Thurles Gaels GAA
| Gaeil Durlas Éile | ||
| Founded: | 2005 | |
|---|---|---|
| County: | Tipperary | |
| Colours: | Black/Green and Gold | |
| Grounds: | Kickham Park | |
| Coordinates: | 52°40′27″N 7°47′48″W / 52.674144°N 7.796774°WCoordinates: 52°40′27″N 7°47′48″W / 52.674144°N 7.796774°W | |
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Thurles Gaels GAA is a Tipperary GAA club which is located in County Tipperary, Ireland. Both hurling and Gaelic football are played in the "Mid-Tipperary" divisional competitions. The club is centred on the town of Thurles and its hinterland and is a combination of three clubs: Thurles Kickhams, Rahealty and Thurles Fennellys. The club was formed in 2005 under the name "Thurles KRF" it later changed its name to "Thurles Gaels" in 2009. In 2006 the decision was made to start a Juvenile Club, to guarantee the clubs future. With success hard to come by for its senior players, the same cannot be said for their Juvenile teams who have fared much better.[1]
Juvenile Club
With strong competition in Mid-Tipperary, Thurles Gaels found the early years tough and looking back on them, it is clear those early players are overdue a great deal, as it took a lot of heart to stick with it. It would take a couple of years and hard work before Thurles Gaels were to gain their first under age title. In 2008 an under 14 "C" Mid football final replay against Clonakenny, finally put Thurles Gaels on the map. On a wet evening in Clonmore, a team performance, full of skill and determined play, was dually rewarded. The team rightly has its place in history with the honour of bringing the first title to this young club. They have since won three more Under 14 "C" football titles, with the latest coming in 2014. One of the stand out days has to be the 2012 victory over local rivals Durlas Óg in a pulsating game, behind on the scoreboard with three minutes on the clock, Thurles Gaels turned heartbreak to sheer delight, scoring 1.01 to win by a point, a day never to be forgotten. This memory will however have to give way to what came two years later, in 2014. After heartache in the 2012 County semi-final, the club reached its first on-field County Final. After defeating Upperchurch/Drombane in the Mid final, the club got a bye into the final where we faced St. Patricks. The final was the first of three that day; none would match ours for excitement and drama. The teams were level at half and full-time, extra -time was needed. Thurles Gaels showed real character, they got crucial scores and never looked in trouble. Wild scenes greeted the final whistle, this team had come full circle, the first game of the year was a disaster, they couldn't score to the final where they couldn't stop scoring.[2] Hurling titles in Mid Tipperary (the home of hurling) are a lot harder to come by. Having come close on a few occasions, history was made in the Ragg, when Thurles Gaels Under 12 "C" defeated Durlas Óg 3.5 to 3.2. In 2013 Thurles Gaels won its first under-16 "C" football title. Clonakenny were again the opposition and the final promised much after a tight round robin match, earlier in the year. It was a nervous first half with Gaels going in just a point ahead and the game was in the mix right up the final five minutes. When Gaels with some well taken points from distance putting four points between the teams. The four points scored by Clonakenny didn't reflect they work they put in, but the five-point victory was deserved.
References
- ↑ "Thurles Gaels GAA Club To Host "Nob Nation"". Tipperary Star. 11 February 2010. Retrieved 31 May 2012.
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