Thurles made the long trip to Muskerry in Cork last Sunday in a refixed fixture from a fortnight ago when the match was cancelled due to a status orange weather warning. The irony of this won’t have escaped the few hardy souls who attended this one, given the strength of the south westerly gale howling down the Muskerry pitch and moving anything that wasn’t tied down in its wake. This would be a factor for the game but not to the extent that one would have expected. Thurles having won the toss decided to play with the aid of the wind in the first half, but it was the home team who were off to the better start, gaining good field position in Thurles half and through good ball retention hard carrying, some good counter attacking back play and mixed in with some astute tactical kicking.

Lineout ball was hard to come by, with both hookers struggling to keep the ball straight due to the conditions, Thurles did have the dominant scrum but probably did not get the rewards they should have for that. It was the home side who struck first after a scrappy first 20 minutes which saw Thurles with very little field position in the opposition position playing with a gale.  A sweeping back line move,which should have been dealt with by the Thurles backs, saw Muskerry make a clean break on halfway and a couple of passes later they crossed for their first try. Their out halfconverted into the teeth of a wind making light of the poor kicking conditions. Thurles had injuries in the pack to contendafter twenty minutes, in what was very much depleted squad already, which had a bearing on the lineout effectiveness.Thurles first attempt at a score was a long-range penalty by James Maher after twenty five minutes which despite the howling wind did not have the range or requisite accuracy. The one chink of light in the first half came when Thurles finally got some ball in the Muskerry twenty-two and James O’Meara, Thurles best back on the day, evaded severaltackles to sprint in for Thurles only score after some good approach ball carrying by the pack. 

Thurles started the second half brightly and had looked like they may be able to handle the windy condition as well as their opponents did in the first half and the game was very much in the balance until Thurles reduced to fourteen men for a rather harshly adjudged high tackle and yellow card for Gerry McCormack. This saw Thurles struggle to contain Muskerry, and after a plethora of penalty concessions and scrums in their own twenty-two, the Muskerry backs released the call resulting in them scoring wide out, which was converted by their outhalf to leave the score at 14 to 5 after sixty seven minutes. 

Thurles did try to rally but found it difficult retain possession in the conditions and difficult to get up the field into the teeth of the breeze. Thurles conceded again nine minutes from time. An attempted kick for touch from the Thurles twenty twofailed to make touch allowing Muskerry to regain possession,and a number phases later, they had their final score in the corner. 

Thurles mounted one last challenge for what would have been consolation score, but it was not to be. This was a tough loss away, but Thurles will dust themselves down for the visit of Skibbereen in two weeks’ time hoping to get a few more players off the treatment table and get some much need league points.

Thurles lined out as follows: 

John Shaw, Shane Nugent, Steven Kirwan, Peter Kinane,Bryan O’Connell, Sonny Dwyer, Sam Quinlan, Ciaran Ryan, Seamus Holohan, James Maher, Ricardo Prandi, James O’Meara, Luke Fogarty, Dylan Shaughnessy, Matty Kelly.

Subs: Ciaran Murphy(For Shane Nugent), Brandon Meaney,Ger McCormack (Steven Kirwan), Donnacha Ryan, Stephen Shaw, Kieran O’Hagan (for Matty Kelly), Con Phelan.

 

 

Clanwilliam were first on the scoreboard with a converted try from a well executed move. 

They could have added more tries only for the fantastic defence tackling of Daniel Groome at full back. 

Thurles got on the scoreboard through no.9 Oscar Ryan who took a quick tap penalty, 5 metres out and ran straight at all 8 of the Clanwilliam pack, forcing his way over the line. A try Gavin Coomes would have been proud of.

Thurles no 10 Dara Burke, kept Clanwilliam pinned in their half with some excellent kicking, which led to Thurles second try from second row Jack Groome, Jack collected a pass about 15 metres out from the Clanwilliam try line and side stepped two Clanwilliam defenders to touch down in the corner. 

This left the score 10-7 To Thurles at the break. 

No 8 Paudie Kavanagh scored Thurles’ third shortly after the break, after some great forward play. Clanwilliam struck back with another excellent set piece score to leave the score at 17-14. With 5 minutes remaining an excellent solo try from Oscar Ryan put the score to 24-14 to Thurles. Thurles introduced a few fresh legs which an immediate impact and led to another try, finished by Jack Groome. The conversion from Dara Burke was the last kick of the game leaving the score at 31-14. 

Well done to all that travelled we had close to 30 players togged out for the match. Outstanding for Thurles were Daniel Groome at full back, Abdel Hinnawi in the back row and Pat Maher at no.2

 

 

U13 Boys East Munster League

Thurles 17 – 0 Clanwilliam

 

The U13s kicked off their East Munster Leauge with a home game against a very physical Clanwilliam side in Thurles on Friday night. Both teams were up for this tie and went hard at each other in the the opening 10 minutes. Thurles started to get a foot hold in the game and with some powerful play from the pack no.6 Eamon Quigley made a big break and passed out to Tommy Stapleton who stepped inside 3 defenders and crashed over the line for the opening try with Shea Fogartyhitting the post and narrowly missing out on the extras 5-0 Thurles.

Clan kicked off the restart and the forwards went hard at it again back and forth in a titanic battle up front with Eamon Quigley to the fore in all the hard graft and winning all the dirty ball to keep Thurles on the front foot. After some good rucking at the halfway line Sean Ryan made a break and passed to Stapleton who made great head way into the Clan 22 and offloaded to Daithi Dunne who had a lot of work to do to beat his man to score to the left of the post and give his outhalf Shea Fogarty an easier kick for the extras to make it 12 nil at the break. The second half started with Thurles applying all the pressure with big performances all over pitch with Mason Butler putting in big hits along with team captain Alex McCormack. Harry Carroll and Murt Dillon carriedlike men possessed and sucked in enough Clan defence releasing Shea Fogarty who has been a revelation this season,to flash it wide through the hands to Killian Cleary out on the left wing who sprinted home to the corner for the final try and give Thurles the points 17 - 0 the score line doesn't give a real reflection of the hard fought win Clan were strong and very game for the battle only for the heroics of player of the matchEamon Quigley, who had a game for the ages in a black and white jersey, the result could have been different Well done to all players and coaches involved.

This Friday see our Annual Rolling Maul Table Quiz take place across 4 venues on Liberty Square simultaneously. A table quiz with a difference. Check our Social Media for more info on how to enter.