Thurles RFC secure late league win thanks to last gasp penalty from Conor O'Hagan

Munster Junior Rugby League

Thurles RFC 13

Waterpark RFC 10

Thurles grabbed a winning score with the last kick of the game to take the valuable league points on offer in Loughtagalla on Sunday last.

When the referee awarded Thurles a penalty with no time left on the clock, Conor O’Hagan coolly requested a shot at goal even though the position of the kick was between the halfway line and the ten metre line and within five metres of the touchline, and his earlier kicking wasn’t up to the standard that he himself has set all season.

He kicked the ball perfectly between the posts and was surrounded by his ecstatic teammates as the ball landed and the ref blew for time up.

This was a great finish to an exciting match which Thurles should have been comfortable winners and not be in the position so late in the game.

Thurles had started well and within nine minutes had gone ahead following a driving maul scrum half James Maher passed to the wing forward Mark Cummins who got by a tackle offloaded to Luke Kelly who ploughed through a load of tacklers and popped a perfect pass to winger Owen Byrne who raced to the corner to score.

Wing forward Sam Quinlan had to be replaced after 25 minutes by Joey Kelly due to an injury which was unfortunate as he was well on top.

The game ebbed and flowed as usual and as Waterpark were on the attack prop John Shaw got himself binned for a harmless enough tackle, Thurles held out while he was in the bin but with the last play of the half Waterpark were attacking and were awarded a penalty in front of the post which they converted to leave the half time score 5-3.

Thurles were well on top but failed to finish off Waterpark with a collection of silly rucks and not releasing penalties which allowed waterpark to clear their lines.

The centre pairing of Sonny Dwyer and Conor O’Hagan were very strong and solid in defence with the back row of Carian Ryan Mark Cummins and now Joey Kelly fresh from a game the evening before were fantastic in defence and constantly stopped Waterpark in their tracks.

Thurles’s second try came after a penalty chance was missed, Waterpark hoofed the ball down the centre of the field full back Eamon Connolly gathered the ball running danced his way through the defence, drew the defender and offloaded to Sonny Dwyer who drew another defender and offloaded to the other winger Cathal Hayes who had come in off his wing for support and he ran in beside the post, unfortunately the conversion was missed which gave Waterpark a glimmer of hope, and then came back at Thurles strong.

Constant pressure leads to mistakes and after a few penalties Ciaran Ryan found himself in the bin for the next up to foul is off rule, again, while a man down Thurles defended well with the front row of John Shaw Shane Nugent and Ger McCormack doing Trojan work with very determined tackles been put in, Colin Nolan and Luke Kelly were well back in business carrying a lot of ball forward.

With the end in sight Waterpark upped the pace and spent the final ten minutes camped inside the Thurles 22 and got over the line twice but failed to ground the ball due to the brilliance of the Thurles defence, but in the last minute waterpark got in for a score and tied the game with the conversion, but this team doesn’t hang their heads and from the kick off won back the ball and were awarded the penalty which Conor slotted over to win the match, it was defiantly at least what Thurles deserved and with only three matches left in the league all points now are important.

St Marys are up next Sunday in Thurles which will be even more important as they are currently just below us in the tables.
All in all it was a fine game of rugby to watch and when Thurles turned on the style going forward it was a joy to watch,

Eamon Connolly was particularly good at full back both under a high ball and going forward. The subs of Dan Lee Paddy McGrath played well when introduced.

Thurles RFC: Eamon Connelly, Owen Byrne, Cathal Hayes, Conor O’Hagan, Sonny Dwyer, Seamie Houlihan, James Maher, John Shaw, Shane Nugent, Ger McCormack, Colin Nolan, Luke Kelly, Mark Cummins, Sam Quinlan, Ciaran Ryan. Subs Joey Kelly, Dan Lee, Paddy McGrath, Darragh Sweeney, Brian O’Connell, Matthew Kelly, Luke Fogarty.