North Munster U14 League Boys (3rd Nov. 2024)

Charleville & District RFC V Nenagh Ormond RFC

In the anniversary week of “The Rumble In The Jungle”, fifty years ago (I know), it was perhaps portentous of another memorable episode in the development of our former minis into grown men in their latest North Munster League match at home to Nenagh Ormond RFC.

Boasting three wins and one loss coming into this encounter, Nenagh had all the ingredients to just keep rolling the juggernaut, and perhaps that is where their heads were at…

While Charleville boys were out going through their routine warm up, gradually lifting the intensity to finish on strong contact small sided games before heading to the dressing room, Nenagh were out late, doing low intensity work and back in the changing room several minutes before Charleville boys.

A coach knows from watching the warm up of their team and the opposition how the first few minutes of a match will go. With the message to the Charleville to look after each other, give everything they have they started the match playing away from the Shandrum end, with a still early afternoon, on a glistening impeccably turned out pitch.

Charleville had to make a late change, with Mark Madigan coming into the blind side wing. Stan O’Sullivan made his first start coming into the front row and adding some important physicality in that role.  Zac Caroll was making his first start at 10, a vital position in any match, but today it would be crucial. Sammy Hayes moved to full back in what would prove to deliver one of the moments of the match. 

Even with these changes and with no back cover on the bench, any concern that Charleville would be undone was swiftly put on its backside as the pack quickly got hands on the ball, carried directly at Nenagh and got their phase play going.  Charleville went into gear exerting relentless pressure in the early stages, catching Nenagh cold with short passes and rucking deep in the Nenagh half. This led to a sequence of penalty advantages as Nenagh struggled to get back into shape quickly enough to compete legally at the breakdown. On five minutes Charleville had the perfect start as the phase play was finished by James Drinan on receiving the ball five metres out and crashing through the Nenagh defence to open the scoring for an uncovered try 5-0.

But Nenagh are not top of the league by accident. With some big forwards of their own and given enough space and time, they had scintillating threats out wide on both wings. Nenagh 14 was particularly dangerous with physicality to hold off tacklers, swift feet to change direction on a two pence, and speed in a straight line to back it up with ball in hand. Almost straight away on the restart, Nenagh managed to beat Charleville defence close in to the breakdown and got the ball to the wide channel. Charleville backs moved across to intercept the runner, but 14 stepped back inside beating the second last defender for an unconverted score in the corner to level the match 5-5.

On the restart, Charleville knew what they have been told from the start of the season, cut off opposition ball supply out wide, pile the pressure on in the 9, 10 and 12 channel and force the errors. Charleville got right back to it with their pack making big carries through James Drinan and Sam O’Donnell, ably backed up by their supporting forwards in Rian O’Conner, Ryan Farrell, Chris Gould, Bill O’Keeffe and Tadgh Brosnan. Stan O’ Sullivan revelled in his role up front, making carries of his own. 

Once again Charleville piled the pressure on their opponents, forcing them backwards on their own ball. This was not only at ruck time, but at a greatly improved Charleville scrum which held its ground allowing Charleville to compete more and sooner on the ball coming out to the Nenagh half backs. The pressure paid off with interchange between forward carries and penetrating runs by Darragh O’Sullivan in the centre bending Nenagh defence as the point of attack shifted around in the opposition 22. The stress on Nenagh defence led to a penalty 15 metres out from their try line, with James Drinan the obvious target to make the carry, he was a decoy on this occasion with the ball passed to Darragh O’Sullivan to make the initial run. Drawing defenders to him a ruck ensued only for the ball to then find James Drinan 5 metres out to crash over on the left side to bring the score to 10-5 on 10mins. This was followed up by a conversion by Zac Carroll that bounced off the crossbar to add the two points 12-5. Fortune favours the brave.

The remainder of the half was characterised by a monumental contest as Nenagh finally warmed up to the task competing with Charleville in every area of the pitch. Charleville continued to put pressure on close in at the breakdown which succeeded in stemming the threats. Mark Madigan overcame some early lulls of biting in on defence to make some crucial tackles out wide to prevent certain scores on his wing. But on 20mins, Nenagh managed to get the ball wide to 14 once again, with more room in front of him than he had before, rounded the defence to score under the posts for a converted try for the score at the break 12-12.

A reshuffle was required at half time as Tadgh Brosnan could not continue with a muscle strain, no doubt the result of the massive commitment to his team and the cause that is every inch his character.

The second half picked up where it left off, with Charleville continuing to believe in themselves and getting stuck in. Soon after the restart, Nenagh Ormond concern for the way the match was going led them to make tactical changes of their own, bringing in a player at centre reminiscent of the late Va'aiga Lealuga Tuigamala Pulelua Fesola'I and it wasn’t just because of how he wears his hair! The Nenagh change took effect in the 30th minute when the ball got to the new centre at around the half way mark. With a powerful direct run he made for the try line despite valiant attempts of a number of Charleville boys to stop him for a converted score to extend the lead 12-19.

But we know Charleville boys are different gravy and never, ever, give up. With Hugh O’Donnell forced off as a precaution after a blow to the head, Stan O’Sullivan showed his versatility slotting into the 13 channel with Mark Weir going into the front row. On 36 minutes Charleville responded with what was arguably the score of the match. A rare Nengah kick from defence from within their 22 was picked up and run back with a ruck set just beyond the 10m line. Zac Carroll who had led Charleville boys line excellently all match, layered panache on solidity. Backing himself off the ruck ball on this occasion, Zac seared through the 10/12 channel with “a show and go” taking the Nenagh defence out of the game in one move to streak through for a score on the right hand side. 19-19.

Charleville made some more changes, giving players game time and adding energy to the team to close the match out. The “ding-dong” nature of the game did not relent and on 38 minutes Nenagh managed to break through once more with their powerful centre scoring a converted try, despite close attention from Charleville defence and a suspicion of having gone into the dead ball zone before placing the ball. 19-26

But still this encounter was not over. The Nenagh Ormond tactic was clear, dealing with it was still a challenge. But that doesn’t deter Charleville and a memorable moment came late on with the new centre streaking though unopposed once more. Sammy Hayes being the last defender went in for the tackle. Seemingly beaten, Sammy gave one last lunge backwards and taping the ankle sent the Nenagh centre into a tumble to the ground. Turning around to place the ball back for his own side to take on, it was Charleville who reacted faster, with two players getting back, coming around through the gate and latching onto the ball to force the penalty.

This sparked another comeback from Charleville who went back into their groove of big direct carries, really taking Nenagh on up front and then spreading the ball to the centre to stress their defence. As seen earlier in the match, when Charleville turn the screw and don’t let up, the opportunities come. Charleville really had Nenagh on the ropes and with Nenagh reeling, James Drinan received the ball 10m out and deftly slipped around defenders to finish on the left. 24-26.

With only a few minutes more, an ascendant Charleville would no doubt have pulled off the shock result of the league so far. But the clock was against them and it was not to be.

As the boys were reminded at the end of the game, they are in the toughest league in their age group playing teams that have many more players on the age than we do, which makes a big difference at this stage. All that was asked of them was to give everything they had and in so doing, learn more about themselves in the 50 mins playing than they would likely in the rest of the year. The Charleville boys delivered in spades and the trajectory of their improvement is a steep upward curve that will stand to them as they build through this season and lay solid foundations for this and seasons to come.