Club News: Week Ending 03.05.15

This week’s Club News comes from Clonmel, Thurles and Richmond.

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Clonmel RFC News

Clonmel through to Munster Junior Cup Final in Thomond Park
After the bittersweet end to the All-Ireland League provincial play-offs in Belfast the previous weekend, it was back to home turn last Sunday for the semi-final of the Munster Junior Cup against Limerick rugby stalwarts Young Munster. The extended league campaign with the three AIL play-off games on three successive weekends meant the Cup campaign was temporarily on hold for Clonmel with Shannon RFC already booking their place in the final after overcoming fellow Tipperary contenders Kilfeacle.

In glorious sunshine and in front of great home and visiting support it was Clonmel that took the game to Young Munster in the opening quarter and after a bit of a settling in period, Daragh Foley opened the Clonmel scoring, touching down for the first try of the game on nine minutes. The resultant conversion attempt by Conor Cooney was just wide of the mark and Clonmel took the lead 5-0. As the game progressed it was end to end stuff with Young Munster using various platforms to attack Clonmel but on each occasion the Clonmel defensive line stood firm. A winning Clonmel lineout inside the Young Munster 22 set up another driving maul and on thirty minutes, captain Ronan Crosse (below) scored the game's second try for the home-side. On this occasion Cooney was inch perfect and secured the extra two points with a well taken conversion. Clonmel led 12-0 on thirty minutes. The scoreling remained 12-0 as the sides went into the half time break.
On forty eight minutes it was the visitors who opened the second half scoring with a penalty to narrow the margin to 12-3.

However within ten minutes it was Daragh Foley, for the second time, who crossed the line for a well worked Clonmel try. Clonmel led 17-3. Another period of sustained pressure saw Clonmel camped inside the Young Munster half until a defensive kick by the Limerick side was charged down by Clonmel centre Brian Condon (below), who gathered well and raced for the line to register the fourth try for the home side.

Clonmel now led 22-3 on sixty minutes. Seemingly very much in control of the outcome at that juncture, Clonmel continued to push forward. However it was Young Munster with a spirited never give up attitude who scored the next two tries and with one successful conversion rendered the game a much tighter affair on 22-15 on seventy five minutes. A penalty for Cooney extended the Clonmel lead to ten points on seventy nine minutes, only for Young Munster to eek out another try in injury time which they duly converted. It was now a very nervy 25-22 deep in injury time and when the referee blew the final whistles the Clonmel collective sighs of relief were clearly audible.

A positive result, if a little too tense in the end, sees Clonmel into their second Munster Junior Cup final in successive years. They now travel to the hallowed grounds of Thomond Park next Sunday (KO at 2.30pm) to take on Shannon in the defence of their coveted Munster Junior Cup title.

The club is having a phenomenal season and Sunday's final will be the culmination of a year that has already seen it take the Munster Junior League title for the first time , finish second in the provincial play-offs, win the Munster Junior Clubs Cup, the Munster Women's League, the Munster Women's Cup, and the Dave Dineen Cup. Sunday's Cup final in Thomond park will be another historic day for Cloneml RFC and a large and vocal support on the day is encouraged.

Upcoming Fixtures:
1st XV v Shannon RFC, in the Munster Junior Cup Final. KO on Sunday May 3rd at 5pm in Thomond Park

Thurles RFC News

Courtesy of:- Brian Scanlon, Club PRO

Thurles RFC are Munster Junior Plate Champions
There were great scenes of jubilation for those in the black and white of Thurles at Fermoy on Sunday evening, as the Thurles First XV recorded an historic win over Division 1 side Skibbereen!

This game kicked off at 4pm on what was a super day for rugby! Both sides took a long time to settle but it was the Thurles men who were looking that bit sharper in both attack and defence and showing plenty of energy around the field, with the likes of Colm Skehan, Captain Brian Lyons and Conor Cooney getting through a mountain of work!

With 10 minutes left before the break Thurles came close on a couple of occasions with Eoghan O'Dwyer and Peter Coman unlucky not to touch down, but persistence paid off and a third attempt from the back line, saw the ball reach Eoghan O'Dwyer and with work to do and 3 men to beat he scored excellently in the corner to open the scoring. Aidan Dwyer then stepped up and slotted beautifully from the corner, 7-0.

Thurles saw out the remainder of the half with excellent defending from one to fifteen.

The second half kicked off and continued in the same vain as the first but you could get the sense that the Skibbereen legs were going to tire before the Thurles men, as they were still playing with plenty of energy in attack and defence!

Thurles were starting to take over and were dominating in attack with Ollie Geoghan, Adrian Bourke and Shane Moloney making good yards going forward!

With 20 minutes to go, some great work from Phil Kelly, Paddy Phelan and Aidan Dwyer saw Dwyer steal the ball out of a Skibs player hands, he made some great ground to set up another attack.

Another few phases taken on by Colin Feely, Damien Dunne and David O'Dwyer sucked in a lot of the Cork men's defenders before Scrum Half Irwin would up to pass before finding a gap and sped over from 30 yards out to touch down under the posts with the conversion being added by Aidan Dwyer, 14-0.

There was 10 minutes to go but the Cork men weren't ready to lie down, they did manage to get over for a consolation try when Thurles had a couple of men in the sin bin, but Thurles were not to be denied this one, they were slicker in every area from start to finish.

This Cup win was a fantastic reward and end to a season for a Thurles team who were desperately unlucky not to finish in the promotion places, after securing third place in the League.

A proud Captain and great club man, Brian Lyons (below), surrounded by his heirs to the throne, lifted the Cup aloft to kick start the celebrations, which you can be sure went on well into the night on Sunday!

The members of the First Team would like to thank all the Supporters including the members of the Ladies team who came out in force to shout on the team to this fantastic win!

Great thanks is owed to Physio Thomas Ryan, who kept us all in working order throughout the year, waterboy Seanie Fitzgerald who kept us well hydrated with good quality H2O all year, coaches Gooby Walsh, Shay Scanlon and Kevin O'Dwyer who gave their time and effort throughout the year for the betterment of the team but pride of place and highest praise must go to the heir to Joe Schmidt's throne, Mark Butler, who brought a level professionalism to the team this year that has to be commended.

This win last Sunday will hopefully set the platform to for Thurles to finally make the return to the First Division where they would more than hold their own, roll on the 2015/2016 season, Thurles RFC Abu.