Clonmel rugby club continue their preparations for the season ahead

Some tough defeats started the 2025/26 season for the senior squad of Clonmel Rugby Club.

Under the guidance of returning head coach Pat O’Connor, ably assisted by Neville Melbourne, Ben Swindlehurst, Johnny Moloney, Mike Kelly and Gareth Mulcahy, the lads had been put through a gruelling and excellent pre-season with Ciaran Burke of The Performance Lab.

The opener of the Garryowen Cup against Kilfeacle was a ding-dong battle that could have gone either way right to the final whistle. With some of the squad yet to return from summer travels, the selection options in some key positions were somewhat limited. This was particularly the case in some back positions, but no doubt it gave O’Connor a good look at some options for the season ahead.

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While Kilfeacle took an early lead, Clonmel settled just before half-time and they evened the score to go in at the break 12-12.

The second half was a more even affair, with both teams running in alternating tries; Clonmel backs Liam Maher and Freddie Davies both scored two apiece. It was only an unconverted try at the end by Kilfeacle that set the teams apart at the final whistle.

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The first round of the Munster Senior Cup was an altogether different affair in Tom Clifford Park in Limerick. Clonmel, having reached the semi-finals of the competition last season, were unlucky with the opening round draw against Division 1A side Young Munster.

At the last Munster branch meeting the competition rules reverted from the pool format of last year to straight knockout again, where all five divisions were deemed of equal standing. As an outsider looking on at a one-sided game, one could easily question the competition’s validity and what such a draw against an Academy-stacked Young Munster team could do for the game.

But treated with the utmost respect by both the referee and Young Munster, the young Clonmel side faced up bravely and without complaint. And without the experience of not one but five Clonmel players who have retired since last year, the young lads had to think with speed and trust each other, which they did on numerous occasions in the game with aplomb.

It was the sheer pace of the game that caught the young Clonmel lads early and they were forced into a scramble defence from the get-go. The clinical deft of the 1A Limerick side wasted no time in ratcheting up the score.

However, despite the scoreboard deficit, it was an immensely brave performance by Clonmel, who took plenty of attacking opportunities that brought them well into Young Munster’s half on several occasions. Some lovely decoy running and sidesteps brought them close to the try line several times but the Young Munster defence was all too strong to let them over to score.

The young Clonmel team had much to take away from their brave attempts and dusted themselves off quickly for their plate battle against Cashel at home.

A Cashel native, Pat O’Connor took no chances with his team selection and went with a familiar starting line-up. While one couldn’t compare this game with the week before, it was important for Clonmel’s confidence to consolidate a win of this stature ahead of the All- Ireland League.

There was much to be proud of and man of the match Ben Masuka defended all afternoon like a battering ram. Tom O’Dea saved Clonmel on numerous occasion with his long reach, as he stole ball after ball. And new lock Keith Melbourne, cousin of Neville, Mark and Stephen, gave a Maro Itoje-esk performance, as he made a general nuisance of himself all day.


Some good ball put the backs into space and a stunning break by scrum half Ben O’Dwyer put captain Henry Buttimer over for Clonmel’s opening try. Joe O’Connor was in top form with the boot and sweetly added the extras. The teams went into the break with Clonmel 13-5 ahead at half-time.

It wasn’t long into the second half when winger Freddie Davies came onto the ball at pace. From deep he jinked left and right before sprinting under the posts and Joe again added the extras.

There were two conversions and four penalties in all from the centre Joe O’Connor who, incidentally, won top scorer across all five All-Ireland League divisions last season, and he was the only player in the competition to score over 200 points. With kicking form like Saturday where he missed nothing, young Joe has a knack of making his immense achievement look easy.

As the second half progressed, there was excellent use of the bench and it was particularly sweet for the Clonmel supporters to see the first return of Tom Ross after his ACL injury against Monkstown early last season; so too the first outing at home for young Luke Slattery in a Clonmel seniors’ jersey at flanker.

Despite two second half tries by Cashel, they were both in the corner and such was the prowess of Clonmel’s defence and discipline that they sealed the victory 29-22 at full-time.