Defeat in Tyrone puts the pressure on Tipperary rugby club

Omagh 31 Clonmel 28

Divison 2C has had a shake-up since last year and like all divisions in the All- Ireland Rugby League, there are no easy games. But with relegation to the Junior grade always a worry it’s a particularly hungry division, as all teams vie to stay up.

There are four new teams this year. Ballyclare and Monkstown have come up from Juniors, the latter after a 21-year hiatus from Senior status. Dolphins and Belfast Harlequins were relegated and, as hunger is often a great sauce, there’s nothing to suggest any of the four new opponents will be easy.

So it might have been sweet, better the devil you know sort of stuff, that Clonmel’s opening round was a familiar journey up north last Saturday. Having beaten Omagh in their last two encounters, and on the back of a big win against Cashel, Clonmel were quietly confident.

The weather was perfect and it was an early assured start for Clonmel. Full back Jack Walsh won the contest in the air and Clonmel were off with possession. Mere minutes in, the ball spread wide before reversing back to the base of a ruck.

Out half Drew Musa popped it up to lock Tony Cantwell, who was running a fine line. He had a bit of work to do but he backed himself and kept his nerve to score in the corner. Joe O’Connor converted the extras and Clonmel were off to a positive start.

However, it was only moments later when Clonmel struggled with the drop-off and Omagh put the ball through the hands. They scored halfway between touch and the posts and subsequently converted. And so began the ding-dong battle that followed.

Some handling errors by both teams took up the next few phases. After some strong carries by Diarmuid Brannock and Andrew Daly, Clonmel failed to find a direct route and the opportunities came to naught.

But Clonmel battled on and Musa brought full back Walsh into the line. In a moment of skill Walsh kept the low ball alive and popped it back to Musa, who found his university teammate Freddie Davies on the wing; their playing connection a class moment in the game. Davies has great pace and took the ball flying. He passed two defenders and stepped into space before heading over the line for Clonmel’s second try. Clonmel failed to convert.

However, Omagh found their form and stepped through Clonmel’s defence to get a soft score under the posts. They converted and coming up on half-time Clonmel trailed 14-12.

Clonmel changed the front row, putting on Tim Nugent at loose. Nugent defies physical logic when it comes to scrummaging technique and strength. He’s particularly mobile. Brandon Delicato came on at Hooker to earn his 50th AIL cap at just 21 years of age and together they locked out Clonmel’s scrum.

The ball went wide, Clonmel won a penalty and Joey kicked through the uprights on 33 minutes. Omagh followed with their own three points. On the stroke of half-time Clonmel won a turnover and did really well to clinch the lead and go in ahead by 17-18 at the break.

Clonmel returned with a loss of focus and looked somewhat tired. They took the ball standing and made clumsy mistakes, giving away two penalties in quick succession. Omagh took full advantage, extending their lead to 23-18.

A phase of good play followed, where scrum half Tom Ross kept the ball alive, feeding it left and right from the base of the scrum. Clonmel moved up the pitch. From a lineout, they formed a maul three metres out and Ross ran onto the pass from prop Jason Monua to score in the corner.

With the conversion, things were starting to look up, ably helped by strong defence from Alex Sheehan, Tom Noonan and a try-saving tackle by Albert Fronek. Another lineout five metres out came Clonmel’s way. But when they lost it, the prospect of more points on the board was but a dream.

Omagh capitalised with an immediate attack. They sent the ball wide, where their running backs cut the Clonmel defence and ran the length of the field to score near the posts. It was a let-off for Clonmel that Omagh failed to convert and as the clock ticked to a close, frustration set in. And when all seemed lost, a turnover gave Clonmel a penalty. But under time pressure, the three points were not to be.

In the closing moments, Omagh were still hungry, playing on the edge but were quickly penalised for offside. O’Connor made sure of the three points this time and there was renewed hope, as the scoreboard turned to show the score at 28-all.

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But it was a little too late. Someone shouted two minutes. Omagh restarted, put up a high ball. Clonmel called for it, knocked it on and Clonmel went to pick it off the floor.

It was an unnecessary error by Clonmel and with no time left, the awarding of the penalty was enough for Omagh to celebrate. In an all- too familiar scene as they lost the game in the dying minutes, Clonmel watched with frustration as the ball soared between the uprights.

Clonmel host Tullamore at home in Round 2 at 2.30 on Saturday. With a win and a loss against the Offaly team last season, nothing will be taken for granted for the next encounter.

Clonmel team: 1.Ben Everard 2.Jason Monua 3.Tomas Stransky 4.Diarmuid Brannock. 5.Tony Cantwell. 6.Lar Houlihan 7.Diarmuid Devaney. 8.Andrew Daly 9.Tom Ross. 10.Drew Musa 11. Freddie Davies 12.Joe O’Connor 13.Henry Buttimer 14.Albert Fronek 15.Jack Walsh. 16.Brandon Delicato. 17.Tim Nugent 18.Rob O’Donovan 19.Tom Noonan 20.Alex Sheehan.