Munster J1 League – Thurles 26 – Kilfeacle 10

Thurles played out their final game of the league season at home in Loughtagala last Friday night against Kilfeacle. This was somewhat of a dead rubber given that Kilfeacle already having secured a top four finish securely placed in mid tablewhich meant that there was very little riding on this game other than local pride. Both teams were significantly changed due to long weekend absences, injuries and other commitments meaning some enforced changes in both line-ups. This gave Thurles a chance to utilise some squad depth ahead of their fixture in the Junior Cup in two weekends time. In particular some more rugby for Jack Flanagan moved to full back this week, two wingers Sean McGrath and Kieran O’Hagan, and Gerry Ryan making a rare start and good impression at lock. And extended game time for Ciaran Murphy, Noah Mellor and Dan Diamini.

As is fast becoming the norm with Thurles they were very quickly into this game and after some good carries through the pack Thurles moving from edge to edge, the Thurles backs handled well and put Kieran O’Hagan free down the left wing to dive in the corner for Thurles first try after five minutes. Kilfeacle responded and were back within two after a penaltyfor a scrum indiscretion thirty metres out straight in front left an easy opportunity for three pints for the Kilfeacle out halfwith ten minutes elapsed. Thurles duly responded and were soon in good field position close to the Kilfeacle line after a penalty kick to touch by James Maher. After some good lineout and maul approach play, John Shaw manged to power over the try line form short range, which James Maher converted to leave the score at 12 – 3 with twelve minutesgone. It didn’t take Kilfeacle long to respond when they scored through some good backline play from twenty five metres out , after some loose Thurles defence 12 – 10 with twenty minutes gone. This concluded the scoring for the first half and indeed for Kilfeacle as Thurles took control in a shortened second half to power out 26 – 10 after almost identical scores in tehri creation and execution by captain Sonny Dwyer. The first a simple hard short line off his scrum half saw power through under the posts at the clubhouse end and secondly a similar hard line off a scrum and pass from out half James Maher saw him cross similarly unmolested under the Kilfeacle posts.

Jack Kavanagh , Shane Nugent, John Shaw, Luke Fogarty,Gerry Ryan, Peter Kinane, Mark Cummins, Sam Quinlan, Seamus Holahan, James Maher, Kieran O’Hagan, Sonny Dwyer, Luke Fogarty, Sean McGrath, Jack Flanagan.

Subs: Noah Mellor (Seamus Holohan), Ciaran Murphy(for Shane Nugent), Dan Diamini (for Jack Kavanagh), Dylan Shaughnessy (for James Maher)