Thurles RFC fall to a home defeat against a more clinical visiting Richmond last weekend

Munster Junior 1 Rugby League

Thurles RFC 12 

Richmond RFC 19

Thurles, having won their last game in Newcastlewest in dramatic form, suffered a similar fate themselves when, with the scores locked at twelve each and the game in its final moments, they failed to exit their half and gave Richmond one more attacking scrum forty-five metres out. 

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Thurles, lucky not to concede from a retreating scrum, failed to defend down their left-hand side, allowing Richmond’s number thirteen to sprint free. Despite a suspected knock in the build-up, he managed to link with his support runner, who cantered in untouched over the Thurles line, where there was a lack of any meaningful cover defence to prevent the score.

Richmond shaded a scrappy opening twelve minutes of this game, winning two penalties in kickable positions and electing to take shots at goal from distance, but failing to convert either. Despite playing with a strong wind for the opening half, Thurles failed to take advantage, with some poor tactical kicking resulting in balls out on the full and no momentum for the home team.

In the twenty-second minute, a good penalty kick to the Richmond twenty-two resulted in good field position for the home team, which, after a good lineout and good carries through the pack, won a penalty in kicking range. James Maher, flawless off the tee on the day, easily landed the penalty from twenty metres in front.

Thurles’ next score was initiated from some good handling in their own twenty-two, releasing winger James O’Mara down the left wing. He kicked long into the Richmond half, and a good kick chase resulted in a lineout for Thurles in a strong attacking position. Thurles went through some phases and won another penalty kick just inside the Richmond ten-metre line, wide on the left. James Maher judged his kick perfectly to push Thurles out to six points with thirty-five minutes on the clock.

Richmond had a man in the bin at this stage, and Thurles had another good late lineout opportunity close in during the closing moments but once again could not add to their total.

Thurles kicked off the second half and were straight at it, winning themselves a great penalty from a turnover by James Butler in the Richmond twenty-two. James Maher converted to leave the score at nine-nil in favour of Thurles with forty-two minutes on the clock.

Richmond didn’t take long to respond. After some successive hard carries by their pack, they spun the ball wide to their number thirteen, who knifed through the Thurles wide-out defence on the left to score their first try, which was converted to leave the score more finely poised at nine-seven.

The changes came thick and fast in the second half, with Seamie Holohan making way and Sean Lloyd coming on to the wing, only to be substituted again later when Fionn Fogarty received a yellow card, necessitating the reintroduction of Seamie Holohan.

On sixty-two minutes, Richmond had a scrum five metres out with a big blind side, and their out-half managed to force his way over wide on the left despite desperate home team defence for their second try. The conversion was missed, leaving the score at twelve-nine in favour of Richmond.

Thurles dominated field position and opportunities in the period from sixty-two to seventy-five minutes and had several good chances to score tries. They went close on seventy minutes but were adjudged to have double-moved in the act of scoring and were held up over the line a couple of minutes later, giving Richmond much-needed respite.

Thurles eventually restored parity, James Maher slotting the equalising penalty from thirty metres with seventy-two minutes on the clock. However, in the dying moments, it was the away team who issued the coup de grâce, taking advantage of some poor Thurles defence to run in from forty metres for the winning score.

This was a bruising encounter with great physicality on show from both sides, but with a misfiring lineout, balls stripped out in contact, some sluggish rucking, and clearing of the ball away from the ruck, Thurles did not manage to get significant numbers of phases throughout much of this game. Some poor decision-making and lack of composure and patience undid them when a try seemed inevitable.

Of most concern will be that Richmond succeeded in scoring almost every time they worked the ball into the wide channels. Thurles will renew rivalries with Clonakilty at home next week in what will be another challenging encounter.

Thurles RFC: Jack Kavanagh, Tom McNamara, John Shaw, James Butler, Jason Theron, Jock Fogarty, Sam Quinlan, Ciaran Ryan, Seamie Holohan, James Maher, Mark Cummins, Sonny Dwyer, Fionn Fogarty, James O’Mara, Paddy McGrath,

Replacements: Shane Nugent (for Tom McNamara), Evan Ryan (for James Butler), Rob Donovan (for Jack Kavanagh), Sean Lloyd (for Seamie Holohan), Ciaran Murphy (for Evan Ryan).

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