Thurles rugby: Senior team fall hard in West Cork to Clonakilty in Munster League

Munster Rugby League

THURLES RFC 7

CLONAKILTY RFC 21

Thurles slumped to a third league defeat when after traveling to West Cork came away with nothing after a lot of hard work but no points.

The earlier problems of not beating teams that they are better than surfaced again and the lack of games for the last two weeks didn’t help.

Thurles got off to a good start with Matthew Kelly on the wing for the first time this season, touched down for a try after some good forward play and Paddy McGrath added the conversion, it looked like it was to be a good afternoon but slack defending and hard luck allowed Clonakilty in for a try and a penalty to go 10:7 up, more hardship followed with another try and two more penalties extended their lead.

Eoghan O’Dwyer got over the line in the second half but was held up and he failed to ground the ball. While the results are not going their way the performance at times was excellent but the precision that was there with the all beating team of last season is simmering below the surface and is waiting to be exposed in the coming days and weeks.

There will be an excellent chance for this next Sunday when Mallow visit Thurles for a double header with league points and the first round of the Munster Junior Clubs Challenge Cup up for grabs, Thurles have a proud history in this tournament and its great to be back in this competition again.

Thurles RFC: Paddy McGrath, Matthew Kelly, James Devaney, Owen Byrne, Eoghan O’Dwyer, James Maher, Seamie Houlihan, John Shaw, Shane Nugent, Jack Kavanagh, Peter Kinnane, Luke Kelly, Sonny Dwyer. Mark Cummins, Sam Quinlan.

Subs: Dan Lee, Andrew Bourke, Ciaran Ryan, Donnacha Ryan, Darragh Sweeney, Ger McCormack.