Thurles aiming to keep the Harty Cup in Tipp

GAA: TUS Munster Post Primary Schools Senior ‘A’ Hurling – Dr Harty Cup Final Preview

By Stephen Barry

THURLES CBS v ST FLANNAN’S COLLEGE, ENNIS

Mallow

Saturday, 1st February

Throw-in @ 1.00pm

Referee: Johnny Murphy (Limerick)

Thurles CBS are hoping to channel their big-game experience to produce another major performance in this Saturday’s Dr Harty Cup final against St Flannan’s College, Ennis.

Featuring panellists from Tipperary’s All-Ireland minor successes in 2022 & 2024, plus members of the squad which reached last year’s Under 20 final, they know their way around finals in front of big attendances.

While those occasions will only benefit their team, manager Niall Cahill feels Harty hurling has more of a club feel than those national finals.

“It’s huge. There was eleven on the panel last year and when they beat Kilkenny in Nowlan Park, three would’ve started that day. They’re very used to the occasion that way,” he says.

“But school can be a little different then. Even two years ago against Cashel, because it’s local, it can be slightly different.

“It’s like winning something with your club. There’s so many people you’re going to see on a daily basis, and it affects everyone.

“There’s huge support in Flannan’s locally and Thurles CBS, and traditionally always would’ve been.

“The biggest gates would nearly always come with Thurles and Flannan’s because people set their dates around it.

“They know when these competitions are on, they love them, and they’re a good barometer in relation to how boys are performing. So just delighted to get back there.”

A busy few weeks in Thurles CBS has nicely kept a lid on the hype too. It took a while to get back to normality between snow and storms, while last week was dominated by the sold-out school musical Like A Bat Out Of Hell. In between, the 2015 champions scored impressive knockout victories over Ardscoil Rís, by 2-25 to 0-23, and Waterford’s De La Salle College, by 0-28 to 3-12.

“It nearly gave us a chance to rejuvenate the bodies and get a bit of rest. It actually benefitted us,” says captain Robbie Ryan of the freezing weather.

“We came out and we hurled very well against Ardscoil Rís so it helped us a good bit.

“It's great. Everyone’s delighted in the school but we’ve one job to do on Saturday. We’re just looking forward to it. It’s amazing, a great occasion to be involved in.”

Thurles and Flannan’s began their Harty campaigns by sharing an opening-round draw, 2-21 apiece, and they will finish it by meeting in the showpiece event at Mallow.

“We came back late in the game against Flannan’s and we got lucky in some different ways,” says Cahill, an Urlingford native who lives in Nenagh.

“Cormac (Fitzpatrick) got a late goal from a free and Euan (Murray) got a late point to level it up, so we got out of jail in some ways.

“It’s nice to play a game like that early in the year to know where the standard is and where we had to be.

“We said it in the lead-up to that game; if we were going to win a Harty Cup, we were going to have to play Flannan’s twice this year.

“We couldn’t be counting on other people to beat them. We knew they were going to be very strong, it has proved to pass, and all to play for Saturday.”

Many of this Thurles team have won Rice and White Cup medals up through the ranks and reached a Dean Ryan Cup final two years ago.

“Ten of the boys were playing last year when they got beaten by Ardscoil Rís by a point down in Kilmallock in the semi-final, so they wanted to get back to the same stage and get beyond it,” adds Cahill.

“There’s a lot of them in with the 20s with Brendan Cummins at the minute, there’s a lot in with James Woodlock with the minors, and we’ve one lad in with the Kilkenny minors as well.

“They’re a very focused group, they’re doing well, and they’re easy to look after.”