Mouth-watering all-Tipperary Harty Cup final is eagerly-awaited

It’s still only January but what a hectic weekend of GAA activity we enjoyed! Setting aside the All-Ireland club finals, we still had more than enough to embrace locally. The Harty Cup has thrown up a delicious prospect in a first-ever, all-Tipperary final.

The county’s senior hurlers got caught by a late swoop from Cork in the Munster League final. And the Under 21 tournament final drifted one-sided, as Thurles Sarsfields proved too hot for Mullinahone.

This Munster League final was bonus territory for Liam Cahill and the experience will, I suspect, have left the manager with mixed emotions. There were positives, for sure, but ultimately the late collapse to Cork’s final flourish was painful. A missed chance, surely, for an early season boost.

It began and ended badly. Cork were five-up after about seven minutes. The Pat Horgan goal was the big item, our inside defence looking very uncomfortable.

Thereafter Jason Forde was the main score-source but we were doing well in many sectors.

A goal would endorse our superiority over a stuttering Cork and it eventually came in the 25th minute. It was well-worked too, Sean Ryan initially skinning his man and then playing a neat one-two with Conor Stakelum before finishing the move.

Three-up at half-time was a big improvement from five-down earlier. There was general satisfaction with the performance at that stage, though the loss of Conor McCarthy to injury was unsettling at the back, something that would bite majorly later in the game.

For the moment the second half continued on a smooth path for Tipperary. Forde remained as the main scorer from play and frees and the lead extended to eight points. This was looking really good.

Then came the turn of the screw in the final quarter. Cork called in the cavalry, Brian Hayes, Jack O’Connor and Conor Lehane in particular had a crucial impact. The first goal, batted in by Brian Hayes, put a dent in the lead but didn’t, at the time, seem to be of fatal consequence.

However, worse was to follow in the home straight. Tipp faded, a batch of replacements – probably too many too quickly – had none of the impact of the Cork subs. Another attack down the right flank had the Tipp defence in a mess and Jack O’Connor eventually planted the second goal. Cork got ahead and Forde levelled again before Pat Horgan had the last word with a late free.

Whatever about the positives, this was a painful missed opportunity to get an early-season boost and, in the process, deliver a knock-back to the Rebels. On the plus side I guess the half back line won credits for a combative display overall. Brian McGrath got the individual recognition – too many are prepared to write him off because of the pace issue. Pace isn’t everything.

Podge Collins and Enda Heffernan too showed fine resistance. Some in Clonoulty, I’m told, see Enda as more of a full back. Worth a try?

The full back line was problematic on Sunday, where McCarthy started well and his withdrawal was keenly felt. I have misgivings about the Michael Breen experiment at number three. He has many fine qualities as a player but hardly at full back, where his instincts are more outfield and lacking the subtlety for tightness and sureness around the square.

We had a sound, hardworking pair at midfield in Conor Stakelum and Dan McCormack. The attack relies too much on Forde for flags. The goal was a high point in Sean Ryan’s performance and there was plenty of earnest effort from the others but still a lot to prove.

Seamus Kennedy at half forward is another experiment that will be watched with interest. I understand the thinking behind it – a strong, athletic ball-winner in an area where we often lack physicality – but on Sunday’s evidence the jury is still very much undecided.

Anyway, I’m sure the game gave Liam Cahill and colleagues more evidence to mull over ahead of the National League opener against Laois on Saturday week.

Meanwhile, Harty Cup fever will certainly build in the county in the coming week as Thurles CBS and Cashel CS prepare for a first-ever, all-Tipp final in a championship that carries huge prestige.

I got to see the Cashel game on Saturday and what a battle it was over in Kilmallock. The evidence from an earlier meeting of the teams in a group stage suggested there was little between these sides and that impression certainly carried through on Saturday. Indeed, we were bracing ourselves for extra-time when Adam Daly swept over the winner almost two minutes into injury time.

With a diagonal wind behind them Cashel edged the first half, 0-8 to 0-6. Play was really tight and demanding on a heavy surface. Adam Daly, nominally positioned at corner forward but moving outfield to great effect, hit three of those scores from play. Ronan Connolly was accurate on the frees and it was already developing into one of those winter games where appetite was as essential as skill.

A big break fell Cashel’s way early in the second half when Ben Currivan set up David McGrath for a smashing finish for the game’s only goal. It was a big strike, though Ardscoil took inspiration from it, hitting back to level the game in the ensuing play.

There was a phase there midway through the second half where I thought the Limerick school was going to shade it. Cashel went fifteen minutes without a flag and seemed to be retreating into defensive mode.

There was a major scare too when a dangerous ball dropped behind the full lines and a forward flick had it goal-bound, only for Ciaran Byrne to get back on his line and bring it out. It was a crucial interception because a Limerick goal at that stage would have been a huge score.

Ultimately it came down to a squeaky bum finish, point-for-point, though crucially Cashel were never headed. They had a few bad wides too that might have taken them to a safer lead, all of which was part of the tension of this game.

Ultimately it came down to one final play, where Adam Daly popped up with his fourth score of the match, a huge input to the overall performance. What a capture it was for Cashel when this All-Ireland-winning minor decided to transfer from Rockwell College.

Cashel were deserving winners. Apart from the opening minutes they were never led, they got the game’s only goal and they showed great nerve in the final phase of a thrilling contest.

Jack Quinlan and Ger O’Dwyer were the twin pillars in a formidable defence in front of the cool and composed Tommy Breen in goal. Ciaran Byrne had a vital contribution to this result also and Dylan Fogarty made a few strong sorties from defence when a bit unlucky not to get on the score sheet. Oisin O’Donoghue’s contribution as sweeper was also noteworthy.

Ronan Connolly hit some excellent frees and with Shane Buckley formed a solid midfield partnership. Adam Daly was the hero of the attack and, indeed, of the game generally. Ben Currivan made a sound contribution too and David McGrath’s 1-1 was a big input to the outcome.

The final will be a momentous occasion, a great one to anticipate next week. The closeness of the two schools brings added intimacy, so it will be all the talk hereabouts in the coming week.

Elsewhere Thurles Sarsfields took the Under 21 A tournament with a resounding win over Mullinahone on Sunday evening. After two cracking semi-finals, hopes were high of more spectacle in this final but it didn’t deliver because Sarsfields had too much for the south side.

Parity at half time, 1-7 apiece, was really a misrepresentation of that half. Thurles had dominated. Jock Fogarty had an early goal for them and Mullinahone were scrambling to save their line on several occasions.

Then, against the run of play, the south champions hit 1-1 on the cusp of the interval to tie up the game. Conor Whelan landed a free from distance and a short puckout led to trouble for Sarsfields when Mikey O’Shea intercepted an attempted handpass and raced in to rattle the net.

The second half, I’m afraid, makes for dismal reading for the Kickhams. Paddy Creedon planted a second goal for Sarsfields immediately on the restart and that really was a nod to the destiny of this game. Sarsfields just powered ahead, with Mullinahone failing to score from play. Missed frees were part of the narrative too that could have kept the south team closer, but it’s hard to argue with the margin at the end.

You couldn’t fault Mullinahone for effort. They threw themselves body and soul into it but Sarsfields were just better, getting to the ball first, surer of touch, better movement etc. It was a much-improved Sarsfields from their semi-final, so Mullinahone, sadly, have now put county final defeats back-to-back.