Thurles Grind out Draw to Secure Promotion

Kanturk RFC. 15

Thurles RFC. 15

Thurles travelled to Kanturk for their penultimate League match with the knowledge that a win would secure the divisional title and a draw would guarantee promotion to Division 1. And Kanturk needing a win to secure promotion this led to a nervy but entertaining game strewn with moments of brilliance surrounded by poor play and tense decision making.

Thurles started well and were rewarded with a penalty which Paddy McGrath slotted over after three minutes. Kanturk playing with a strong wind worked their way back into the game with a well worked try in the corner which was converted. They went further ahead with a try from the other winger, a carbon copy of the first but did not convert leaving the score 12:3. Thurles were working hard but were finding the Kanturk defence very strong and were repelled constantly . On the half hour mark Thurles were awarded a scrum and Ciarán Ryan picked from the base Eoghan O Dwyer drew the defenders in and Sonny Dwyer broke for the line, he drew the defending winger in from the corner and offloaded to Cathal Hayes who raced over to score. Thurles went forward again but Kanturk cleared their lines with a deep kick, Thurles were penalised and Kanturk slotted over the kick to leave the half time score 15:8

Mark Cummins was introduced to the back row at halftime and brought some vigour to the lineout leaping for the ball as recklessly and carefree as the wildest of our Atlantic salmon and Thurles started to up the pressure level Owen Byrne ran a great line eel like he wove through shoals of would be tacklers got over the line but failed to ground the ball, Colin Nolan was more unfortunate as he grounded the ball over the try line but by the time the referee got himself in position to adjudicate the score a quick thinking Kanturk player forced his hand under the ball and the ref gave no score, a debate occurred but the ref’s decision is always final and the lads got back to the task. Sonny Dwyer broke through the middle of the line and thought he had got in for a try but was called back for a forward pass. It had all the making of a hard luck story but as the current flowing over the rocky stream inevitably leads to the oceans this score came about with the same defiance, when outhalf James Maher slipped a sublime pass to Rob O’Donovan inside his own half he broke through the defensive line with a sweet dummy and then took off for the line with two defenders on his heel skipping left and right he looked as hard to get hold of as a trout in the Serengeti, Ciarán Ryan on his shoulder drew the defenders and Rob powered on and dived over the line to score, Paddy McGrath levelled the game with a difficult enough conversion. Thurles held on and as the ref blew full time scenes of joy and jubilation as Thurles guaranteed promotion to Division 1 of the Munster Junior League after a ten year absence.

Munster Junior Plate Final

Thurles have Cobh Pirates in the final of the Munster Junior Plate on Sunday next in Musgrave Park at 3pm.

And Sunday week Thurles will have their final league game of the season when they will entertain Fermoy in Loughtagalla when a win will see Thurles winning the league. The second XV will have an away fixture with Thomond in the semi-final of the Webb cup.

Continued thanks to all our sponsors and patrons who support our Club Lotto And Split the Bucket weekly as the prize fund currently is over €1700 weekly.

Team: Paddy McGrath, Cathal Hayes, Sonny Dwyer, Eoghan O’Dwyer, Owen Byrne James Maher, Semaus Houlihan, Ger McCormack, Shane Nugent, John Shaw, Colin Nolan, Luke Kelly C, Rob O Donovan, Sam Quinlan, Ciaran Ryan Subs: Conor Moloney, Jack Kavanagh, Mark Cummins, Dylan O Shaughnessy, Matthew Kelly, Luke Fogarty. Darragh Sweeney .