Tipperary anthem 'Slievenamon' sung loud and proud as Clonmel grind out valuable win in rugby league

Monkstown 27 Clonmel 29

Standing at sixth in the All-Ireland rugby League Division 2C table and with only one win in the first block of matches under their belt, Clonmel headed to Sydney Parade, Monkstown last Saturday with plenty to play for.

Missing some of the squad through injury and illness, they were under pressure. However, they welcomed back Tom O’Dea in the second row and the starting team saw young Michael Connellan start at outside centre.

Pre-match predictions saw it as a close contest, with a battle of the backs and points off the tee. And the stage couldn’t have been more beautifully set with a cloudless, windless afternoon in Sydney Parade.

Clonmel supporters were out in force, many having travelled a mere few kilometres from down the road, and credit must be given to the stalwart alickadoos who marshalled the referee when things really mattered in the closing minutes.

It was all Monkstown in the opening stages and the game was only minutes old when they crossed the line for the opening try. They converted and Clonmel had to find a way of coming back.

Clonmel settled and won their early lineouts. However, with two props injured and another sick they were under pressure in the scrum and it was only the speed of Tom Ross and fine carries by Andrew Daly that gave Clonmel some attacking explosion in the first quarter.

Ross and Daly made a lovely break and fed to flanker Bobby Doherty, who has a fine read of the game. He made great ground up the pitch and the young, hungry Connellan hung onto his shoulder, as he is so brilliantly prone to do. He was in flight for the perfect offload, accelerating into space and scored near the posts. Joe O’Connor duly converted.

Ross broke again and was having a fine outing and it was unfortunate that he retired early with a niggling knee injury.

Alex Sheehan came off the bench to earn his 50th AIL cap and took to the field with plenty of energy. However, Clonmel infringed and gave away two penalties in quick succession. Monkstown took full advantage and led 10-7.

Clonmel turned around in a series of great takes; Tom O’Dea stole the next lineout, Sheehan soared into the air to secure a high ball and Bobby Doherty won a penalty.

What followed was a great attacking ten minutes by Clonmel, with a grubber kick by Cadogan into the corner. But it took Clonmel until 39 minutes to put more points on the board. And just when it looked the teams were going into the break neck and neck, Monkstown crossed the line again but failed to convert.

Clonmel started the second half trailing 15-10 and the pressure was all Monkstown’s. They hammered on close to the Clonmel line and Clonmel were under pressure with a scramble defence. Things were starting to look ominous. But in a moment of magic, Albert Fronek got them out of jail with an intercept and ran the length of the pitch to score under the posts. O’Connor converted and Clonmel led 15-17.

It was back and forth after that with penalties. Monkstown scored, then Clonmel and as O’Connor kicked another for Clonmel there was some relief as they stretched the lead by five points.

However, Monkstown weren’t finished and on 70 minutes they kicked another penalty to narrow the margin. You couldn’t relax and as the clocked ticked on, the sideline was full of animation.

On 78 minutes, Clonmel were back trailing by a point and it was a moment of relief when Dylan Cadogan eyed the posts and sunk a dropped goal. As the clock went into the red, Monkstown won another penalty and again Clonmel trailed by a point. And the game went on with ferocious tension.

Eight minutes into the red, Clonmel won a lineout on their own 22. Fretful phases followed until Cadogan took control and chipped over the top for flying winger Freddie Davies, who ran onto the ball. He returned it to Cadogan who tipped it onto Tom O’Dea. Cadogan was hit late with a no arms tackle on the 22.

The touch judge entered the pitch and a lengthy discussion followed with the referee. The Clonmel crowd were like lions in a cage as they roared and paced the sideline.

The whistle blew, the hand went up. Joe O’Connor stepped up again with his tee and kept his nerve. The Clonmel crowd danced onto the pitch and the team returned to the dressing room with a 29-27 win, four points and the first-ever rendition of 'Slievenamon' in the Monkstown grounds.

Back in fifth on the table, Clonmel now need to consolidate this block of games. Some injured players will be back this weekend and as they head into Round 5 at home to Belfast Harlequins, it’s vital that they build on this win to give themselves any chance of being on the right side of the table as the season progresses. They’ll need all the support they can get. And no doubt the Clonmel support will rise to the occasion.

Tries: Michael Connellan, Albert Fronek. Conversions: Joey O’Connor (two). Penalties: Joey O’Connor (four). Dropped Goal: Dylan Cadogan.

Clonmel Team: Tim Nugent, Brandon Delicato, Tom Stransky, Diarmuid Brannock (captain), Tom O’Dea, Bobby Doherty, Diarmuid Devaney, Andrew Daly, Tom Ross, Dylan Cadogan, Freddie Davies, Joe O’Connor, Michael Connellan, Albert Fronek, Jack Walsh.

Subs: Liam Ryan, Davy Coyne, Lar Houlihan, Tony Cantwell, Alex Sheehan.

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