Young Munster strike at the death to seal three-in-a-row of Munster Senior Cup wins

YOUNG Munster completed an historic three-in-a-row of Munster Senior Cup wins in the most dramatic fashion as Conor Hayes' penalty goal with the last kick of the game earned a 27-24 victory over a heartbroken Nenagh Ormond side before a bumper attendance at Thomond Park on Thursday night.

An upset looked on the cards in the 139th Munster Senior Cup decider as first time finalists Nenagh, who are flying high in Division 2A of the All-Ireland League, deservedly led their opponents 24-10 with a little more than 10 minutes of a hugely entertaining final to play.

There had been so much to admire in tenacious Nenagh's play in the opening hour of an absorbing decider. They brought a greater degree of physicality, bossed the breakdown and were clinical in attack.

However, Munsters', who sit in the top four play-off places in Division 1A of the All-Ireland League, dug deep and succeeded in turning the final around against opponents who had breached their tryline on no fewer than four occasions.

Munsters', who have now won the Munster Senior Cup 10 times, got back in the contest when awarded a penalty try off a dominant scrum to leave a converted try between the sides.

Replacement James Horrigan then struck for a 74th minute try which Hayes converted to tie the scores at 24-24.

Within a minute Nenagh Ormond, who have only been a senior club since 2005, came within a whisker of regaining the lead, only for Conor O'Brien's penalty attempt to strike the outside of an upright.

WATCH: Incredible drama at Thomond Park where Conor Hayes' 86th minute penalty with last kick of game secures 27-24 victory for @YoungMunsterRFC over Nenagh Ormond in Munster Senior Cup final. Munsters' complete 3-in-row, heartbreak for Nenagh pic.twitter.com/NKttM1ISbP

— Colm Kinsella (@ckSportLeader) March 16, 2023

However, winger Hayes ultimately settled the final in Munsters' favour, showing admirable composure to slot his match-winning penalty.

It was an absorbing final, one which showcased the best of what the club game has to offer and played in front of a passionate, vocal attendance. 

Nenagh Ormond got off to the perfect start when striking for the game's opening try in the fourth minute. A series of strong carries brought the North Tipp side deep inside their opponents '22. Out-half Derek Corcoran then spotted winger David Gleeson in isolation on the wing and found him with a pinpoint crossfield kick.

Gleeson had the straight forward task of dotting down for an early 5-0 lead. 

Back came Young Munster almost straight from the kick-off with a try of their own. The Clifford Park side forced a couple of penalties inside the Nenagh '22 and opted for a kick to the corner in a bid to reap the greatest reward.

Fortune favoured the brave on this occasion when Sean Rigney claimed the line-out and, following a well-executed maul, flanker Ronan O'Sullivan dotted down.

Out-half Evan Cusack duly added the conversion and the holders were now 7-5 to the good.

The exciting nature of the final continued through the opening quarter as Nenagh hit back with their second try. Using the pick-and-go to good effect deep inside their opponents '22, Nenagh then flashed the ball wide with out-half Corcoran, who also spent time playing with Munsters', linking up with Josh Rowland. The full-back found centre John Healy who crashed over the trylne before cleverly turning his body and dotting down. 

Young Munster then earned the chance to draw level in the 27th minute when Nenagh were penalised for holding on at a breakdown. Cusack duly dissected the uprights from 28 metres out to tie the scores at 10-10.

Nenagh continued to impress however with the Division 2A side willing to keep the ball in hand, repeatedly getting over the gainline with their powerful carries and succeeding in securing quick ball at the breakdown. 

After Munsters' strayed offside in the 38th minute, Nenagh opted for a kick to the corner off the resultant penalty award. 

The holders were caught napping off a cleverly worked line-out routine from Nenagh with number eight John Hayes claiming their third try of the game and a 15-10 lead.

Winger Patrick Scully dissected the uprights with a beautifully struck conversion to push their half-time advantage out to 17-10.

It was a lead Nenagh Ormond deserved given their level of play in that opening 40 minutes.

Nenagh made a cracking start to the second half when stunning their opponents with a fourth try within the opening 60 seconds. 

First half tryscorer David Gleeson created the opening after making a smashing break off a lineout. Gleeson linked up with scrum-half Nicky Irwin who scampered his way over the tryline showing good strength to dot down.

Scully added the conversion and suddenly Nenagh Ormond's lead was out to two converted tries at 24-10. Long way back for Munsters' from here.

Munsters' did ask big questions of the Nenagh defence as the third quarter came to an end, with Nenagh tiring and coming out on the wrong side of the penalty count.

However, resolute defence from the Tipp side held their opponents at bay, including when the referee judged that number eight John Foley was held up over the Nenagh tryline in the 56th minute.

The lifeline Young Munster craved arrived in the 69th minute when the Limerick side's powerful scrum won three successive penalties close to the Nenagh tryline, with the match referee opting to award a penalty try. There was now just a converted try between the sides at 24-17.

That score really energised Munsters' challenge and the Limerick side had a third try in the 74th minute when James Horrigan barged his way over the tryline from close range.

Conor Hayes drew the sides level at 24-24 with a sweetly struck conversion. The strength of Munsters' replacement bench was telling as the half wore on.

The Young Munster cheers had hardly died down after drawing level, however, when Nenagh Ormond were awarded a penalty goal just outside the Munstrs' 22 on the right hand side.

Replacement Conor O'Brien saw his sweetly struck kick collide with the outside of the upright in the 78th minute, before the danger was ultimately cleared. The excitement was now at fever picth levels.

Hayes then proved the Young Munster hero when slotting the match winning penalty with the final kick of the game much to the delight of the large band of travelling support for the Greenfields side.

SCORERS: Young Munster: Ronán O'Sullivan, James Horrigan try each, pen try, Evan Cusack con, pen, Conor Hayes con, pen. Nenagh Ormond: Dave Gleeson, John Healy, John Hayes, Nicky Irwin try each, Patrick Sculy two cons.

YOUNG MUNSTER: Patrick Campbell; Conor Hayes, Harry Fleming, Luke Fitzgerald, Shay McCarthy; Evan Cusack, Jack Lyons; David Begley, George Jacobs, Conor Bartley; Sean Rigney, Alan Kennedy (Capt); Bailey Faloon, Ronán O’Sullivan, John Foley. Replacements: Mark O’Mara, Paul Allen, Conor Moloney, James Horrigan, Donnchadh O’Callaghan, Werner Hoffman, Stephen Lyons.

NENAGH ORMOND: Josh Rowland; Patrick Scully, Willie Coffey (C), John Healy, Dave Gleeson; Derek Corcoran, Nicky Irwin; Mike Doran, Dylan Murphy, Jack O’Keeffe; Kevin O’Flaherty, Jake O’Kelly; Rob Buckley, John O’Flaherty, John Hayes. Replacements: Peter O’Connor, Seán Frawley, Evan Murphy, Joe Coffey, John Brislane, Cian Ryan, Conor O’Brien.

REFEREE: Shane Kierans (IRFU)