Tipp are strong handed for Harty Cup
By Shane Brophy
The blue-ribboned event of schools hurling, the Dr Harty Cup gets underway today (Wednesday).
The prestigious trophy has spent the last three years in Tipperary with Cashel, Nenagh and Thurles all tasting success, and there is a fair chance that it could remain in 2026 with five schools among the sixteen competing teams.
Defending champions Thurles CBS will be strongly fancied to go back-to-back with the likes of Euan Murray, Cillian Minogue, and Tiarnan Ryan still being able to be called on, added to by the addition of Chris Dunne who transferred from Our Lady’s, Templemore.
Thurles start off against St John the Baptist CS from Hospital with subsequent games against Blackwater Community School, Lismore and Scoil na Trinoide, Doon.
St Joseph’s CBS Nenagh, who won the Dean Ryan Cup (Under 17) in 2023, will look to win a second Harty Cup in three years, and will be skippered by minor and under 20 All-Ireland winner Eoin Doughan, while Billy O’Brien, Austin Duff and Billy O’Brien also provide quality.
Nenagh are in a tough group, starting off against Ardscoil Ris from Limerick in a repeat of the 2024 Harty final, St Flannan’s College Ennis who they beat in the 2023 Dean Ryan final, and Cashel Community School, 2023 Harty champions, who also have a strong panel including a number of county minors from the past two years.
Our Lady’s Secondary School Templemore start out against CBC Cork with St Joseph’s SS Tulla and Gaelcholaiste Mhuire (North Mon) while last years Munster ‘B’ champions Clonmel High School make the step up and start out against one of the favourites in Midleton CBS, as well as De La Salle Waterford and St Colman’s College Fermoy.
Nenagh CBS: Luke McKeogh (Ballina); Patrick Ryan (Borris-Ileigh); Paul Cahalan, Charlie Cairns, Johnny Grace, Keith O’Donoghue, Diarmuid O’Donoghue, Joe O’Dwyer, Luke Power (Burgess); Tom Boland, Diarmuid Fogarty, Eoin Kelly, Dara O’Dwyer, Evan Sherlock (Kiladangan); Shane Cleary, Fearghal Doheny, Cillian Healy, Hugo Healy, Michael Hennelly, Charlie Kennedy, Cormac Kennedy, Jack Quinlisk (Kilruane MacDonaghs); Eoin Doughan, Paddy McCormack, Adam O’Brien, Dylan Sayers (Moneygall); James Heffernan, Conor Hodgins, Billy O’Brien, Daniel Quinn, Eanna Tucker (Nenagh Eire Og); Robert Horan, Jack Quinn (Portroe); Eoin Grace, Dan McKelvey, Jack Quirke (Silvermines); Dylan Delaney, Austin Duff, Patrick Hackett, Darragh Hayes, Jack Hogan (Toomevara).
Coaches: Donach O’Donnell (Clonoulty/Rossmore), Jack Peters (Kilruane MacDonaghs), Paul Butler (Templederry Kenyons), Mark Gennery (Portroe), Darragh McCarthy (Toomevara)
Our Lady’s Secondary School, Templemore: Jack Bevans (Borris-Ileigh); Shay Gleeson, Paddy Stapleton (Clonakenny), Mark Conroy, James Duffe, Darragh Hoare, Paddy Hoare, James Ryan, Jack Sheridan (Drom & Inch); Jack Bourke, Peter Breen, Cian Broderick, Sean Burke, Tommy Burke, Dan Coffey, Billy Collier, JR Corpez, Niall Delaney, Dayle Hogan, James Leahy, Jack Marnell, Kieran Martin, Jack Noonan, Kinnian O’Brien, Larry O’Brien, Padraic O’Shea, Sean Walsh (JK Brackens); Tom Bohan, Cathal Ryan (Loughmore/Castleiney); John Cleere, Leo Cleere, Andrew Everard (Moyne-Templetuohy); Liam Dunphy (Roscrea); Philip O’Dwyer (Upperchurch/Drombane).
Coaches: Thomas O’Donoghue, Gavin Ryan, Peter O’Rourke
Cashel Community School: Micheal Delahunty, Conor Fogarty, Cian Lawrence, Kieran O’Neill, Aaron Toomey (Boherlahan-Dualla); Kyle Cully, Brian Devitt, Cian Fitzgerald, Tudor Mereacre, Tommy O’Connor, Briain O’Donoghue, Patric O’Donoghue, Ultan O’Donoghue, Jason O’Sullivan, Eimhin Ryan, Evan Ryan (Cashel King Cormacs); Shane Cooney, Harry Hickey (Clerihan), Noah O’Flynn, Rory O’Mahony, Cristoir Sheehy, Charlie Walsh (Fethard); Harry Fogarty, Charlie Hall, Eoghan White (Golden Kilfeacle); Sam Doyle, Jack O’Gara (Holycross/Ballycahill); Evan Burke, Cathal Heaney, Senan Mackey, Nathan Staunton (Knockavilla-Donaskeigh Kickhams); Shane Cummins, Conor Hally, Fionn McMahon, Olan O’Gorman, Eoin Rice, Gavin Ryan (Rockwell Rovers); Willie Colville (Rosegreen)
Coaches: Anthony Roche (Clonoulty/Rossmore), Robbie Costigan (Cahir), Paddy Carroll (Thurles Sarsfields)
High School, Clonmel: Michael Dempsey (Clerihan); Rian Galko, Luke Hannigan, Brendan Landers, Gavin Mahony, Cailean O’Dea, Oisin O’Rielly, Rory O’Reilly, Jamal Yousif (Clonmel Og); John Lyons, Patrick Lyons (Grangemockler/Ballyneale); Conor Freaney, Andrew McAndrew, Mikey McGuire, Enda Nolan, Sean Tom Nugent, Ben Roche, Colin Roche (Kilsheelan/Kilcash); Seán Galligan (Marlfield); Fergal Bradshaw, Louis Carroll, Jack Duggan, Kieran Fanning, Brian Morrisson, Conall Morrisson, James O’Brien, Aidan White (Moyle Rovers); Dara Beckett, Aaron Cagney, Kayden Cloona, Dylan Condon, Enda Condon, Ben Fuller, Eoin Hannon, Harry Lawlor, Alex McCabe, Finn Napier, Donal O’Callaghan, Nathan Wynne (St Mary’s); Aidan McMaugh, David Ryan, Andrew Ryan, Paddy Spelman, Conor Walsh, Riain Wyse (The Nire-Fourmilewater)
Coaches: Paddy O’Gorman (Cahir), Ciaran Barrett (Clonmel Og), Mark Cooney (De La Salle, Waterford)
Thurles CBS: Jack Cahill (Ballingarry); Ryne Bargary, Rory Crosse, Conor Kennedy (Boherlahan-Dualla); Jack Heffernan, Conor Kennedy (Clonoulty/Rossmore); Makub Maglinski, Euan Murray, Daragh O’Dwyer, Andy Rossiter, Eoin Webb (Durlas Og); Darragh Hickey (Emeralds); Danny Barry (Fethard); Chris Dunne (Gortnahoe/Glengoole); Eoghan Hickey, Tadhg Nally, Zach O’Keeffe, Daire Ryan, Tadhg Ryan, Tiarnan Ryan (Holycross/Ballycahill); Darragh Doyle, Tony Ryan (Killenaule); Oran Breen (Loughmore/Castleiney); Ben Moore (Moyne-Templetuohy); James Butler, Larry Collins (Sean Treacys); Sean Dominguez (Thurles Gaels); Niall Cleary, Alex Coppinger, Leelan Donoghue, Bill Fogarty, James Lloyd, Cillian Minogue, Evan Nolan, Kyle O’Dowd, Ronan O’Dwyer, Jamie Stapleton (Thurles Sarsfields); Toby Corbett, David Griffin, Sean Griffin, Michael Quinlan, Tomas Ryan, Rian Treacy (Upperchurch/Drombane)
Coaches: Niall Cahill (Nenagh Eire Og), Pa Dunne & Stephen Maher (Thurles Sarsfields).