Nenagh exit Harty Cup after loss to Thurles

GAA: Dr Harty Cup Review

 

By Shane Brophy

 

Tipperary will have just two schools in the quarter finals of the Dr Harty Cup in the New Year after Nenagh CBS failed to progress from the group stages last week with Thurles CBS and Our Lady's Secondary School Templemore moving on.

Nenagh CBS fell to a 2-7 to 1-7 defeat to Thurles CBS at The Ragg, and coupled with St Colman's College, Fermoy's 0-15 to 0-6 win over St John the Baptist Community School Hospital, means the North Tipperary school missed out in group A.

Played in dreadful conditions, the game got off to a frantic start with both Nenagh and Thurles finding the net inside three minutes, firstly Darren Flood pulled a first time shot to give Thurles an early lead but from from the resultant puckout, Nenagh CBS responded when Kian O’Kelly raced through for a fine goal.

By the 18^th minute, Thurles had added four points without reply from Devon Ryan (2, 1 free), Eoin Purcell and Paddy Creedon and but for a fine Rory Brislane save, Paddy Creedon was denied a second goal.

Nenagh CBS responded with a Sam Madden free and with Sean Kenneally to the fore, he fed Colm Murray to point before Madden converted a ’65 to reduce the arrears to one on 22 minutes. A minute later, Nenagh CBS came close to scoring a second goal as Conor McKelvey was denited by Jason O’Dwyer who deflected the shot onto his left hand post. Nenagh CBS were growing in confidence and Sam Madden landed a free to tie the game in the 26^th minute.

However, Thurles rebounded before half time with a second Devon Ryan free followed by a second goal from Jack Leamy to give the Mid school a 2-5 to 1-4 lead at half time.

As conditions deteriorated, scores were hard to come by in the second half. A third Ryan free stretched the lead to five for Thurles and a Sean Keneally point for Nenagh were all that were registered in the first fifteen minutes of the half.

Nenagh almost got the goal they needed in the 47^th minute when substitute Paul Seymour saw his effort fly narrowly wide. Kian O’Kelly converted a 53^rd minute free to reduce the arrears to three.

With four minutes to play, Nenagh CBS ‘keeper Rory Brislane landed a long-range free to close the gap to two, but an Eoin Purcell strike re-opened the three-point gap between the sides in the 56^th minute and although Nenagh CBS tried hard to create a late goal-scoring opportunity Thurles CBS were reasonably good value for this three-point win.

Thurles CBS: Jason O’Dwyer (Clonoulty/Rossmore), Martin Paul O’Dwyer (Boherlahan-Dualla), Frank Hanafin (Holycross/Ballycahill), James Armstrong (Thurles Sarsfields), Ciarán Lloyd (Moyne-Templetuohy), Kevin Hayes (Moycarkey/Borris), Kieran Costello (Thurles Sarsfields), Keith Ryan (Upperchurch/Drombane), Jack Morrissey (Moycarkey/Borris), Devon Ryan (Knockavilla Kickhams 0-4, 3f), Jack Leamy (Golden Kilfeacle 1-0), Eoin Purcell (Thurles Sarsfields 0-2), Paddy Creedon (Thurles Sarsfields 0-1), Darren Flood (Moycarkey/Borris 1-0), Jack Lee (Roscrea).

Subs: Kieran Larkin (Moyne-Templetuohy) for Morrissey (37); Stephen Ferncombe (Holycross/Ballycahill) for Lee (43), Luke Shanahan (Upperchurch/Drombane) for Flood (55), Ed Connolly (Loughmore-Castleiney) for Leamy (59).

Nenagh CBS: Rory Brislane (Toomevara 0-1f); Darragh Spillane (Kiladangan), Paul McLoughlin (Nenagh Eire Og), John O’Meara (Kiladangan); Aaron Morgan (Kilruane MacDonaghs), Brian Keating (Portroe), Seán Phelan (Nenagh Eire Og), Colm Murray (Templederry Kenyons 0-1), Michael Corcoran (Silvermines), Conor McKelvey (Silvermines), Conor Hennessy (Nenagh Eire Og), Sam Madden (Portroe 0-3, 2f, 1 ’65), Cian Griffin (Nenagh Eire Og), Seánie Kenneally (Moneygall 0-1), Kian O’Kelly (Kilruane MacDonaghs 1-1, 0-1f).

Subs: Stephen Mulvihill (Kiladangan) for Spillane (35); Paul Seymour (Kiladangan) for Griffin (35); David Grace (Ballina) for Kenneally (50); Rory O’Donovan (Nenagh Eire Og) for Corcoran (55), DJ McGrath (Kiladangan) for Morgan (56).

 

Group C: Our Lady' Secondary School Templemore progressed to the quarter finals after easily overcoming St Francis' College Rochestown in Bansha, 2-21 to 0-14, and with CBC Cork drawing with Ardscoil Ris, it's the Limerick school that miss out on progressing to the last eight.

 

The draw for the quarter finals will take place this week with the games to be played on Wednesday, 8^th January 2020.