Classy Landsdowne tear down Nenagh Ormond resistance in latest 1A loss for the Tipperary club

All-Ireland League - Division 1A - Round 14

Nenagh Ormond 19  

Lansdowne 45

By Mike McMahon

Nenagh Ormond’s barren season continued last Saturday with another home defeat to Dublin opposition, this time at the hands of Lansdowne, who scored seven tries in a comprehensive 45-19 victory.

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The breezy conditions favoured the visitors slightly in the first half, but they were finding it hard to break down a stubborn Nenagh defence, who were holding out well despite losing second rower Jake O’Kelly to a yellow card after only two minutes.

The breakthrough finally came for the Dubliners at the end of the first quarter when lively winger Tom Roche latched onto an offload 30 metres out and raced clear to score the opening try.

Growing in confidence, Lansdowne began to assert their superior physicality and added two tries within the next 10 minutes from lock Juan Beukes and flanker Matt Healy.

Nenagh had plenty of the ball and were creating opportunities but were finding it difficult to breach the Lansdowne defence, who were hugely physical in contact and turned over a good deal of the home side’s possession.

A clever kick through for Roche bounced up perfectly for him to bag his second try and Lansdowne’s fourth shortly before half time, which left a very lopsided 26-0 scoreline at the break.

With the breeze at their backs, Nenagh started the second half strongly and got a try back within five minutes through O’Kelly. When out-half Derek Corcoran added another five minutes later, thoughts of a comeback were briefly on, but Lansdowne pressed hard from the restart, and concerted pressure eventually led to winger Redmond going over in the corner.

Shortly after, Lansdowne full back Hugo McLoughlin bounced out of a couple of tackles to score to the right of the posts and further extend the lead. 

Nenagh’s right winger Conor O’Shaughnessy got a third try back for the home side with five minutes remaining. Still, the final word went to Lansdowne scrum half Jack Matthews, who picked off an intercept inside the Nenagh 22 to score easily under the posts.

With other results going their way, Lansdowne rise to fourth in the table; for Nenagh, the wait continues. They will face Dublin opposition once again next week when Terenure make the trip south to New Ormond Park in Round 15.

Scorers: Nenagh Ormond: Tries: Jake O’Kelly, Derek Corcoran, Conor O’Shaughnessy; Cons: Conor McMahon, James Finn.

Lansdowne: Tries: Tom Roche (2), Juan Buekes, Matt Healy, Hugo McLoughlin, Cillian Redmond, Jack Matthews; Cons: Stephen Madigan (5).

Nenagh Ormond: David Gleeson, Conor O’Shaughnessy, Conor McMahon, Willie Coffey, Patrick Scully, Derek Corcoran, Charlie O’Doherty, Mikey Doran, Dylan Murphy, Matthew Burke, Jake O’Kelly, Kevin O’Flaherty (c), Rob Buckley, John Brislane, John O’Flaherty.

Replacements: Jack Devanny, Sean Frawley, Kevin Seymour, Joe Coffey, Luke Kerr, James Finn.

Lansdowne: Hugo McLoughlin, Tom Roche, Andy Marks (c), Harry O’Riordan, Cillian Redmond, Stephen Madigan, Jack Matthews, George Morris, Bobby Sheehan, Greg McGrath, Juan Beukes, Ruairi Clarke, Matt Healy, Paul Whelan, Barry Fitzpatrick.

Replacements: Tom Barry, Julien Valleise, Louis McGauran, Luke Fagan, James Kenny, Tom Daly.

Referee: Shane Gaughan