Kennedy adamant Nenagh can dethrone Queens

PREVIEW: AIB League Division Three Final

Kennedy is ruled out by a long-standing neck injury, with Trevor Connolly skippering the side in his absence. But he is convinced the Tipperary men have the ability and mental strength to overcome the runaway leaders of the section, after producing a semi-final upset over promoted Midleton.

And now feels there is no reason why they can’t claim their trophy in senior rugby ranks.

He said: “We will approach it simply with the view that on our day we’re capable of beating anyone in the division, and I think we proved that during the campaign.”

Queens captain Mark Robinson hasn’t dismissed the prospect of a shock either, recalling how Nenagh went to Belfast late in January, shot into a 10-point lead and made the league leaders sweat heavily to secure an 18-13 victory.

“It was the toughest game we played at home this season,” he recalled.

“We haven’t lost at The Dub for three years but we came very close to it that day. Nenagh got stuck into us and played some excellent rugby; we were fortunate to scrape through.”

Kennedy also recalls that game with some fondness, despite Nenagh ending up on the wrong side of the scoreline.

“That was a very good game. In fairness to Queen’s, as a young side, they have great composure, skill and pace.

“(Former Ireland centre) Jonathan Bell is their player-coach who comes on in the second half, they’re a damn good side. I’d like to think it could have gone either way.”

Today, Kennedy relishes the prospect of an open game. “Every team has particular strengths, but I would like to believe we are a good all-round side.

“At this time of the year, with harder grounds, I think all teams should be geared up to playing 15-man rugby.

“It’s a fairly young team; there’s one guy of 28 in the pack, but the rest are no more than 25. We won’t see fitness as a problem and there’s a deal of experience there as well from the likes of Dave Delaney, Trevor Connolly and Colm McMahon.”

Once again, there is a strong local bias to this Nenagh team, with Kennedy admitting that in times past the club relied on the odd Fijian import. “They’re all gone now and all of the squad members are strung out around local areas like Toomevara, Borrisoleigh and Ballina, with a couple of guys travelling from Limerick.”

Now they have come this far, Kennedy hopes to make it tell.

“This season has been a progression even if we failed to win promotion. In the last four seasons we came fifth, sixth, fifth and fifth respectively, so this was about finishing in the top four at least.

“We set a target of winning promotion, but once that was gone we set a new one of getting into the semi-finals. We now find ourselves close to winning some silverware. This is our first experience of a senior final and it’s one we don’t want to waste.”

NENAGH ORMOND: S Harvey; C McMahon, J Kingston, T Connolly (capt), G Harmse; D Delaney, D Corcoran; D Dunne/C Brislane, D Horan/D Dunne, F Brislane; D Walsh, D Gallagher; S O’Callaghan, K Quigley, B Williams.

QUEENS UNIVERSITY: D McIlwaine; C Quinn, M Hooks, J Reekie, M Arneill; M Pyper, I Porter; P Karayiannis, M Boyd, M Sampson; M Ferguson, A Lunton; P McGowan, M Robinson (capt), G Hooks.