HARTY CUP: Our Ladys Templemore fall to narrow defeat versus St Joseph's, Tulla of Clare

TUS Dr Harty Cup - Group 4 - Round 2

Our Lady’s Templemore 3-12 

St Joseph’s Tulla 1-21

By John O’Shea

Our Lady’s Templemore suffered a dent to their prospects of qualifying for the knockout stages of the TUS Dr. Harty Cup when they went down by three points to St. Joseph’s Tulla at Cappamore on Wednesday afternoon.

READ NEXT: HARTY CUP: Goal hungry Nenagh CBS leave no doubt in defeat of Ardscoil Rís in Newport

In what was an exciting game played on a heavy surface, the Clare lads were deserving winners, more dogged and determined in the rucks, and coped better in the heavy conditions.

After leading by three at the break following a Jerry O’Connor major in added time, they pushed on after the restart and were the better side for most of the second half, but goals from Philly O’Dwyer and Cian Broderick ensured that the tie went down to the wire.

Having beaten CBC in the opening round, the Templemore side were full of confidence as they headed to the East Limerick venue, but they were also aware of the calibre of the Clare side.

They must now get a result in round three when they lock horns with Cork side Gaelcholáiste Mhuire in a few weeks’ time to have any chance of progressing in the championship.

Following the throw-in, St. Joseph’s attacked down the left-hand side, and their star midfielder Matthew Corbett got the scoreboard moving after just eleven seconds with a minor off his left.

Both sides found the heavy underfoot conditions hard to come to terms with, and it took another five minutes before the next score, a pointed free by Jack Bevans after Padraic O’Shea was fouled.

Our Lady’s were off target on a couple of occasions before a good move involving Philly O’Dwyer and Sean Walsh ended with Shay Gleeson cancelling a previous Matthew Corbett free after eight minutes.

St. Joseph’s upped their game and hit four of the next five points to go 0-6 to 0-3 in front by the eleventh minute. However, Templemore hit back and, following a defensive error, Padraic O’Shea was on hand to toe the ball over the line for a major to tie the game for the third time.

James O’Donnell and Jack Bevans traded minors before Philly O’Dwyer set up Bevans, whose well-taken point gave Our Lady’s the lead for what was to be the only time in the game.

St. Joseph’s finished the half on a high, striking the next three points, and after Bevans pulled one back from a placed ball, Jerry O’Connor batted home a goal from a Matthew Corbett cross from out near the corner. Philly O’Dwyer closed out the scoring in added time as Tulla led 1-11 to 1-8 at the short whistle.

As at the start of the game, St. Joseph’s attacked from the restart, and a Liam Murphy minor stretched the lead out to four before Jack Bevans converted a placed ball after being fouled.

The Tulla side were off target from a few long-range frees, but Matthew Corbett put four again between the sides after thirty-seven minutes. Philly O’Dwyer then gave Templemore a lifeline when he pounced on the ball to bat home after the Tulla defence failed to deal with a long-range free into the goal area.

St. Joseph’s were scrapping for every ball in the rucks, and this was telling on the scoreboard as they went four to the good by the end of the third quarter, but Our Lady’s refused to wilt.

Jack Bevans cut the deficit to three before Cathal Ryan saved well from James O’Donnell on fifty-five minutes.

Three points, two from Corbett and one from O’Donnell, stretched the Clare lead to six as the game headed towards the sixtieth minute. However, Our Lady’s struck back in added time with a Cian Broderick goal, but it was a case of too little, too late as St. Joseph’s held out for a three-point victory.

Scorers: Our Lady’s Templemore: Jack Bevans (0-7, 0-6f), Philly O’Dwyer, Padraic O’Shea 1-2 each, Cian Broderick 1-0, Shay Gleeson 0-1.

St. Joseph’s Tulla: Matthew Corbett (0-9, 0-4f, 0-1 65), Jerry O’Connor 1-1, James O’Donnell, Liam Murphy, Michael Vaughan all 0-3 each, Cian Maxted, Cathal Leamy 0-1 each.

Our Lady’s Templemore: Cathal Ryan (Loughmore Castleiney); Darragh Hoare (Drom & Inch), Niall Delaney (JK Brackens), Tommy Burke (JK Brackens); Mark Conroy (Drom & Inch), Shay Gleeson (Moneygall), Billy Collier (JK Brackens); Cian Broderick (JK Brackens), Sean Walsh (JK Brackens); Jack Marnell (JK Brackens), Philly O’Dwyer (Upperchurch Drombane), Jack Bevans (Borris-Ileigh); Padraic O’Shea (JK Brackens), James Ryan (Drom & Inch), Dan Coffey (JK Brackens).

Subs used: Sean Burke (JK Brackens) for Dan Coffey (48); Kieran Martin (JK Brackens) for Jack Marnell (58); Jack Burke (JK Brackens) for Shay Gleeson (60, inj).

St. Joseph’s Tulla; Patrick Murphy (Tulla); Cian Maxted (Clooney Quin), Elijah Cooney (Tulla), Daniel Greene (Broadford); Harry Nolan (Tulla), Ryan Hayes (Tulla), Liam Moroney (Tulla); Matthew Corbett (Clooney Quin), Michael Vaughan (Broadford); Ódhran Perril (Crusheen), Jerry O’Connor (Clooney Quin), Cathal Leamy (Clooney Quin); Aodhán O’Driscoll (Broadford), James O’Donnell (Broadford), Liam Murphy (O’Callaghans Mills).

Subs used: Jamie Moroney (O’Callaghans Mills) for Patrick Murphy (21, inj); Marcas Fitzpatrick (Clooney Quin) for Cathal Leamy (56); Hugh Vaughan (Broadford) for Aodhán O’Driscoll (63).

Referee: Sean Carey (Limerick)

READ NEXT: IN PICTURES: Tipp's 13 All-Star nominees and what their chances are of making the team of 2025