Familiar foe stands between Nenagh and Harty Cup final berth

St Joseph’s CBS Nenagh go in search of a first Dr Harty Cup final appearance since 2012 when they take on Charleville CBS in the semi-final in Cappamore this Saturday afternoon at 2.00pm

By Shane Brophy

Nenagh progressed to the last four with a comprehensive sixteen point win over CBC Cork last Wednesday, and despite the comprehensive nature of the win, it was a patchy performance admitted manager Donach O’Donnell, which provides scope for improvement.

“We were a bit edgy and anxious,” O’Donnell admitted, explaining: “there are a lot of them in their last year and have had some disappointment in the competition over the past two years.

“The pleasing thing was our workrate was really good, and we worked hard for each other. Our backs work very well as a group, we can interchange players, and he have done throughout the course of the season.”

It didn’t help that Nenagh had a long break since their last competitive game, a big win over Hamilton High School Bandon before the October mid-term break. It saw Nenagh top a three-team group and with it direct progression to the quarter finals.

The other team in that group were their semi-final opponents Charleville whom they beat 1-12 to 1-8 on October 11th.

“We only scored a goal late on to put the game away,” O’Donnell recalls.

“I spoke to their mentors after we played them, and they were very disappointed.

“They will consider that they have a really good chance against us. They are a very hard working team, very well coached and organised, led by Newtownshandrum’s Donal Mulcahy and Kevin Butler from Drom & Inch.”

The Cork school are only back competing in the Harty Cup for the first time since 2017 and since then have gone on a winning run, seeing off fellow Cork side Bandon, knocking out defending champions Cashel in the preliminary quarter final before surprising favourites Midleton CBS in the quarter final.

There is certainly serious momentum with Charleville but there is also with Nenagh with their junior (under 17) team having won the Dean Ryan Cup for the first time in their history last November, with the seniors now hoping to break new ground by winning a first Harty Cup.

“We have players now that are confident,” O’Donnell said of the impact of that win.

“Winning an ‘A’ Munster championship at under 17, players are now pushing for places against guys that are a year or two older than them.

“You have to take those opportunities when you are on a good run and are in a good position as they don’t come around very often.”

Nenagh have few injury concerns, bar Zak Keller who came off at half time against CBC as he continues to recover from a knee injury but should start in the semi-final as his experience and physical presence are huge in winter hurling, and Nenagh have that in abundance.

“The likes Zak and Jack Mulcahy are huge men. Backs are not inclined to come out in front of them because they are so big,” added the Nenagh CBS manager.

“Opponents nearly allow them to play the ball and try and deal with them then. We also have good players around them then in Austin Duff, Eoghan Doughan and the likes.”

Central to Nenagh’s progression to the last four of the Harty Cup has been the form of Darragh McCarthy who had a superb first club campaign for Toomevara last year which has pushed him into the Tipperary senior set-up for such a young age, but Donach O’Donnell isn’t surprised.

“There is great drive in Darragh,” he revealed.

“He is a leader and wants to be involved all the time. I struggle sometimes to hold him back in training as he has so much on his plate, and with his Leaving Cert as well, but he is really driven, focused, and brings the rest of the players with him.”

After a historic first ever all-Tipperary Harty Cup final in 2023 when Cashel Community School overcame Thurles CBS in front of nine thousand people at FBD Semple Stadium, the potential remains for back-to-back Tipperary finals should Nenagh and Thurles CBS’ progress from their semi-finals.

Certainly, Thurles have the harder task with a heavyweight showdown in Kilmallock at 12.30am with Ardscoil Ris from Limerick who have won the competition on five occasions since 2010.

Thurles are eight time winners, but their last success was back in 2015 and off the back of last years final heartbreak, are keen to get back there again. They have copious amounts of talent, particularly up front in Robbie Ryan, Cormac Fitzpatrick, and Cillian Minogue, while fifteen-year-old Euan Murray is an exciting talent at midfield.

Despite Ardscoil Ris being a Limerick school, their senior team this year is backboned by a lot of players from Clare clubs, including the full forward line of Michael Collins, Dáire Neville, and Marc O’Brien who need to be closely watched.