Ennis driven to make up for final loss

By Stephen Barry

For St Flannan’s, there’s a striking symmetry between their last two Dr. Harty Cup campaigns.

Last season, they drew their opening group-stage game against Thurles CBS before meeting again in the final. This time around, they drew their opener with Nenagh and now face another final rematch.

Joint-captain Harry Doherty, who was top scorer in last year’s competition and has 3-34 to his name this term, feels the experience of that Thurles defeat can stand to Flannan’s on Saturday.

“Last year, the excitement of it took us a bit away from it. This year, we’re more used to that,” said the half-forward.

“We got a nice bit of learning from last year, so it's a positive that we've gone through it and done it all before.”

Flannan’s trailed by ten points at half-time against Nenagh, by seven against Our Lady’s, Templemore, and by five against St Joseph’s, Tulla, yet remain undefeated.

“We know to stay calm,” Doherty continued.

“There's no point in panicking. It doesn't do anything for anyone, so we just stay calm, and we know we have the players to bring it through.

“As a team, we fight together. There's not one man left behind, so we all have each other's backs. We go into battle together and we leave battle together, so it's good knowing that.”

Doherty has no shortage of experience facing this Nenagh side.

“We played each other in Dean Ryan and in the drawn game. They've beaten us in the Dean Ryan, so we've got unfinished business to get back at them.

“Hopefully, we can do it, but they're obviously a very good side. They've plenty of unbelievable players, so it'll be tough now. But if we can put a good 60-minute performance together, hopefully we can do it.”

Flannan’s won the toss for home advantage, but Doherty feels that won’t be worth anything on the scoreboard.

“It's still four white lines at the end of the day. It's the same pitch. Nenagh had success there two years ago. It's nice, but it's not going to win us the game.”

His fellow joint-captain James Cullinan said the influence of Flannan’s hurling tradition, as 22-time Harty champions, helps to inspire their students.

“It's good seeing all the pictures on the wall because you want to be up there yourself,” said the Ruan centre-back.

“You go to Flannan’s to hurl. The mothers and fathers wouldn't like it, but that's the reason you go there.”