Our U14s travelled to Waterpark on Saturday. Thurles exploded out of the blocks with captain Paddy Ryan running in from the halfway line from the first play of the game, and Shea Fogarty added the conversion for a 7-0 lead. Waterpark kicked off the restart, and the Thurles pack secured the kickoff and set up a maul. Thurles No.9 Dylan Delahunty flashed the ball out the line to Shea Fogarty who passed to Paddy Ryan who from almost the same spot ran in an identical try and Shea added the extras again 14-0.
Not ones to lie down, the big Waterpark pack picked up the intensity and started to put themselves about and hit back with 3 trys and 2 conversion just on the half for a 5 point lead 19-14.
The second half started and Thurles got straight into the action with that man Paddy Ryan making a brilliant run after a great break by the Thurles No8 Charlie Long. Ryan got held up short of the line but Tommy Stapleton was on hand for the off load and quick step inside left the defender wrong footed and Tommy touched down under the post leaving a straight forward conversation for Fogarty to bring Thurles to 21-19 in front.
Thurles got back on the ball after the restart and after some powerful play form Murt Dillion and Philip Lloyd it was player of the match Paddy Ryan on the ball again and in for his hat-trick Shea narrowly missed the conversion leaving the score at 26-19, As expected, Waterpark weren't finished and hit back with a well worked back line move to bring it to 26-24 after missing the conversion with 4 minutes on the clock Thurles were back in possession and a great break from Sean Ryan got him over the line but a big hit from a Waterpark player knocked the ball back out of his hands to the ground and Tommy Stapleton was on hand to touch down for the match winning try with sharpshooter Fogarty to add the extras for a memorable victory in Waterford. The score finished 33-24 in favour of the black a white. A fantastic victory for Thurles over one of the strongest teams in the league. Well done to the players, coaches and large group of travelling supporters
