Cashel CS get revenge on CBS Charleville in Harty Cup

Instead, their objective, according to their manager, was purely to win their opening game in Group C of this year’s competition when they took to the turf at Ballyporeen, which was sodden due to the pouring rain before throw-in.

In the end, they were able to achieve both as they started their campaign in style with a six point triumph over familiar foes; CBS Charleville.

Goals from Ryan O’Sullivan and Briaín O’Donoghue in the first half, followed by Seamus Kennedy’s cool finish in the second, proved to be the difference on the day as the Tipperary school avenged that last-eight defeat from the previous campaign.

“I don’t know about revenge but we definitely had the target that we didn’t want to leave another missed opportunity behind us,” said Anthony Roche.

“The lads up front are very tenacious. There’s never a lost cause, they don’t give up and when you have that you have a great chance of getting a goal.

“Getting off to a good start in the group is huge and hopefully it sets us up for another challenge in two weeks’ time.”

Charleville’s hopes of surpassing, or even matching, last year’s run to the semi-finals suffered another severe blow in the final minute as star forward Chris Dunne, who claimed a stunning 0-15 of his side’s total (five coming from play) was shown a straight red card to potentially rule him out of their next fixture.

Dunne had 0-6 to his name by the end of the first quarter, which included four sweetly struck frees from distance as well as a couple of fine scores from play.

But CBS would still find themselves trailing at this juncture as Seamus Kennedy’s fourth minute goal and a superb point from corner-back Tom O’Driscoll helped the 2023 winners into a 1-4 to 0-6 lead.

Dunne would keep splitting the posts with ease before the break but Briaín O’Donoghue’s turn and finish to the net ensured Cashel remaining in front at the interval, 2-7 to 0-10.

The two teams swapped a brace of points at the beginning of the second period until Cashel, led by captain Colin Bourke, notched three without reply.

Dunne hit back with two of his own from deadball situations, but it seemed like his best efforts were going to be in vain as Seamus Kennedy soon raised his side’s third green flag of the afternoon, with Bourke adding on a couple more points to help make it 3-15 to 0-14 by the 49th minute.

It was surely game over now but Charleville, to their credit, continued to battle and it took some brave defending from the Cashel rear-guard to ensure they only reduced the deficit to six points before Dunne was given his marching orders in the final action of the contest.

Scorers for Cashel Community School: C Bourke (0-7, 5fs), B O’Donoghue and S Kennedy (1-2), R O’Sullivan (1-0), C Hall (0-2), S Hall and T O’Driscoll (0-1 each).

Scorers for CBS Charleville: C Dunne (0-15, 10fs), B J Reidy, S Bresnan and T O’Neill (0-1 each).

CASHEL COMMUNITY SCHOOL: E Dunne (Cashel King Cormacs); R O’Mahony (Fethard), N O’Flynn (Fethard), T O’Driscoll (Knockavilla D Kickhams); C Walsh (Fethard), S Cooney (Clerihan), C Ryan (Cashel King Cormacs); S Hall (Golden Kilfeacle), B O’Donoghue (Cashel King Cormacs), K Hogan (Golden Kilfeacle); C Bourke (Rosegreen), S Kennedy (Clonoulty Rossmore), R O’Sullivan (Clerihan).

Subs: C Lonergan (Golden Kilfeacle) for R O’Mahony (23), C Fogarty (Bohaerlahan-Dualla) for K Hogan (42), J Maloney (Golden Kilfeacle) for C Walsh (56), E Ryan (Cashel Kings Cormacs) for R O’Sullivan (56), H Fogarty (Golden Kilfeacle) for T O’Driscoll (56).

CBS CHARLEVILLE: D Barrett (Ballyhea) ; A Liddy (Charleville), E Keating (Newtownshandrum), C O’Flynn (Charleville); S Byrne (Ballyhea), S Bresnan (Charleville), D Collins (Newtownshandrum); T O’Neill (Newtownshandrum), B Kiley (Charleville); T Hogan (Grenagh Ballingarry), C Dunne (Dromina), B J Reidy (Newtownshandrum); P Daly (Ballyhea), D Mackessy (Ballyhea), B Farrissey (Dromina).

Subs: A Roche (Charleville) for B Farrissey (46).

Referee: Conor O’Brien (Eire Og Annacarty).