Harty Cup: Buzz is back in the Mon, Bresnan's parting shot, Kerry progress and CBC go the short route
Over St In Their Rivals O'dalaigh Gaelcholaiste Pic: Watergrasshill Hurling College, Action Ag At Sean Star: North In Cork Cup Mhuire, Harty Victory Cummins Larry For Colman's Fermoy
Right up the last puck of the ball in Watergrasshill on Wednesday, the Gaelcholáiste Mhuire AG and the St Colman’s College Harty Cup clash was on a knife-edge. Two evenly balanced teams could only be separated in the fifth and sixth minute of second-half stoppage when Callum Ó Cofaigh (prominent on the Dean Ryan team as well) sent over a quick-fire brace for a 0-22 to 0-20 victory.
The result puts them into a preliminary quarter-final in two weeks, and the draw on Wednesday will be much anticipated.
Local club Na Piarsaigh backbone the team with eight starters. On the day, management used 18 players that also included clubs Glen Rovers (3), Whitechurch (3), St Vincent’s (2) and one each from Mayfield and Carrignavar. Blarney is the other club with one player on the panel.
The final whistle brought a lot of joy especially as the Cork Northside city school is also in the Dean Ryan Cup final (U17A) against Midleton CBS next week.
This recent success has come about courtesy of an impressive coaching ticket headed up by manager Tomás Ó Mainnín from St Finbarr’s. He is joined by Tadhg Óg Ó Murchú (Sarsfields), Seán Óg Ó hAilpín (Na Piarsaigh), Éanna Ó Deasúnaigh (Carrigaline), Donagh Seartan (Béal Átha ’n Ghaorthaidh), Séamus Mac Amhlaoibh (Banteer), Daire Connery (Na Piarsaigh) and Gary Gray (Sarsfields).
Remember North Mon are second to St Flannan’s Ennis in the Dr Harty Cup roll of honour. Two behind them is another well-respected Harty school, St Colman’s College. Colm Spillane and his management team and players deserve credit also.
Therese O’Callaghan
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TEN points down and nothing to play for? Nobody told Sean Bresnan and Charleville CBS. In what was the final game at this level for those in sixth year, the Charleville students were determined to finish their Harty careers with something in the 'W' column. And they did do with a 4-16 to 1-23 victory. Bresnan’s three goals were obviously key but all over the pitch the north Cork side stood up tall when they were leaking majorly to St Joseph’s of Tulla.
To win in this competition means plenty to those involved and winning with their school mates was certainly not lost on the Charleville class of 24/2025.
They were certainly in trouble until a second Bresnan major and he brought teammates Chris Dunne and Turlough O’Neill into the trenches with him.
Late in this contest, when a goal would have flipped the result, a CBS defender jumped on the ball in the square. They were determined to keep Dylan Barrett’s net from rattling and once they scrambled the ball clear. Barrett’s bravery and ability to save three one-on-one efforts epitomised the Charleville fight.
Tom Clancy
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In 2012, a combined Kerry colleges’ selection represented the Kingdom in the Munster Colleges senior ‘A’ hurling championship. For the last twelve seasons, however, only the five provincial ‘big guns’ have had schools in the prestigious Harty Cup. That has, thankfully, changed in 2024.
In six seasons, Tralee CBS have enjoyed a remarkable progression from Munster ‘E’ level all the way up to their debut in the ‘A’ grade competition against Thurles CBS a fortnight ago. Mark Ryall’s charges acquitted themselves admirably, eventually losing by a 13-point margin (2-25 to 2-12).
On Wednesday in Ballyagran, there was a more painful and somewhat eye-opening result for the ‘Green. Against 22-times champions, the famed St Flannan’s of Ennis, the Tralee school were a little out of their depth (3-29 to 0-9).
In reality, the margin of defeat probably shouldn’t be a surprise. The Banner hurling nursery needed at least a 14-point winning margin to top Group 6. With ruthless and clinical execution, even without manager Tony Kelly, St Flannan’s were always going to keep their foot on the throttle.
Tralee CBS cannot be disheartened. Unlucky to find themselves in a three-team group with two of the Harty Cup favourites, a baptism of fire was always on the cards. Now it’s about learning and perseverance, and coming back stronger next year.
John O’Dowd
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THE reward for finishing first in the Harty Cup’s four-team groups is a bye to January’s quarter-finals. For stretched teams, that affords the major benefit of breathing space to rest and reset.
A couple of mentors have already identified the hectic schedule for their players at this time of the year.
Minor competitions in most counties ran right up until the starting gun for Dr Harty Cup action. Under-21/20 competitions are just hotting up. Some players are still juggling action for their club’s adult teams.
Rather than facing into a preliminary quarter-final before Christmas, the ideal scenario is bypassing December altogether.
“I don’t know is it the same in other counties but we’ve a lot of fellas with club activity recently, even up to this week,” said CBC Cork selector Ken O’Halloran after they secured their bye with a 2-19 to 0-23 victory over John The Baptist CS, Hospital.
“Last night, there was under-21 games. There’s going to be under-21 games in football at the weekend. In fairness to some of our lads, they’re playing three championship games a week at the moment with junior and all that.
“It allows us a bit of breathing space to get the lads to finish off whatever club is left, rest, and then build it back up again for a quarter-final.”
Stephen Barry
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To say it’s been a harsh Harty campaign for St Francis College Rochestown would be something of an understatement.
In their first season back up in this competition, they were unfortunate to be drawn against a talented Midleton CBS in Group 4, alongside reigning champions Nenagh CBS.
In the end, the quality of the opposition proved to be too much for Alan Cadogan’s side and after they conceded 7-15 to Nenagh in their opening fixture a fortnight ago – they would also finish with just 13 players on the pitch - they would go on to get hit for 6-20 by Midleton on Wednesday.
But that doesn’t tell the entire story of their return to this level. They would also score 1-25 across the two matches and they were well in the game against Nenagh and were only trailing by six points early in the second half when they conceded a penalty minutes before they also picked up their first red card.
They were also within just six points of Midleton at the beginning of the second period on the Páirc Uí Chaoimh 4G before the men from East Cork hit overdrive.
And even then, they showed their strength of character to score five points in the final nine minutes, despite the fact the game was already gone from them.
So, while the defeats may sting for Rochestown at the moment, in time they may prove to be a valuable learning curve for their players – even if it has been a steep one.
Andrew Horgan