Injury-time setback as Navan lose again

Travelling down to Munster in search of a victory is invariably a difficult assignment when it comes to the oval ball game. The locals in places like Nenagh take their rugby seriously and don't take kindly to losing - particularly on their own patch. Before this game on Saturday an outside observer would have taken a look at the AIL Div 3 table and made Nenagh Ormond red hot favourites. After all they were the form team located at the business end of the table while Navan were on the back of a run of four defeats. Nenagh Ormond also have a considerable pedigree at this level, usually finishing in the top half of the Div 3 table. As it turned out on Saturday the Tipperary side did win. However, with a little more ruthlessness and a tad more luck Navan might well have stolen this one. Once again the cruelty of sport, and the reality at this level, was forcefully brought home to Navan's predominately young side when they conceded an injury-time try. Just like they did against Instonians the previous week, Brad Harris and his boys looked like they were going to take something from the game only for their opponents to find a chink in the armour and take full advantage in the dying seconds. When the 80 minutes were up the sides were level at 13-13 apiece with Navan on the front foot and looking the most likely team to conjure up a winner. Then, bang. With about four minutes of injury-time played Nenagh Ormond put a number of phases of play together and substitute John Coffey rumbled over for a try in the corner. The Navan players bowed their heads in disappointment and looked with bleak expressions at the ground. They knew this was one that got away. "A mighty game," said one local to another shortly before the end and it certainly was an entertaining encounter packed with full-on forward play as well as entertaining, enterprising surges from both sides. A bitter wind blew down from the nearby mountains where the Silvermines can be found. Most of the supporters huddled together in the little stand to try and escape the sharpness of the breeze that seemed to blow directly from Siberia. It looked like Navan could be in for a turbulent afternoon when the Nenagh Ormond out-half David Delaney used the elements to help him slot the ball between the posts from a penalty. The kick was from just inside the Navan half and there was only five minutes played. Instead of losing their way Navan went on to produce some of their best rugby of the campaign so far, another plus they can take from this encounter along with the bonus point. There was talk beforehand about the formidable Nenagh Ormond pack. Navan matched them every step of the way. By the end of the afternoon it was the Navan scrum that had the edge. Navan did cough up some ball from their own line-out throw. Overall it was solid and efficient part of their game with Conor Brady's darts usually finding main receiver John Duffy or Harris. They rucked with a level of efficiency that ensured plenty of quick ball although their opponents were adept at slowing things down. The visitors from the Royal County competed well at the breakdown, protected their possession with zest and determination. Time and again Navan showed quick hands to move the ball wide and ask some serious questions of the Nenagh Ormond defence. Yet the killer instinct was missing. Navan made a number of changes for this encounter and among those was selecting John Davis and Simon Hogan as centres. Both made some slicing forward runs, particularly Hogan. They also tackled well to hold the middle ground. Ryan Roberts kicked well from behind the scrum although the Kiwi will be disappointed to have missed a penalty and a drop goal late in proceedings at a time when Navan were enjoying dominance in terms of possession and territory. Karl Manning cleaned up well near his own posts and got in some relieving clearances. The first-half penalty count was 7-2 in favour of Navan yet it was the home side who led at the break 6-5. The Navan try came after 26 minutes and was the end product of a sustained spell of pressure. The move originated from an up-and-under by Roberts. A Nenagh Ormond player was pinged for a high tackle. From the penalty Roberts found touch five metres from the Nenagh Ormond tryline. Duffy won the ball from the throw-in and Navan moved the ball wide. A maul was formed, Navan got the push on and the impressive Leigh Jackson was the player to get the touchdown under a pile of bodies about five metres right of the posts. Roberts mis-hit the conversion. Five minutes into the second-half Nenagh Ormond made a big breakthrough when their fleet-footed winger Gerard Hermse jinked his way through a few tackles to score his team's second try. Delaney converted to put the home side 13-5 in front and looking good. Yet Navan refused to bow down. They showed spirit to come back and were rewarded for enterprising play when after a series of phases, a neat little kick-ahead by Harris created a chance for Mark Harrington to nab a try. Ryan's conversion attempt sailed wide. With just four minutes to go Manning showed nerves of steel to step up and nail a long-range penalty to tie up the scores. Navan looked like they could push on and seal a win. Instead it was Nenagh Ormond who broke downfield to get a match-winning try in injury-time. It was a bitter blow for Navan especially as they had played so well for long spells. A lesson that hopefully will stand to them in the challenges ahead. Nenagh Ormond - J Lillis, S Carey, J Kingston, T Connolly, G Hermse, D Delaney, M Fogarty; D Dunne, D Horan, F Brislane, M Slattersy, D Walsh, S O'Callaghan, B Williams, K Quigley. Navan - K Manning, D Geraghty, S Hogan, J Davis, M Harrington, R Roberts, K Mattson; E Hanratty, C Brady, E King, B Harris, J Duffy, P Feeney, T Clarke, L Jackson. Subs - K Mattson for Brady, D King for Hanratty, J McCaghy for Brady, A Hickey for Davis.