Naas vs Nenagh Ormond Match Day Programme_18Jan by NRFCMatchProgramme

Saturday 18 January 2025

Forenaughts, Naas Kick-Off: 14:30 Match Referee: Jonathan Erskine

PRESIDENTS MESSAGE

On behalf of Naas Rugby Club, it gives me great pleasure to welcome you all to Forenaughts for today’s Energia All-Ireland League Division 1B fixture. And as it’s our first home game of 2025, I’d also like to take the opportunity to wish you a Happy New Year and all the best for the year ahead.

A particular welcome to today’s visitors from Nenagh Ormond, their President John Long, players, coaches & supporters who have made the trip up the road to Naas

The last time these teams met was in 2015/16 in two low scoring games, with Naas and Nenagh taking one win each. That was in Division 2A and the season that culminated in Naas being promoted to Division 1B

Nenagh have now joined us in Division 1B for the first time and have made a tremendous start to life in the higher league, lying second in the table after 10 games and just three points behind Old Belvedere at the top.

With just a solitary point between the teams in New Ormond Park before Christmas, Naas will be looking to take some confidence from that game into today’s encounter and get back to winning ways. Nenagh Ormond will want to continue their run of good form and keep the pressure on Old Belvedere at the top

With a lot at stake for both teams for different reasons, let’s hope we are treated to another entertaining game of rugby this afternoon. I wish both sets of players good luck and an injury free afternoon

Naas RFC and the game of rugby itself is founded on the values of integrity and respect Please take a minute to read through the Naas RFC Code of Conduct on the following page. Please adhere to these guiding principles and especially show respect for our match officials Without them we would have no game

I would like to thank our club sponsors for their continued support A list of their names is at the back of the programme, and I would encourage you to support them where possible

Enjoy the match and don’t forget that next Saturday we travel to face Blackrock College, before our next home fixture against Dublin University, which is a Friday night lights game on February 7th and all support will be greatly appreciated.

Yours in rugby,

Gerry Prendergast

President Naas RFC 2024/25

NAAS RFC SQUAD THE PACK

Conor Doyle

NaasAILCaps:93

NaasAILCaps:15

JamesO’Loughlin

NaasAILCaps:24

Muiris Cleary

Naas AIL Caps: 28

NaasAILCaps:9

KoloaAisake

NaasAILCaps:10

Ryan Casey

Naas AIL Caps: 112

Will O’Brien(Capt)

Naas AIL Caps: 129 1 2 3 5 4 6 8 7

Aidan O’Kane

Adam Deay

NAAS RFC SQUAD THE ATTACK

CormacKing

NaasAILCaps:10

PaddyTaylor

NaasAILCaps:10

MichalHaznar

NaasAILCaps:12

Bryan Croke

NaasAILCaps:65

CharlieSheridan

NaasAILCaps:42

NaasAILCaps:63 13 12 10 9 11 15 14

JackSheridan

NaasAILCaps:31

DonalConroy

NAAS RFC SQUAD THE IMPACT

FranciscoBartorelli

NaasAILCaps:17

StephenLackey

NaasAILCaps:52

CillianDempsey

NaasAILCaps:78

Peter Osborne

NaasAILCaps:162

NaasAILCaps:28 16 17 18 19 20 21

DarraghMurphy

NaasAILCaps:10

DerryLenehan

Fixtures & Results

Old Belvedere 23 – 10 Naas | Match Report

The start of 2025 was always going to be difficult for Naas in their Energia AllIreland League Division 1B campaign, as in their opening matches, they play the top two teams in the league in Old Belvedere and Nenagh Ormond

They travelled to Dublin last Saturday afternoon to face Belvo who sat proudly at the top of the table with just one defeat all season, and despite a brave effort by the visitors they returned home empty handed.

The league leaders got off to a fine start and were in front after just three minutes. Their centre Jayden Beckett ran clean through the Naas midfield, and when he was eventually hauled down the visitors were penalised for hands in the ruck.

Sam Wisniewski made no mistake with the resultant penalty to give Belvedere a 3point lead.

The Dublin men suffered a blow after just seven minutes when they lost Will McDonald to injury, but they shrugged off this setback and should have extended their lead just two minutes later. When they were awarded a penalty, they turned down a shot at goal and went to touch.

From the line-out they set up a driving maul which was stopped just short of the line, and when the ball was recycled Sam Wisniewski put in a crossfield kick. Gavin Nugent looked sure to score but knocked on the ball as he attempted to gather it and the chance was lost

But they did go further in front after 14 minutes following a fine break by their influential captain Calum Dowling. He took play into the Naas 22 and when he was stopped Belvedere quickly moved the ball wide right

Gavin Nugent was waiting and the winger made amends for his earlier mistake by finishing in style. Wisniewski added the conversion and the home side led by ten points to nil.

On 22 minutes an incident occurred which enraged the large Naas support. Jack Sheridan took off on a mazy run which was stopped by a shuddering tackle by the Belvedere winger Andre Ryan The defender appeared to lead with his head and Sheridan sustained a nasty facial injury which ended his afternoon.

However the referee Oisin Quinn deemed that this tackle only merited a yellow card for Ryan, and most observers felt that he was treated very leniently.

However the visitors struck back after 24 minutes They managed to rob a Belvedere line-out and quickly moved the ball wide left When the attack was halted, Muiris Cleary was then on hand and a big carry by him drove the Belvedere defence further backwards.

There then followed a further series of Naas carries, before the defence was breached by Paddy Taylor who crashed over from close range for a fine try. Peter Osborne converted and Naas were right back in the game and just three points behind

But Belvedere are not league leaders for nothing and they responded to the challenge laid down by scoring another try after 31 minutes. They received a penalty straight in front of the posts, but again declined a shot at the posts and went to touch. They again set up a driving maul and Kale Thatcher was able to force his way over for a try, although Sam Wisniewski hit the post with his conversion attempt.

Old Belvedere 23 – 10 Naas | Match Report

However straight from the restart the Dublin side were penalised for offside and Peter Osborne made no mistake with his penalty attempt, to reduce the margin to 15-10 which proved to be the half-time score

The story of the second-half is easily told Belvedere took a complete grip on proceedings and only some tremendous and brave defending by Naas prevented them from running riot So good was the Naas defence that despite Belvedere owning the ball they were unable to create many clear cut chances.

After 49 minutes it appeared that the home side were sure to score when they set up another driving maul which powered over the line, but Naas did brilliantly to prevent Belvedere from grounding the ball and won themselves a goal-line drop out However from the drop-out Naas found themselves defending again, and conceded a penalty for hands in a ruck, which Sam Wisniewski made no mistake with

It was all Belvedere now and Andre Ryan will have nightmares after dropping the ball with the try line at his mercy after 62 minutes, while Sam Wisniewski was off the mark with a drop goal attempt after 78 minutes

However as the game entered injury-time the Naas resistance was broken, when Belvedere created a huge overlap wide left with Andre Ryan finishing off the move Although the conversion was missed by Wisniewski, Belvedere now led by 23 points to ten, which proved to be the final score.

However there was still time for Naas to come within inches of securing a dramatic losing point With virtually their first attack of the half deep into injury-time, Michal Haznar forced his way over the Belvedere line, but was unable to ground the ball and almost immediately afterwards the referee blew the full-time whistle.

So defeat for Naas and they can have no complaints as they were second best for long periods of the game. As stated things do not get much easier for them as next week they have to face Nenagh who lie second in the table. However when these sides met earlier in the season there was just one point between them, so Naas will fancy their chances of getting revenge and putting their season back on track.

Old Belvedere: Shane McNulty, Gavin Nugent, Jayden Beckett, Justin Leonard, Andre Ryan, Sam Wisniewski, Jack Dunne, Hugh Flood, Calum Dowling (capt), Ryan McMahon, Fionn McWey, Eddie Rees, Kale Thatcher, Will McDonald, Paddy Dowling. Replacements: Luke McLaughlin, Hugh Hogan, Anthony Ryan, Tasipale ValaVala, Peter O’Beirne, Joe White.

Naas: Peter Osborne, Donal Conroy, Charlie Sheridan, Michal Haznar, Jack Sheridan, Paddy Taylor, Cormac King, Conor Doyle, Aidan O’Kane, Adam Deay, James O’Loughlin, Eoin Walsh, Muiris Cleary, Will O’Brien (capt), Ryan Casey. Replacements: Francisco Bartorelli, Stephen Lackey, Cillian Dempsey, Koloa Aisake, Darragh Murphy, Derry Lenehan.

Referee: Oisin Quinn. Match report: Mark Herbert

Spirit of Rugby

NAAS RUGBY FOOTBALL CLUB

Respect our Game Respect our Game

CODE OF CONDUCT FOR MEMBERS, PLAYERS, COACHES & SUPPORTERS

A person shall NOT ABUSE, THREATEN OR INTIMIDATE a player, referee, touch judge, match official or steward whether on or off the field of play and on club grounds.

A person (inclusive of players) shall NOT USE RACIAL, CRUDE OR ABUSIVE LANGUAGE OR GESTURES TOWARDS a player, referee, touch judge, match official, steward or spectator.

CLUB OFFICIALS AND STEWARDS

Shall be entitled to request any person to leave the club grounds for behaviour that they deem to be inappropriate or in breach of the code of conduct.