Munster J1 League

Bandon –31 – Thurles 17

Thurles made the two-hour trip to West Cork to take on Bandon in game eight of the Munster Junior One league last Sunday. Thurles came to this game looking for some payback having narrowly lost to the same opposition in the first game of last season on that occasion being denied by last gasp penalty for the away side. As it transpired one would have been pretty confident that after twenty minutes of this game having elapsed that Thurles would at least have achieved that outcome and would have been surprised to not have done so with the addition of a bonus point such was the ease with the Thurles backline fashioned their opening two tries.

Thurles having kicked off were under some defensive pressure in the opening stages of this game. A series of indiscretions resulting in penalties giving Bandon easy field position – Whilst the home team started brightly, their attacks were largely ineffectual as the Thurles defence was more than coping, until an offside decision led to an easy penalty straight in front for Bandon from thirty metres, easily converted by the Bandon out half. 3 – 0 to the home team after 5 minutes.

Thurles first score came from a scrum on the halfway in the middle of the field. A set piece move saw Thurles backline overload the left side of the field putting Paddy McGrath away outside the Bandon defence, making forty metres before passing inside to the supporting Eoghan Dwyer who ran in untouched to touch down under the posts and make the conversion a formality for James Maher. 7 – 3 to the away team after 7 minutes. But almost from the kick off Thurles had conceded another penalty kick which Bandon kicked to the Thurles twenty-two metre line. An overthrow by Bandon was latched onto by Seamus Holohan who immediately transferred to his backline, quick handling resulted in Cathal Hayes sprinting fifty metres into the Bandon half, a great cross-field kick by James Maher led to Bandon mishandling the ball into touch five metres out. A great lineout and maul by the Thurles pack led to clean possession for James Maher who fed Eoghan Dwyer on a hard flat line between two Bandon defenders to score under the posts again for Thurles. 14 – 3 to Thurles with just eleven minutes on the clock. Bandon had the next scoring opportunity with penalty from thirty metres in which was missed after a scrum infringement by Thurles. Thurles were fortuitous after an attempted clearance from behind their own line form the missed kick was blocked down but bounced harmlessly over the dead ball line. Bandon didn’t have to wait long for their next opportunity, an adjudge high tackle resulting in an easy penalty straight in front for Bandon. 14 – 6 after 20 minutes. The game now entered a critical period for the following ten minutes where Thurles despite a lot of possession could not add to their score. John Shaw adjudged to have been being held up over the line after a good charge, a good back line move just missing the additional pass to score and instead resulting in a turnover to Bandon allowing them to clear their lines. Having survived this period Bandon put some good attacking play together gaining field position in the Thurles twenty-two. A couple of good half breaks almost resulted in a Bandon try but some good last-ditch defence seemed to have Sonny Dwyer making a great poach under his own post only for the decision to go the other way. This made it 9 to 2 on the penalty count for the half in Bandon’s favour and 14 -9 on the score board in favour of Thurles.

Bandon kicked off the second half and it was not long before this game started to unravel for the visiting team. A bemusing penalty for what seemed like a good clear out by Eoghan Dwyer on half way, compounded by a ten yard addition for questioning the decision resulted in a penalty for Bandon. They kicked to the corner and after a number of phases managed to force a scrum after an interruption in play for a Thurles head injury. A great scrum by Thurles won a penalty on their own five metre line and provided a relieving penalty kick which was cleared almost to half way. Thurles lost the ensuing lineout due to an overthrow and Bandon pounced on the loose ball. In the follow up Thurles captain Sonny Dwyer in making a thunderous tackle on the Bandon nine seemed to attract the attention of the referee. The resultant yellow card for an alleged tip tackle seemed questionable at the very least. From the ensuing penalty Bandon got a good touch find ten metres from the Thurles line and after a strong rolling maul and phases scored beside the posts to put the score at 16-14. Whilst definitely not out of the game at this stage albeit with a man in the bin this game was still very much there for Thurles until more madness was about to unfold. An upright bear hugging tackle by Eoghan Dwyer and a zealous application of the new tackle height law was enough to reduce Thurles to thirteen men with barely three minutes elapsed on their first yellow with a resultant penalty giving Bandon filed position deep in the Thurles twenty two, from the ensuing lineout and attack Thurles eight Ciaran Ryan saw yellow for a shoulder to head contact albeit as the attacking player slipped approaching the tackle. Reduced to twelve men Thurles repelled several Bandon attacks from the ensuing penalty. And a few minutes later seemed to have weathered the storm when Bandon knocked on the Thurles twenty-two providing the now thirteen man Thurles team a scrum with which to clear their lines. A resulting handling error at the back of the scrum resulted in the Bandon scrum half picking up an easy loose ball and sprinting into the corner unopposed, since Thurles were undermanned in the backline. Conversion missed, Bandon led 21 to 14 with twenty minutes to go. Thurles did rally and after getting all fifteen back on the pitch, won a penalty twenty-five metres out almost in front, with eight minutes left to go. James Maher duly slotted the 3 three points and Thurles backed themselves to go in search of an unlikely win at this stage. With five minutes left James Maher despite being hit late managed to put a cross field kick to his right winger only to be called back for an alleged obstruction on the Bandon late tackler. The Bandon player was seen to apologise profusely in anticipation of a possible yellow card, Thurles out half James Maher was waiting with ball in hand to take his penalty from where the ball landed only to be told by the official that it was indeed a penalty to Bandon for crossing. Cue much scratching of heads and what was to be the pivotal moment with the game still in the balance. Bandon to their credit took full advantage of some generous officiating and punished Thurles from the ensuing penalty and lineout, scoring a try after some good phase play and some loose Thurles defence. A late try by the home team concluded the scoring, with the Bandon winger picking off a loose Thurles pass as the visitors pushed for some consolation. 31 – 17

The benefit of video review has not provided any more clarity on a number of calls that didn’t go Thurles way in this match but undoubtedly there are areas that Thurles can improve on in the area of the tackle and the breakdown. An eye watering penalty count of 16 to 6 will always have a team struggling to compete at this level. The tackle height issue is here to stay in junior rugby and teams have to adapt to this, but what is confusing for players coaches and spectators alike is the apparent variation in application across the league and from week to week.

Thurles will take on local rivals Kilfeacle in their next game at home next week in an encounter that will see the away team back in Thurles in this league for the first time in a number of years.

Thurles lined out as follows:

Ger McCormack, Shane Nugent, Danny Diamini, Luke Kelly, Colin Nolan, Mark Cummins, Peter Kinane, Donnacha Ryan, Seamus Holahan, James Maher, Cathal Hayes, Sonny Dwyer, Eoghan O Dwyer, Luke Fogarty, Paddy McGrath.

Subs: John Shaw (Dan Diamini), Jack Kavanagh, James Butler (Ger McCormick), Ciaran Ryan (Donnacha Ryan) Peter Wall, Jack Flanagan (Paddy McGrath), Noah Mellor (Seamus Holohan), Kieran O’Hagan.