Templemore exit by pushing Flannan’s hard

GAA: TUS Munster Post Primary Schools Senior 'A' Hurling - Dr Harty Cup Quarter Final

St Flannan’s College, Ennis 2-20

Our Lady’s SS, Templemore 1-19

Report: Stephen Barry at TUS Moylish, Limerick

A heroic effort from Our Lady’s Secondary School, Templemore, fell four points short against a second-half comeback from St Flannan’s College, Ennis, in the fourth and final Harty Cup quarter-final on Friday afternoon.

Our Lady’s gave an incredible display of shooting efficiency and work rate to construct a seven-point lead early in the second half. However, they couldn’t cope with St Flannan’s aerial threat on the inside line.

Goals from Darragh McNamara and Thomas O’Connor in the 32nd and 37th minutes brought them level. That duo rattled 2-4 from play in the second half.

It was still all square entering the final quarter, but the Clare school scored seven of the final ten points to advance to a semi-final derby against St Joseph’s, Tulla.

Our Lady’s had inspirational performances from Pádraic O’Shea, who scored 1-4 from five shots, Shay Gleeson, Philip O’Dwyer, and Jack Bevans. Selector Peter O’Rourke hailed the collective effort at full-time.

“We're incredibly proud of our lads. They worked savage hard all year,” said the Ballybrown man.

“We had only one wide coming in at half-time, so we couldn't have asked for more. Their work rate and dedication isn't going to be questioned. Sometimes, the breaks, Flannan's got on top of us and got on a roll. We did our best to stem the tide, but it wasn't enough.

“We'll keep rolling and we'll keep driving on hurling in the school. That group will inspire a lot going forward, so we're very proud of that. It's good for hurling in the surrounding areas of our school and good for the future.”

The first five minutes seemed to be going to script for Flannan’s as Eoin O’Connor, James Cullinan, and Graham Ball split the posts against a lone Bevans free.

Ball would become a thorn in Our Lady’s side as he drifted out as a third midfielder, often finding himself free. He did plenty of damage, scoring 0-5 from five shots.

The rest of the Flannan’s side weren’t so efficient. They missed ten first-half attempts, against Our Lady’s one, and ended with 15 wides.

By contrast, the Templemore students struck 1-9 from their first ten efforts and ended the hour with an 80% conversion rate.

Ball’s withdrawn role allowed Niall Delaney to begin as a spare defender. Shay Gleeson got to grips with Harry Doherty in a key man-marking role. Upon those foundations, Our Lady’s enjoyed a dominant spell of six unanswered points in five minutes.

Seán Burke was centrally involved in the first three. His flick kept the play alive for an O’Shea point. The JK Brackens clubman then linked play from Gleeson to O’Dwyer for the equaliser.

And he nudged Our Lady’s ahead with a great catch and point from Darragh Hoare’s long ball.

Bevans intercepted a telegraphed pass to tee up O’Dwyer’s second before slotting a free won by Dan Coffey. Seán Walsh picked off the opposition puck-out as Jack Marnell made it 0-7 to 0-3.

Flannan’s radar was faltering, although they steadied with points from McNamara and a Doherty free, after Rory Ralph was pulled back approaching goal. Gleeson wasn’t just handling Doherty but snuck forward under the radar to clip a point.

Our Lady’s aerial vulnerability was flagged when McNamara grabbed a high ball to create a goal chance for Eoin O’Connor, which Cathal Ryan comfortably saved.

Ball pointed before Our Lady’s jumped five clear with a 19th minute goal. It originated from another long ball by Hoare, which Flannan’s failed to deal with. It broke perfectly for O’Shea, who crisply whipped the sliotar through the keeper’s legs for a 1-8 to 0-6 lead.

Harry Doherty stepped up with two points from play, cancelled out by two Bevans frees.

Some big hits saw the temperature rise before half-time. After a hectic battle for possession, Our Lady’s took the momentum-building score into the break thanks to good work by Mark Conroy and O’Dwyer to supply Marnell.

They led 1-11 to 0-8 and a Bevans free extended their cushion to seven from the throw-in.

However, Flannan’s rallied with 1-1 from McNamara, who bundled Colm Daly’s long delivery to the net, plus a Doherty free.

Padraic O’Shea led Our Lady’s resistance throughout the second half, slicing through to point in reply.

But the extra height of half-time substitute Thomas O’Connor would prove a major problem. He caught Eoin O’Connor’s long ball and spun away to fire home for 2-10 to 1-13.

Our Lady’s resilience was commendable. A Bevans free edged them ahead. Thomas O’Connor, Ball, and Isaac Hassett pushed Flannan’s in front, but an O’Shea pair equalised for a fifth time.

That would be the last as Shay Gleeson hobbled off, forcing a rejig.

Niall Delaney hooked a Doherty goal chance, but Doherty (two frees), McNamara, and Ball each registered two points in the subsequent spell.

Three Bevans frees brought his tally to 0-9 and Ryan kept them alive with a save from Isaac Hassett, but the midfielder would tag on the insurance point before a late Bevans free was saved by Leon Talty.

Player of the Match: Graham Ball (St Flannan’s College, Ennis)

St Flannan’s College, Ennis: Leon Talty (6); Conor Hill (7), Darragh Murrihy (6), Donnacha O’Donovan (6); Darragh Ball (6), James Cullinan (J-Capt 0-1, 7), Colm Daly (7); John Barry (6), Isaac Hassett (0-2, 7); Graham Ball (0-5, 8), Patrick Finneran (6), Rory Ralph (6); Harry Doherty (J-Capt 0-6, 4f, 7), Eoin O’Connor (0-1, 7), Darragh McNamara (1-4, 8).

Subs: Thomas O’Connor (1-1, 8) for O’Donovan (HT); Ben Talty (6) for Finneran (45); Riain O’Donnell (NR) for Barry (60+4).

Our Lady’s Secondary School, Templemore: Cathal Ryan (Loughmore/Castleiney 7); Tommy Burke (JK Brackens 7), Darragh Hoare (Drom & Inch 6), Niall Delaney (JK Brackens 6); Billy Collier (JK Brackens 6), Mark Conroy (Drom & Inch, J-Capt 7), Shay Gleeson (Moneygall 0-1, 8); Cian Broderick (JK Brackens 6), Jack Bevans (Borris-Ileigh 0-9f, 8); Seán Burke (JK Brackens 0-1, 7), Pádraic O’Shea (JK Brackens 1-4, 8), Seán Walsh (JK Brackens, J-Capt 6); Philip O’Dwyer (Upperchurch/Drombane 0-2, 8), Jack Marnell (JK Brackens 0-2, 7), Dan Coffey (JK Brackens 6).

Sub: John Ryan (Drom & Inch 6) for Gleeson (45, inj).

Referee: Eamonn Stapleton (Limerick).