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Irish Examiner
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Kevin O'Flaherty hopeful Nenagh can handle step up
The dust has just about settled on Nenagh Ormond's celebrations following their historic first promotion to the Energia All Ireland League's top flight but captain Kevin O'Flaherty is determined his club holds their own with the big boys in Division 1A next season. Much will depend on Nenagh's home form as they mix it with the established heavyweights led by newly-minted champions Clontarf and if the 2024-25 campaign was any guide, New Ormond Park will not be a venue away teams will relish visiting. Back-rower O'Flaherty, the Energia AIL Division 1B player of the year, has now led Nenagh to successive promotions and this season's Munster Senior Cup. Their elevation to 1A behind title winners Old Belvedere was secured with a dramatic play-off final win at home over Munster rivals UCC in front of more than 1000 spectators, and he believes the backing of the wider community in a traditional stronghold of Tipperary hurling will be just as crucial for the step up in class as the club becomes their county's first top-flight representatives. 'That's the thing, our crest is a castle and we speak about ourselves that we need to protect our castle,' O'Flaherty told the Irish Examiner. 'So that's what we think about when we play at home, you never want to lose there and we're starting to do that. We only lost one game at home this year and that was against Old Belvedere who were deserving champions. We took scalps off the likes of Cork Con, Highfield, Shannon, renowned teams. 'The community itself, we're in the heart of hurling country but if you look at the play-off final, all the hurling teams were out to support us, and they had games that evening at 6:30pm but there was three or four parishes of hurling teams out to watch the first half and I think a good few of them got the end in too. 'In a small community it's all about everyone helping out each other, from businesses supporting us to families in general coming out to support. Getting people through the gate is a big thing.' The sense of community behind Nenagh Ormond was underlined by O'Flaherty's visit this season to Youghalarra National School. 'An ex-player of ours is principal and he asked me to come in with the Senior Cup, and it was amazing to just go in and see the amount of people that are playing rugby in a school which would be mainly a hurling school. Our head coach (Derek Corcoran) did the same, went to his local school where he's a teacher (Nenagh CBS primary school) and the reception he got was exceptional and it's probably half the reason why he's still playing. He's 41 and he has coached us in every single promotion that we've achieved and I think he's played in every one of them as well. He's a credit to the club.' O'Flaherty credits back-to-back promotions for Nenagh to both the loyalty of local players and the work of the coaching team led by player/head coach Corcoran with assistants James Hickey, Dan Fogarty and S&C coach Colm Skehan. 'It was kind of down to a core group that stopped there for a lot of years. They've always been the ones to drive the standards but once the coaches came in they put more emphasis on the rest of the team to match that core. Everyone had to be working as hard as everyone else, it's the same as anything, like in defence, you're only as good as your weakest man. 'So we tried to make sure that our weakest man was one of our strongest and if you can guess a squad all playing off of that you're onto a winner, because you look other years, we probably had that main 15 and it probably let us down, like if you look at three years ago when we played in the Senior Cup against Young Munster. We were there or thereabouts with them for probably 60, 70 per cent of the game but once people got tired and once the bench came on it probably wasn't as effective as it has been this year. 'So we really put emphasis on getting as fit and as strong as we could. We knew if we could stay fit and keep going for the 80 minutes, you bring on subs and if they can do the same thing you're always in a good place.' That paid off in spades with their last-gasp play-off final victory over UCC, coming from 33-24 down with three minutes left on the clock to win 36-33. It capped a dream season for the club while O'Flaherty finished the week collecting the 1B player of the year award at the Energia AIL awards in Dublin. 'It's a nice accolade to get,' he said. 'It's a really nice way to top off the last few years and for me personally, I've been playing for 14 years so to get acknowledged is always nice. 'But if you look at the standard in 1B this year, it's been excellent. Like Calum Dowling (Old Belvedere), he was nominated and was very much deserving of it. Alex Molloy (Old Wesley), Conor O'Shaughnessey (Blackrock College), they'd be the same, but even going back to our team itself, you could pick any one of our players to be nominated for that, and they would have been deserving of it as well. So as much as it's a personal accolade, you're only as good as your team. 'As long as everyone can play to a high standard, anyone is capable of doing that and last year Willie (Coffey) who was in it for 2A, he was exceptional again this year, and there was no reason why he couldn't have got it. 'In terms of promotion, then, it's a pinch yourself moment, really. You're looking at going up to… and I was talking to (former Ireland international and Nenagh native) Trevor Hogan, he congratulated me after the win and he just said he never thought he'd see the day when Nenagh went up against Clontarf. 'I think for a lot of us, we celebrated the win but we're still in dreamland. Once those fixtures come out and we see ourselves playing against those big teams, all the Dublin teams coming down to Nenagh, that's when the fun really begins.'
Irish Times
01-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Times
AIL awards: Dan Goggin named Division 1A player of season
The former Munster centre Dan Goggin has been named as the Division 1A player of the season at the annual Energia All-Ireland League awards after a superb first season with St Mary's College. Goggin helped the newly promoted club earn a home semi-final in their first season back in the top flight after a seven-year absence. As well as his big ball-carrying and try-scoring exploits in his customary position of inside centre, Goggin underlined his value when moving to number eight for his team's run-in. The Men's and Women's Coach of the Year Awards went to Quenton O'Neale of Old Belvedere, the runaway Division 1B champions, and Jason Moreton of Wicklow respectively. Eilís Cahill from UL Bohemian was awarded the Women's AIL Player of the Year to augment her match-winning in the last play of the final against Railway Union. READ MORE The other divisional players of the year awards went to Nenagh Ormond's Kevin O'Flaherty in 1B, Instonians' Bevan Prinsloo in 2A, Wanderers' Jamie Kavanagh in 2B and Midleton's JB Du Toit in 2C. The Energia Possibilities Award went to Lansdowne FC, who recovered from a difficult start to win the Bateman Cup in January, which in turn was the launching pad to their surge into the semi-finals, where they lost 17-15 away to eventual champions Clontarf. Young Munster's Cathal Quaid was awarded the Community Hero Award for 2025. Along with many other jobs within the club, Cathal is the minis coach to the under-8s, assistant secretary, and was pivotal in structuring a pathway for the under-21s team for next season. The Ireland Women's team head coach Scott Bemand and Women's Scrum Coach Denis Fogarty, along with the Ireland Men's and British & Irish Lions Assistant Coaches John Fogarty and Andrew Goodman, were among those in Bective Rangers clubhouse to announce the recipients of the Energia All-Ireland League awards. Awards & Winners: Energia All-Ireland League Women's Division Player of the Year 2024/25: Eilís Cahill, UL Bohemian Energia All-Ireland League Men's Division 1A Player of the Year 2024/25: Dan Goggin, St Mary's College Energia All-Ireland League Men's Division 1B Player of the Year 2024/25: Kevin O'Flaherty, Nenagh Ormond Energia All-Ireland League Men's Division 2A Player of the Year 2024/25: Bevan Prinsloo, Instonians Energia All-Ireland League Men's Division 2B Player of the Year 2024/25: Jamie Kavanagh, Wanderers Energia All-Ireland League Men's Division 2C Player of the Year 2024/25: JB Du Toit, Midleton Energia AIL Coach of the Year Awards Energia All-Ireland League Men's Division Coach of the Year 2024/25: Quenton O'Neale, Old Belvedere Energia All-Ireland League Women's Division Coach of the Year 2024/25: Jason Moreton, Wicklow Energia AIL Community Hero Award Cathal Quaid, Young Munster Energia AIL Referee of the Season Dan Carson Energia AIL Possibilities Award Lansdowne FC
RTÉ News
25-04-2025
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Railway out for revenge v Bohs in Women's AIL final
If Sunday's Women's All-Ireland League final even serves up half the points tally of last year's decider, it'll prove decent value for money. For the second year in a row, UL Bohemians and Railway Union will face off in the women's AIL showpiece (Sunday, 1.30pm). The pair served up 14 tries and 86 points in the 2024 decider, as Bohs eventually came out on top 48-38 to win a record 14th AIL title, and their first since 2018. While the finalists are evenly matched, and there is a competitive group behind in Blackrock, Old Belvedere and Wicklow, there will need to be some reflection among IRFU chiefs about the current state of the women's senior club scene. The expanded Celtic Challenge, and centralisation of so many contracted players to Dublin clubs has seen a two-tier league emerge, with huge scorelines, and multiple walkovers given across the season. Suttonians, Cooke and Galwegians were all docked points for conceding games, while Railway, who finished top of the regular season standings with 18 wins from 18, scored 971 points and conceded just 100. What should have been a season to remember for Tullow in their debut AIL campaign turned into one they would like to forget, as they found the going tough in senior rugby, finishing without a point, conceding just under 1,000 points along the way. With the way the professional game is going, a major change is needed to prevent the league descend into irrelevance. Last year, it was seen as a big step to play the women's final at the Aviva as part of a double-header with the men, but that will look like an empty gesture if the competition is allowed to fall into disrepair. The wider picture will be of no concern to whoever is lifting the trophy on Sunday evening, however. This will be a fifth final in a row for the 2019 and 2022 champions Railway, who are under a new head coach this season after Mike South stepped in for John Cronin this year. Captained by centre Niamh Byrne, the side are powered by former Ireland international prop Lindsay Peat, who is doubling up as number 8 and assistant coach this season. Even at the age of 44, Peat has scored a joint-high 23 tries this season. With Railway carrying a 100% record through the regular season, Bohs weren't far behind them. Fiona Hayes side were a clear second in the table, winning 16 games, losing narrowly, 19-18 and 17-10, to their final opponents. Both sides have hit the 100 point mark in a single game this season, but their semi-final wins were much closer; Railway defeating Old Belvedere 37-24 at Sydney Parade, while Bohs edged Blackrock in a 15-12 arm-wrestle. "Two contrasting sides, very much so," Hannah O'Connor said of the finalists this week. The former Ireland and Leinster second/back row was part of the Blackrock side that lifted the title in 2023, and captained the squad this season. And she told the RTE Rugby podcast that one of Bohs' biggest weapons is their cohesion. "We came out of the blocks fast and were off to a good start, but you come up against a UL Bohs side who are very used to playing together, a lot of them play together for Munster as well. "They invest the same style of play, that front-ball rugby with big carriers and they have pacy backs outside, getting the ball to the likes of Chisom Ugweuru and Clara Barrett and a few others, they have pace out wide. "They're well-used tactically to playing with each other. They do it really well and it's shown in those 16 matches they've won, and the semi-final they won against us. "I think Railway, on the other hand, like to play a fast ball, not a fan of much setpiece. They have good strength in the scrum, and the height of Aoife McDermott at the lineout, but they tend to want to play ball. They want to play ball quickly and they want to stretch you. "They want to use the pace and the ballers they have, to play it almost like a sevens game at times where they keep that ball moving. They love a quick-tap penalty, so it's two contrasting sides." Saturday's Guinness Women's Six Nations finale against Scotland will have an impact on both sides this week. Claire Boles, who came off the bench for Railway in their semi-final win, is among the subs for Ireland this weekend, while Bohs have been hit even harder, with Aoife Corey starting for Ireland, and Jane Clohessy a replacement in Edinburgh this weekend. While Bohs came out on top last year, O'Connor believes Railway have added to their game in 2025, and she expects the hurt from two final defeats in a row to drive them on to their third All-Ireland title. "Last year it was a bananas game in the Aviva, where in the end UL Bohs stuck to their system and patterns and Railway fell away from what was working for them and Railway were left chasing a game that got out of their reach. "My head is saying, based on how Railway have played and the players they have got back in, and the experience they have in the spine of their team. Ultimately their pace might be able to have the upper hand on Bohs on the day. "But we saw it last year, they started off that way and fell away from it. "The benefit of last year and what they didn't achieve last year will probably stand to them, and that bittersweet feeling they were left with. They won't want to feel that again." Watch a URC double-header, Scarlets v Leinster and Ulster v Sharks, on Saturday from 4.45pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player
RTÉ News
25-04-2025
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Niamh O'Dowd hoping Ireland finish on a high at Hive Stadium against Scots
Niamh O'Dowd is not used to kicking her heels when Ireland are playing and is determined to return with a bang when the team finish off their Guinness Six Nations campaign against Scotland on Saturday. A shoulder injury suffered in the 49-5 round-three loss to England ruled the Wexford woman out of last weekend's victory over Wales but she's "all good" to go at the Hive Stadium in Edinburgh as Ireland bid to finish on a high with a third success of the campaign. Prop O'Dowd has been first choice in the front row since getting her first start against Australia last September. She'll win her 15th cap in tomorrow's 2.30pm kick-off. She didn't travel to Newport to catch the 40-14 win last weekend in person and admitted it was a strange feeling watching on. "A few of us watched it together at home, it was weird," said the dynamic loosehead. "I think the last game I watched on telly was when the girls played in Japan [in 2022] so I've been lucky enough not to have too many injuries. And this is just one week so I can't really complain. "I'm all good. Fully available now, back to full fitness. "AC [acromioclavicular], just took a knock towards the end of the [England] game and it just needed a week but yeah, I'm good to go. "I'm just excited to get out there. "After a game like [England], you kind of just want to get out and rectify your mistakes straight away but at the same time there was nothing that I could really do about it when I was ruled out. "So I just had to make sure that I was doing everything I could off the pitch in terms of being on top of my detail and just making sure I was up to speed that way. "I'm very grateful now that I have the last weekend to put my hand up again." Ireland, with a healthy points advantage over Italy, look good for a second consecutive third-place finish but the possibility of three wins in a campaign for the first time since 2020 provides an extra incentive and would mark another milestone in the team's journey under Scott Bemand, who took over in July 2023. "This weekend is a really good opportunity for us to hopefully finish the campaign with some momentum and then we'll have a little break then," said the 25-year-old Old Belvedere forward (below). "Two years ago [a 36-10 loss against Scotland] it was a very different story but this year we've had two good wins. "Even last weekend, we put 40-odd points on Wales and still we were like no, there were definitely some areas where we could have sharpened up. "Comparing it from years ago, there's quite a vast difference. So we'll be hoping to put some points on them this weekend away from home." Scotland beat Wales on the opening day but have lost three in a row, to France, Italy and England, since. Ireland have won 15 of 17 Six Nations games against the Scots, including last season's nervy 15-12 victory but lost heavily the last time they met in Edinburgh two years ago. "We are predicting a tight match," said scrum coach Denis Fogarty. "I think that's been another area in which we have grown over the last 12 months. "We have been in tight games. We speak about it as well, to remember those times that we were in tight games, Scotland last year in Belfast, New Zealand in the WXV. "We look back at those moments and kind of go remember what that felt like, remember what we had to do to close out those games. "They are things we have spoken about and that's what we try to do from a training point of view, put them under those types of pressure environments, what they would face in a game, and they have reacted really well to that. "They are a very, very good set-piece team, have a very strong maul. It's kind of teed us up the last few games when we watched them, they haven't changed passively in terms of pictures that we will see. "It is just making sure that we are getting that in our heads from a defensive point of view in what pictures they show." Watch a URC double-header, Scarlets v Leinster and Ulster v Sharks, on Saturday from 4.45pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player
Irish Times
24-04-2025
- Sport
- Irish Times
UL Bohemian duo Aoife Corey and Jane Clohessy in line for first Ireland caps against Scotland
Ireland coach Scott Bemand has opted for an element of rotation in team selection for the final Six Nations game against Scotland at the Hive Stadium in Edinburgh on Saturday (2.30, live on Virgin Media One). Promising UL Bohemian fullback Aoife Corey makes her debut in the starting XV, while her clubmate Jane Clohessy, the daughter of former Munster and Ireland prop Peter, is set for her first cap off the bench. Corey takes over from Stacey Flood, Ireland's standout contributor the last day against Wales, and is part of a back three that includes Vicky Elmes Kinlan, who makes her first Six Nations start, and Amee-Leigh Costigan. Enya Breen and Aoife Dalton are unchanged in the centre while the same is true of halfbacks Dannah O'Brien and Molly Scuffil-McCabe. Niamh O'Dowd returns to the frontrow after injury while Dorothy Wall shifts from the secondrow to backrow in the absence of the injured Aoife Wafer (knee). Brittany Hogan will wear the number eight jersey. READ MORE IRELAND (v Scotland): A Corey (UL Bohemian/Munster); Vicky Elmes Kinlan (Wicklow), A Dalton (Old Belvedere/Leinster), E Breen (Blackrock College/Munster), A-L Costigan (Railway Union/Munster); D O'Brien (Old Belvedere/Leinster), M Scuffil-McCabe (Leinster); N O'Dowd (Old Belvedere /Leinster), N Jones (Gloucester-Hartpury), L Djougang (Old Belvedere/Leinster); R Campbell (Old Belvedere/Leinster), F Tuite (Old Belvedere/Ulster); D Wall (Exeter Chiefs/Munster), E McMahon (Exeter Chiefs/Connacht, capt), B Hogan (Old Belvedere/Ulster). Replacements: C Moloney (Exeter Chiefs), S McGrath (Cooke/Ulster), C Haney (Blackrock College/Leinster), J Clohessy (UL Bohemian/Munster), C Boles (Railway Union/Ulster), E Lane (Blackrock College), E Higgins (Railway Union), S Flood (Railway Union).
