*Harry Doherty finished as top scorer for St Flannan’s College.
ST FLANNAN’S COLLEGE produced a dramatic second-half revival to earn a hard-fought draw in their Harty Cup opener, clawing back a ten point half-time deficit against Nenagh CBS.
St Flannan’s College 2-18
Nenagh CBS 1-21
Venue: TUS Moylish Campus
By Gearóid Howley
Playing with the advantage of the wind in the first half, St Flannan’s struggled to convert their chances, hitting nine wides which left them ten points down at half time.
Deep into additional time, they struck for three points, two from Clarecastle’s Harry Doherty and Patrick Finnernan slotted the equaliser with the last puck of the game to snatch a share of the spoils.
Nenagh captain Eoghan Doughan struck for the opening green flag of the day with a well-taken finish into the bottom right corner. The goal came in the tenth minute after the Tipperary school forced a turnover from a short puck-out by Leon Talty, putting them 1-4 to 0-2 ahead.
Doughan, who had to be withdrawn at half-time due to injury, had registered 1-5 of Nenagh’s 1-13 tally in the opening 30 minutes. St Flannan’s went in having scored an underwhelming six points with only two players, Doherty and Finneran, having contributed to the scoresheet.
Brendan Bugler’s side emerged as a different proposition after the break. Joint-captain Doherty caught a ball from the clouds in the thirty sixth minute before laying it off to Dara Kennedy, who in turn found Graham Ball, with the Doora/Barefield clubman rifling the ball to net to make it a five-point game and kickstart their comeback.
Flannan’s, who fielded 13 county minors from the past two seasons, added a further 1-5 without reply during their period of dominance. Centre-back James Cullinan scored an inspirational point from distance, while Darragh McNamara also got off the mark before the imposing Thomas O’Connor scrambled the ball home for their second goal to tie up proceedings.
It was a rollercoaster final ten minutes for the Ennis school, who led by two points on 53 minutes only to trail by three heading into stoppage time. However, late points from Doherty, one from a straightforward free and then his second of the day from play, and finally Finneran, who reacted with an almighty fist-pump, sealed a dramatic draw with what ended up being the last puck of the game.
A dominant second-half display from the St Flannan’s defence proved crucial in securing a point from the game. Standout performers for the Clare school included Darragh Murrihy, James Cullinan, Dara Kennedy, and Thomas O’Connor.
Scorers St Flannan’s College: H Doherty (0-8, 6f), T O’Connor (1-2), G Ball (1-0), P Finneran (0-3), J Cullinan (0-1), C Daly (0-1), D Kennedy (0-1), E O’Connor (0-1), D McNamara (0-1)
Scorers Nenagh CBS: E Doughan (1-5, 2f, 1’ 65), P Ryan (0-5, 5f) P Cahalan (0-3), P Hackett (0-2), É Tucker (0-2), P McCormack (0-1, 1f), S Cleary (0-1), A Duff (0-1), L McKeogh (0-1)
St Flannan’s College:
1. Leon Talty (St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield)
2. Darragh Murrihy (Inagh/Kilnamona)
3. Sean McNamara (Clooney/Quin)
4. Conor Hill (Ballyea)
5. Darragh Ball (St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield)
6. James Cullinan (Ruan)
7. Colm Daly (St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield)
8. Dara Kennedy (Ballyea)
9. Graham Ball (St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield)
10. Harry Doherty (Clarecastle)
11. Patrick Finneran (Clooney/Quin)
12. John Barry (Inagh/Kilnamona)
13. Eoin O’Connor (Ballyea)
14. Thomas O’Connor (St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield)
15. Darragh McNamara (Clooney/Quin)
Subs:
25. Rory Ralph (Clarecastle) for Barry (HT)
21. Ben Talty (St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield) for E O’Connor (39)
23. Isaac Hassett (Clooney/Quin) for Hill (58, inj)
Nenagh CBS:
1. Patrick McCormack (Moneygalll)
2. Diarmuid Fogarty (Kiladangan)
3. Daniel McKelvey (Silvermines)
4. Cormac Kennedy (Kilruane MacDonaghs)
5. Emmet Jones (Nenagh Éire Óg)
6. Dara O’Dwyer (Kiladangan)
7. Shane Cleary (Kilruane MacDonaghs)
8. Hugo Healy (Kilruane MacDonaghs)
9. Austin Duff (Templemore)
10. Patrick Hackett (Templemore)
11. Eoghan Doughan (Moneygall)
12. Paul Cahalan (Burgess)
13. Patrick Ryan (Borrisoleigh)
14. Luke McKeogh (Ballina)
15. Éanna Tucker (Nenagh Éire Óg)
Subs:
20. Joseph O’Dwyer (Burgess) for Doughan (HT, inj)
17. Cillian Healy (Kilruane MacDonaghs) for H Healy (39)
18. Johnny Grace (Burgess) for McKeogh (44)
19. Diarmuid O’Donoghue (Burgess) for Jones (58)
21. Charlie Kennedy (Kilruane MacDonaghs) for Cahalan (61)
Referee: Éamonn Stapleton (Limerick)
St Joseph’s Tulla also staged a dramatic comeback in Kilmallock. They came from six down at half-time to secure a 1-16 0-19 draw with Cork’s North Monastery coached by three-time All-Ireland SHC winner Seán Óg Ó hÁilpín.
Matthew Corbett of Clooney/Quin hit the equaliser in what was his fourteenth point of the afternoon. Among those lining out for Terence Fahy’s side were Tulla’s Ryan Hayes at centre back, Jerry O’Connor of Clooney/Quin at centre forward, Liam Murphy of O’Callaghans Mills at corner forward and Broadford’s Michael Vaughan who captained the side from midfield.
1-10 from the stick of Paul Rodgers helped Scariff Community College to a 2-21 2-16 victory against Rice College in the first round of the Corn Thomais Mhic Choilm (Munster Senior B PPS hurling championship).
