Matt Brice that tipped the balance. He cascaded through with a characteristic burst of pace, touching down on the wing to send Nenagh ahead. Stewart slotted a tricky conversion and although Highfield went searching for an equaliser, Nenagh’s defence held firm.

There were mutterings from the away supporters that this was a very different Highfield outfit to the team that last March bridged a 58-year gap to claim their third Munster Senior Cup.

That might be true, but Nenagh have also experienced multiple changes since that glorious day in Thomond Park eighteen months ago.

A semi-final against Garryowen awaits Ormond next Saturday in Dooradoyle, while Cork Con play UL Bohemian in the other semi-final.

Nenagh now have two tough games under their belt, with another one to come next weekend.

It all seems like perfect preparation for the start of this season’s AIL campaign, which begins with a reprise of this fixture in Cork on September 26th.

TEAMS - Nenagh Ormond: Matt Brice (8), Luke Graham (7), Willie Coffey (7), Patrick Scully (6), Fionn Higgins (6), Jonty Stewart (8), Aaron Moloney (8); Ivan Struzia (7), Ignacio Falla (8), Matt Burke (7), Kevin Seymour (7), Oli Ayling (7), Robbie Tynan (7), John O’Flaherty (Capt 8,).

Reps: Taylor Coles (8) for Struzia (6-21 blood), Jack O’Keeffe (7) for Burke (30); Richie Whelan (7) for Falla (55), Sam Cusack (7) for Maloney (67 inj); Evan Brophy (7) for Ayling (67), Matt Burke for Struzia (71).

Highfield: Liam McCarthy (6), Nicky Greene (7), Dave McCarthy (7), Harry Galvin Carty (6), Noah Patterson (7), Ryan Delaney (8), James Brugger (8); Crey Hanlon (6), Travis Coomey (Capt 7), Fionnbarra McSherry (7), Cathal Bruhn (6), Dave O’Halloran (6), Aidan Keane (6), Conor Galvin (6), Rian MacFarlane O’Shea (7).

Reps: Zach Piper (6) for Hanlon (53); Mark Fitzgerald (6) for Coomey (53); James Cronin (6) for McSherry (53); Mark Dorgan (6) for McCarthy (57); Fintan O’Sullivan (6) for Patterson (67).

Referee: Michael Reidy.