Thurles U14s Complete Historic Treble with East Munster Cup Final Win
Thurles U14s capped off a remarkable season on Sunday morning in Clanwilliam Park, defeating Cashel 22–7 to secure the East Munster Cup and complete a historic clean sweep at this age grade.
Having already claimed the Pan Munster Cup and East Munster League titles, Thurles entered the final knowing one more victory would seal an unprecedented treble—and they delivered in style after a fiercely contested encounter.
Cashel started strongly, bringing early physicality and intensity that tested Thurles from the outset. Their dominance at the breakdown put Thurles under pressure, but the home side gradually worked their way into the game.
The breakthrough came after six minutes when Mason Butler took a quick tap penalty and powered over for the opening try. Although the conversion was missed, Thurles continued to build momentum through strong forward play, with Eoin Kennedy, John Sheehan, and Alex MacCormack leading the charge.
Butler struck again before halftime, showing sharp reactions to block down a Cashel clearance and touch down for his second try, giving Thurles a 10–0 lead at the break.
Cashel responded early in the second half with a converted try to narrow the gap to 10–7, setting up a tense final period. However, Thurles produced a moment of brilliance to regain control.
A sweeping team move from a scrum on halfway saw excellent interplay between backs and forwards, culminating in Mark Barrett bursting through to score under the posts. The conversion stretched the lead to 17–7 and gave Thurles vital breathing room.
The final score came from quick thinking by Eamon Quigley, whose crossfield kick was expertly gathered by Dáithí Dunne for a well-taken try. The missed conversion proved inconsequential as Thurles closed out the game 22–7.
This victory marks an extraordinary achievement for the group, who finish the season unbeaten across all top-level competitions. The dedication and effort from players and coaches alike have been immense, making this a season to remember for the club.
In the non-competitive third game, Thurles also impressed, running out winners by two tries to nil, with strong performances across the team and a try from full-back Luis Ramírez rounding off the day.
