Thurles were at home this Sunday in round 9 of the Munster Junior 1 league against North Cork side Kanturk. This was a real arm wrestle of an affair in very difficult conditions for rugby, heavy rain before and during the game making for very soft underfoot conditions and tough handling conditions.

Thurles having won the toss received kick off playing out from the clubhouse end with the benefit of a stiff south westerly wind for the first half. Thurles were quickly into their rugby somewhat similar to last week’s outing in Mallow but failed to capitalise on some good early possession and field position in the Kanturk twenty-two where again some poor decision making, and composure led to easy clearance opportunities for the away side. The pivotal moment of these early exchanges came nine minutes in when Thurles with possession just outside the Kanturk twenty-two had a chip kick blocked down and booted down field – the Kanturk left winger reacted quickest and easily beat the retreating Thurles cover in the foot rush to the opposite end booting the ball in front of him and in the end having what seemed like an eternity to choose his moment to drop on the ball to score just left of the Thurles posts. Kanturk converted to leave the score at 0 - 7 with ten minutes gone One would feel sorry for the very hard-working Thurles pack trudging back almost seventy metres under their posts in what was a real sucker punch given the opportunities Thurles had themselves. Thurles did bounce back and were on the score sheet themselves on twenty-three minutes when Jack Flanagan landed a well struck penalty from thirty five metres to leave the score at 3 -7 in favour of Kanturk. The away side scored next just eight minutes later when backline move from a lineout seemed to be well covered by the Thurles defence only for the Kanturk outhalf to slip through a gap and sprint in from thirty-fivemetres unmolested for a facile score under the posts making the conversion into wind easier and pushing the score out 3 – 14. Given the conditions scores and particularly tries were at a premium. Thurles seemed to have registered their first try of the day when Mark Cummins after a series of hard carries by the forwards seemed to have slipped in under the posts only to have been adjudged to have been held up. This would prove to a vital decision in the context of the game and possibly a fortunate call for away team. Shortly after this disallowed try Thurles had another score on the board, again a well struck penalty from wide on the left by Jack Flanagan to make the score 14 – 6. Thurles pack repelled a good Kanturk position in the Thurles twenty-two after James O’Mara was harshly adjudged to have deliberately knocked on and Thurles managed to fashion a penalty after Mark Cummins latched onto a good cross field kick and Kanturk conceded a penalty on the Kanturk ten metre line. With last play called, Thurles elected to kick to the corner when the penalty shot given the conditions may have been the more gilt-edged decision. A crooked throw at the line out and the half ended with Thurles trailing 6 – 14 and facing a tough prospect facing into the elements in the second half with a man in the sin bin.

The first ten minutes of the second half were stalemate with most the game played between the two twenty twos. Another incident in the second half summed up the Thurles woes when with a good attacking scrum in midfield Thurles backs attacked left with numbers but a very poor kick was easily fielded by the Kanturk winger who was defending deep in anticipation of the kick. Having ample time, the Kanturk winger launched a huge banana kick back down over the attacking Thurles backs which trundled into touch five metres out and resulted in a fifty twenty-two to Kanturk which meant that they would have the throw. The Thurles pack again trudged back the sixty or so metres into their five-metre line but manfully they repelled the lineout maul and gained a scrum from which they eventually managed to clear their lines through Seamie Holohan. Thurles reshuffled their misfiring backline with Jack Flanagan going to outhalf and SeanMcGrath coming in on the wing, also Roy Stanley replacing a tiring Stephen Kirwan. Kanturk had a good penalty chance from thirty-five metres but narrowly missed to push the score to to 17 points. With fifteen left to play Kanturk registered another penalty to push the score out to 6 – 17, a decision which was probably made due to the stubborn resistance and defence of Thurles up until this point. With time running out Thurles started to make some headway, a penalty and yellow card to Kanturk gave Thurles field position in the Kanturk five metre, a good lineout maul saw the Thurles just held up, but some hard carrying by the pack led to Ciaran Ryan crashing over with five minutes remaining. Jack Flanaganconverted to leave the score at 13 – 17. A late flurry by Thurles saw them make instant in roads again from the ensuing kick-off with Ricardo Prandi, Sam Quinlan and Ciaran Ryan making ground almost up to the Kanturk twenty-two only for knock on in the final phase to end the game and any chance of redemption for Thurles. 

The Thurles pack were immense all day with their work rate and the team in general were excellent in defence all day. Thurles didn’t get the bounce of the ball on a couple of decisions and possibly will look to their own composure and decision making when in good positions. Another home game awaits next week against fellow league strugglers Newcastle West and Thurles will have to start finding some points before their involvement in this league slips away from their control.

Thurles lined out as follows: 

John Shaw, Shane Nugent, Gerry McCormack Stephen Kirwan, Peter Kinane, Mark Cummins, Sam Quinlan, Ciaran Ryan, Seamus Holohan, James Maher, Sonny Dwyer, James O’Meara, Luke Fogarty, Jack Flanagan, Matty Kelly. 

Subs: Roy Stanley (for S Kirwan), Ciaran Murphy (for Shane Nugent), Brandon Meany, James Butler Dan Lanigan Ryan, Roy Stanley (for Stephen Kirwan), Ricardo Prandi (for Matty Kelly) Sean McGrath (for James Maher) Brian O’ Connell(for Mark Cummins).