Thurles hosted Cork City club Sundays Well in Loughtagala last Sunday in round 6 of the Munster Junior 1 league. Well,sitting fourth in the league were always going to be a stiff test for the home team and so it transpired, with this gamereinforcing the cliché of a “game of two halves”, a fact very much influenced by the remnants of Storm Bert blowing infrom the club house end. Despite playing into the wind Sundays Well were first off the mark in this game when after some good phase play in Thurles twenty two they won a penalty which they converted for the opening score to make it 3 – 0 after 5 minutes. The home took some time to get into this game, but they hit their straps after 13 minutes, two very direct carries by Ciaran Ryan and Steven Kirwan got Thurles through the Well first line defence with Kirwan offloading to Seamie Holahan who had some work to do, beating two defenders before dotting down under the posts. The conversion by Jack Flanagan made it 7 – 0 to Thurles after 13 minutes. Just four minutes later Thurles were crossing the Well line gain after arguably the pick of Thurles scores when a flowing backline move to the left saw Jack Flanagan score wide on the left, 12 – 0 to Thurles. Thurles were now in the mood and aided by a strong wind pinned Sundays Well back in their half with good tactical kicking. Thurles with a tap penalty close to the Well line went through several phases through the forwards before bouncing back on the blind side, quick hands by Luke Fogarty slipping Colin Nolan through a gap to score close to the posts for Thurles third try. Conversion added by Jack Flanagan to push the score out to 19 – 3 in favour of Thurles after 25 minutes. Sundays Well showed that they were not here just to make up the numbers and had their first score almost immediately, when after some good phases play their bug number eight crashed over for the first of his brace of tries on the day. Thurles could have conceded another try after a good break by Sundays Well’s left winger only for a great cover scrambling tackle by Mark Cummins, immense all day at seven for Thurles, and a brilliant turnover by Jack Flanagan prevent Well adding to their first half tally. Thurles suffered a further set back after 30minutes with outhalf James Maher having to leave the field. Thurles finished the half the brightest and after a lineout close to the Well line Thurles attacked through the pack before John Shaw barrelled his over the line from five metres close to the posts. Conversion added by Jack Flanagan to leave the score at 26 – 8 and the four try bonus point secured by halftime. 

Any misconceptions that Thurles had this game in the bag were very much put to bed after just three minutes of the restart, Sundays Well scrum half took a quick tap from halfway and made forty metres before being tackled. Thurles never recovered and Sundays Well were in for a facile score under the posts. Game on and 26 – 15 in favour of Thurles with 43 minutes gone. It took Well just seven more minutes to grab their third try and close the score to 26 – 22 in favour of Thurles. Facing into a very strong breeze Thurles were now under serious pressure but they showed great resilience in bouncing back. After an initial great break by Sonny Dwyer from his own twenty-two Thurles gained a penalty on the Well twenty-two. Some great phase play and several pick and drives by the Thurles pack off a tap penalty saw Sonny Dwyer power over from five metres with 57 minutes on the clock togive Thurles some breathing space and push the score out to 33 – 22 in favour of Thurles. Another superb Thurles backline attack from fifty metres out, again initiated by Sonny Dwyer on 59 minutes could have applied the coup de grace to the Well, but having been put clear by Dwyer, James Devaney lost control of the ball just as he was grounding for the try andwas adjudged to have knocked on. Well countered immediately from their own twenty-two and almost going the entire length before Jack Flanagan managed to regainpossession and avert a try. Sundays Well were very much back in this contest when they crossed for their fourth try on 64 minutes converted to put the score at 33 – 29 in favour of Thurles. Thurles responded well and had a good chance to get back ahead with a lineout maul close to the Well but only to concede a scrum and give Well a chance to relieve the pressure.  Well were now pressing hard for a winner and got their rewards on 74 minutes when their number eight crossed for his second after a number of phases close to the Thurles line after Thurles failed to deal with a kick into the Thurles corner and conceded a five metre scrum. Crucially the Sundays Well fly half missed the conversion to leave the score finely poised at 34 -33 in favour of the away team. Wellmissed touch with a penalty to put them deep into Thurles territory with the clock running out. Thurles counteredthrough James Devaney who made some ground and Thurles went into their phase play. A knock on at the ruck on the Well ten metre line gave the away team a scrum and with only minutes remaining and a chance to kill the game. A rebounded kick gave Thurles one last possession on their own ten metre line. A half break by Seamie Holohan and offload to Sonny Dwyer who yet again powered through the Well defence before being hauled down just shy of the Well twenty-two. Thurles arrived to secure the ruck and Well were penalised for a deliberate knock on, as Seamie Holohan attempted a pass to get his team moving from the ruck. This gave Thurles a shot at redemption which outhalf Jack Flanagan took with a perfectly struck kick into a strong wind with the final act of the game to give Thurles the narrow two-point win. A great bonus point win for Thurles aided by a much more disciplined display from a penalty count perspective. 

Thurles lined out as follows: 

John Shaw, Shane Nugent, Steven Kirwan, Colin Nolan, Dan Lanigan Ryan, Mark Cummins, Sam Quinlan, Ciaran Ryan, Seamus Holohan, James Maher, Sonny Dwyer, James O’Meara, Luke Fogarty, Matty Kelly, Jack Flanagan.

Subs: Ciaran Murphy, Brandon Meaney(for Steven Kirwan), Daniel Lanigan Ryan, Donnacha Ryan(For Dan Lanigan Ryan), Ricardo Prandi (for Luke Fogarty), James Devaney(for James Maher).