Eight Tipp schools chase hurling semi-final berths
Three Tipperary schools chase semi-final places in the Dr Harty Cup – Munster Post Primary Schools Senior ‘A’ Hurling Championship this Wednesday afternoon.
The prestigious competition has been dominated by Tipperary schools in the last three years with the Harty Cup residing in Cashel, Nenagh and Thurles.
The holders, Thurles CBS, remain the team to beat with a dominant group campaign with wins over St John the Baptist Community School Hospital, Blackwater Community School Lismore and Scoil na Tríonóide, Doon but will face a major step up in class in the quarter final in Castlelyons in the form of De La Salle College from Waterford, backboned by many of last years All-Ireland minor winning side.
However, this is a Thurles team littered with All-Ireland minor and under 20 winners of their own in Eanna Murray, Cillian Minogue, Ryne Bargary, and Tiarnan Ryan while Jack Cahill has had a great club under 21 campaign with Ballingarry before Christmas.
The regulations for the competition meant that 2024 winners Nenagh CBS, who thought they had topped their group on score difference, ended up finishing as runner-up to St Flannan’s College of Ennis on goals scored in their round 1 draw, ended up being handed a tough quarter final against Midleton CBS in Bansha.
However, it is a challenge well within Nenagh’s talent base to win as a side who won the Dean Ryan Cup two years ago.
The return to full fitness of Billy O’Brien late last year is a huge addition to a side with a strong attack which also includes captain and minor and under 20 All-Ireland winner Eoghan Doughan while Paul Cahalan has had a great campaign so far.
Shane Cleary has had a great club under 21 campaign in defence for Kilruane MacDonaghs and will look to bring that form into this encounter against a Midleton CBS side that won their group which wins over High School Clonmel and De La Salle College Waterford, while they drew with Cork rivals St Colman’s College, Fermoy.
2017 Harty Cup winners Our Lady’s Secondary School, Templemore have the hardest task of the three Tipperary teams when they face St Flannan’s College Ennis in TUS Moylish this Friday afternoon.
Templemore finished runner-up in their group behind St Joseph’s of Tulla who meet Blackwater Community School Lismore in the remaining quarter final.
Templemore did beat two Cork schools, CBC and Gaelcholaiste North Mon, and can play with a lot of freedom as underdogs.
They will look to the likes of Shay Gleeson, Mark Conroy, top scorer Jack Bevans, Philip O’Dwyer and Padraic O’Shea to play big games to face an Ennis side littered with 2023 All-Ireland minor winners.
Lower Grades
Colaiste Dun Iascaigh from Cahir are the only Tipperary school in the last eight of the ‘B’ (Tom Collum Cup) competition and have been drawn against a strong Tralee CBS side who were disappointed not to have been allowed to compete in the Harty Cup.
Half of the eight teams left in the ‘C’ grade are from Tipperary with two of them playing each other with St Joseph’s College Borrisoleigh overcoming Borrisokane Community College in Toomevara yesterday (Tuesday) on a 1-17 to 1-10 scoreline.
St Mary’s Secondary School Newport’s upward strides sees them back in the ‘C’ quarter final where they play Colaiste an Phiarsaigh from Glanmire while Presentation Secondary School Ballingarry face Pobal Scoil na Tríonóide from Youghal with these games taking place today (Wednesday) at 12.30pm.