Tipp three-peat as Thurles regain the Harty Cup

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

Thurles CBS 1-13

St Flannan’s College, Ennis 0-13

Report: Stephen Barry at Mallow

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: David Costigan (Thurles CBS)

SCORERS – Thurles CBS: Cormac Fitzpatrick 0-7 (6 frees, 1 ‘65); Jack Hayes 1-0; Cillian Minogue 0-2; Killian Cantwell, Euan Murray, David Costigan, Robbie Ryan 0-1 each.

St Flannan’s College, Ennis: Harry Doherty 0-10 (9 frees); James Hegarty (65), Robert Loftus, Daniel Costelloe 0-1 each.

A frenetic-tackling Thurles CBS performance mastered the wind and rain to secure their first Dr Harty Cup title for ten years with a three-point victory over record-winners St Flannan’s College, Ennis on Saturday.

Until last year, Tipperary schools hadn’t put together back-to-back titles since 1951 but now three different schools have claimed the famous trophy three years in succession, following first-time holders Cashel Community School and Nenagh CBS.

Thurles needed, and delivered, a true team performance to capture the crown for the ninth time in their history, which moves them up to joint-fourth in the roll of honour.

Their forwards stood up as their first line of defence, led by man of the match David Costigan who produced four block-downs to limit the influence of Flannan’s centre-back and inspirational captain James Hegarty. Which isn’t even to mention his sensational first-half point. We’ll return to that in due course.

Their defence had a stranglehold on their opponents, allowing just three points from play and none in the second half. Only one of those came from a Flannan’s forward as the other five were held scoreless. They were rock-solid down the spine. Evan Morris at full-back stood up to plenty of one-on-one aerial bombardment, which had yielded three goals for Flannan’s in the semi-final. Centre-back Keith Loughnane didn’t allow Clare under 20 Ronan Kilroy to put his stamp on the game.

The Thurles midfield pairing of Euan Murray and Kieran Rossiter are their youngest starters at sixteen-years-old, but both were instrumental in the engine room. They were fouled for half of Cormac Fitzpatrick’s six pointed frees.

Thurles stuck to their slick passing style and executed under pressure from both Flannan’s and the conditions. When the sliotar didn’t go to hand, their work-rate won it back before long.

The goal was the vital score as corner-back Toby Corbett, who was marking Flannan's dangerman Harry Doherty at the time, delivered a perfectly angled ball to enable corner-forward Jack Hayes to skid the sliotar to the net.

For Hayes, Morris, and captain Robbie Ryan, who played in the final defeat to Cashel two years previous, this victory was particularly sweet.

After a five-minute delay owing to crowd congestion at Mallow, the game began amid steady wind and rain. Flannan’s won the toss and chose to play with the aid of the conditions but struggled to take advantage due to tireless Thurles pressure.

Kieran Rossiter symbolised their refusal to take a backward step straight from the throw-in. He drove forward and earned a free for Cormac Fitzpatrick although it was soon cancelled out by Harry Doherty.

There was only one further score in the subsequent twelve minutes as both sides struggled to find their range from placed balls. David Costigan laid down a marker with a block to bring the crowd to life and Euan Murray punished an imprecise pass to edge them ahead.

Cormac Fitzpatrick settled with a 65 before a stunning David Costigan score. The Moycarkey/Borris centre-forward burst past two defenders before flicking the sliotar above the head of a third tackler and striking it over before it hit the ground.

A strong Evan Morris shoulder to dispossess Flannan’s led to a foul on Robbie Ryan and Fitzpatrick’s third placed-ball success. They led 0-5 to 0-1 after eighteen minutes but wouldn’t score again in the half. Harry Doherty converted three frees, Daniel Costelloe nicked a puck-out for a lovely score, and Robert Loftus gave Flannan’s their first lead.

The first goal chance arrived in stoppage time; Marco Cleary got around the Thurles rearguard, but Morris got across to make the block. James Hegarty slotted the 65 for a 0-7 to 0-5 half-time lead.

David Costigan started the second half with another statement by blocking a Flannan’s clearance. Harry Doherty landed two frees but Fitzpatrick replied to each one. Brilliant defence by Keith Loughnane and Costigan led to Cillian Minogue earning the first free before Euan Murray drew the second.

Thurles then struck for the key goal in the 38th minute; Cormac Fitzpatrick controlled the puck-out, Toby Corbett gave the supply, and Jack Hayes did the rest for a 1-7 to 0-9 lead.

Corbett followed that up with an outstanding block on Doherty and though the Clare threat levelled for a third time, Thurles pushed on. Cillian Minogue clipped two points in thirty seconds, including one over the shoulder after a smooth short puck-out move involving Corbett, Killian Cantwell, and Fitzpatrick. Both midfielders won frees for Fitzpatrick to dispatch.

Robbie Ryan almost played Minogue in for a goal chance but soon found a point after a crunching Euan Murray shoulder to turn over possession and Hayes’ smart flick to tee him up.

St Flannan’s hadn’t scored for fifteen minutes but three Harry Doherty frees made it a two-point game. But Killian Cantwell, who had been subbed off a minute earlier, was drafted back on due to injury and he had yet to be picked up as he slung over the insurance point from halfway.

Thurles survived a late goalmouth scramble, and the trophy was theirs.

After the trophy presentation, goalkeeper Harry Loughnane exited the field with his arm tucked into his jersey as a makeshift sling. He had played the final with a broken finger, as he did in the previous week's semi-final victory over De La Salle, Waterford, which epitomised the lengths players to go through to win this Harty Cup for Thurles.

TEAMS – Thurles CBS: Harry Loughnane (Roscrea 7); Jack Lahart (Holycross/Ballycahill 7), Evan Morris (Holycross/Ballycahill 8), Toby Corbett (Upperchurch/Drombane 8); Killian Cantwell (Moycarkey/Borris 7), Keith Loughnane (Thurles Sarsfields 8), Ryne Bargary (Boherlahan/Dualla 7); Euan Murray (Dúrlas Óg 8), Kieran Rossiter (Dúrlas Óg 7); Tiarnán Ryan (Holycross/Ballycahill 6), David Costigan (Moycarkey/Borris 8), Cormac Fitzpatrick (Drom & Inch 7); Jack Hayes (Moycarkey/Borris 7), Cillian Minogue (Thurles Sarsfields 7), Robbie Ryan (Holycross/Ballycahill, Capt 6).

Subs: James Butler (Seán Treacys 6) for T Ryan (51); Darragh Hickey (Emeralds 6) for Cantwell (59); Killian Cantwell for Bargary (60+1, inj).

St Flannan’s College, Ennis: Micheál Ó Coileáin (6); Joseph Casey (7), Seán McNamara (7), Conor Daly (6); James Cullinan (6), James Hegarty (Capt 6), Robert Loftus (7); Daniel Costelloe (7), Dara Kennedy (6); Darragh Ball (6), Harry Doherty (7), Ronan Kilroy (6); Graham Ball (6), Conor Ralph (6), Marco Cleary (7).

Subs: Darragh McNamara (6) for G Ball (HT); Conor Hill (6) for Cullinan (43); Paul O’Connell (6) for D Ball (52); Neil Hegarty (6) for Kennedy (56).

Referee: Johnny Murphy (Limerick).