*Tony Kelly. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill.
ALL-IRELAND winner and All-Star Tony Kelly was never lucky enough to win a Harty Cup as a student at St. Flannan’s College.
However, winning one as part of the management team could be just as sweet for the Ballyea superstar.
“It’s a great competition, and when you go to Flannan’s, it is steeped in the Harty Cup tradition. I was there as a student but didn’t have much luck, as the furthest we got was a semi-final a few times,” he says, reflecting on a time when he lined out for the storied school alongside the likes of Shane O’Donnell.
“This is mighty for the lads. We have a good underage in Clare, and the majority are inside with us. This is a massive competition in Flannan’s and one that we take very seriously, and we are delighted to be in the final this year,” Tony told The Clare Echo.
The Ballyea clubman believes that St. Flannan’s have a good age profile. “We have a lot of sixth years, and you need a lot of sixth years when you get to 19. With Clare doing well at minor and under 20, we knew there was a good group of lads there.”
Tony is joined in the management team by Jamesie O’Connor, Brendan Bugler, and Michael Donnellan. “We have been with them since first year, and we knew they were a good bunch, a very good group. We are trying to win a Harty Cup and help them on to a Clare U20 panel in the next couple of years,” he explained.
The fact that the teams met in the first round “will help as you get a better knowledge when you see them up close. Their team has changed a bit since we played them the first day, our team has changed a bit also. There are two, three, or four lads in new positions, or lads who weren’t starting are starting now. We are really looking forward to it. We are the two best teams in it. We met in the group and probably couldn’t meet again until the final. It should be a very good game”.
Tony agrees that hurling in Flannan’s is a stepping stone to the county. “There are obviously lads who are going to make it regardless of the Harty Cup, but this competition gives great exposure to other lads to test themselves against the Cork, Tipperary, or Limerick 20s.
“We have a couple who have been really good in this campaign who were not on a 20s team last year and wouldn’t have played Clare minor but who will definitely have a shot at getting on a Clare 20s team this year. It gives them great exposure, it bridges a gap between 17 and 20, and it’s a really high standard”.
St. Flannan’s will again be without Inagh/Kilnamona pair Gearoid Barry and Jack Mescall on Saturday. They have been out since the competition got underway due to injury. Sean McNamara from Clooney/Quin missed the semi-final due to injury, and there are hopes that he may be ready to play a part this week.
“Thurles have always been traditional. We have played them at either under 15, Dean Ryan, and Harty Cup every year. There are so many games now that players are more familiar with each other. This is a good final pairing for the neutrals,” Tony concluded
