BREAKING: Late drama sees Nenagh CBS strike late to clinch Harty Cup final spot

TUS Munster PPS Dr Harty Cup Semi-Final

Nenagh CBS 1-18

Thurles CBS 0-20

A last-gasp Eoghan Doughan free in the fifth minute of added time claimed a famous victory for Nenagh CBS, dethroning a valiant Thurles CBS in an enthralling Dr Harty Cup semi-final in Templederry.

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In a game where the sides were level ten times, this contest will be remembered as one of the most entertaining and high-quality Tipperary schools derby encounters ever, and as expected in the build-up, it went right down to the wire in front of a packed Templederry GAA grounds.

With the sides deadlocked after two of the allotted three minutes of stoppage time - after Jack Cahill’s late free found the target - the game broke into a complete frenzy with bodies all over the the sliotar in a ruck in the Nenagh half of the pitch. 

It looked as though match referee Joe Mullins was going to take the option of extra time when he blew for the sliotar, but he did proceed to throw the ball in. Nenagh gathered the possession and somehow delivered a long ball into Patrick Hackett, who won the decisive free with time all but up.

Moneygall sharpshooter Eoghan Doughan had nailed nearly everything presented to him up to that moment, and with the Thurles CBS supporters crying loudly, he showed massive minerals to steady down and float over the winner and send his side into a second Harty Cup in three years.

It was a tough way to lose for Thurles, who certainly went out on their shield after contributing in a big way to this game. 

The teams set an early tone and vicious intensity in the first moments, with Patrick Hackett and Jack Cahill (free) finding the target, and after Eoghan Hickey floated over a beautiful early point after two minutes, there was no doubting that the side were tuned in and ready for the battle.

Nenagh started the click into gear in the next ten minutes, with Billy O’Brien providing two quickfire scores from play for Eoghan Doughan, before the Moneygall man slotted a first free of the day in the fifth minute after Patrick Hackett continued to cause problems early on.

Danny Barry played a risky pass in the tenth minute that was picked off and punished by Doughan to put Nenagh 0-5 to 0-2 ahead, but slowly, Thurles began to work their way into the game with the next three points going their way.

Tony Ryan hit a first of three first-half points in the eleventh minute before Jack Cahill hit the next two, including a beautiful sideline cut in front of the Nenagh dugout to level the contest in the 14th minute; a theme that would continue repreatedly.

Billy O’Brien briefly restored the Nenagh lead after that, but the space being afforded to Killenaule’s Tony Ryan was becoming a big issue for Nenagh, as the wing forward picked off two points in succession to put Thurles in front by the minimum.

The protection of the full-back lines were cleary a priority for both teams with a lot of the scores and bodies coming from deep in midfield, but Patrick Ryan bucked that trend in the 20th minute. 

Showing great pace to run in on goal from an angle, and after a swipe from the chasing Euan Murray, accruing an advantage, he played a low percentage pass across the 21 that somehow fell to Eanna Tucker, who went for it on the turn, bouncing it goalward and into the back of the net.

Goal chances were few up to that, but a second quickly followed suit - again for Nenagh - this time it was Patrick Hackett who got a clear sight of goal to strike a powerful effort, only to be denied by Rory Crosse.

Despite that score, Thurles continued to work the ball well, and after Paddy McCormack had extended the Nenagh lead to three points from a long-range free soon after that, Thurles finished the half strongly.

Four unanswered points finished out the half, with two Cillian Minogue frees, along with nice strikes from Chris Dunne and Euan Murray, had the game finely poised at half-time; the defending champions ahead 0-11 to 1-7.

The second half started just like the first, with Patrick Hackett firing over early doors for his second of the day, but Thurles seemed to be carrying the late first-half momentum through with James Butler and Tiarnan Ryan slotting over their first scores of the game.

That opened a three-point lead for the first time in the game, with Tiarnan Ryan starting to influence proceedings now, trading scores with Eoghan Doughan on the 27-minute mark; Nenagh at that point were under the pump and just hanging in there.

However, they weathered the storm well and between the 38th and 51st minute would hit 0-6 to Thurles’ 0-1 with the classy striking and scoring prowess of Eoghan Doughan coming to the fore with the Moneygall man hitting four points of that flurry while Hugo Healy and Paul Cahalan provided the others.

Nenagh were now ahead by two points with less than ten minutes to go, but Jack Cahill fired over an inspirational score under the shadow of the stand with a second sideline-cut, just as good if not better than his first-half effort, and when Tiarnan Ryan levelled the game just moments later, it was looking impossible to separate them in normal time.

Cillian Minogue and Doughan traded frees around the 57th minute as the clock continued to tick down, and on the stroke of the 60th minute, Patrick Hackett managed to steal possession out of the hand of Ryne Bargary, drew a free and allowed his teammate Doughan to convert.

Three minutes of added time were indicated at that point, but the defending champions responded - but not without dispute - with Jack Cahill landing a free from 100-yards, the wide signalled from that strike overruled by Joe Mullins, who awarded the point. Nail-biting tension surrounded the pitch at this point.

With the sides looking for the winner, the late ruck set up inside the Nenagh 45, and after the throw-in, Nenagh found the possession needed, firing downfield to Hackett, who again showed strength and composure to draw a free. Doughan made no mistake thereafter.

What a fantastic advertisement for Tipperary underage hurling this was. 

Nenagh had the class of forward duo Eoghan Doughan and Patrick Hackett to thank for this win. The pair came up trumps with big scores and frees won throughout the game, particularly Toomevara hurler Hackett, who was a constant source of joy when the ball was sent into him.

Shane Cleary was a solid influence at centre back, while the full-back line of Dara O’Dwyer, Diarmuid Fogarty, and Cormac Kennedy held a very potent Thurles full forward line to just two points from play.

Thurles had performances to savour too, through the striking of Jack Cahill, while the class of Euan Murray was again on show in abundance. In the end, Thurles didn’t get enough change from their forward unit, and that was the losing of the game.

Scorers: Nenagh CBS: Eoghan Doughan (0-12, 0-6f, 0-1 65), Eanna Tucker 1-0, Patrick Hackett 0-2, Paddy McCormack 0-1f, Hugo Healy, Paul Cahalan, Billy O’Brien all 0-1 each.

Thurles CBS: Jack Cahill (0-5, 0-2f, 0-2 sl-cuts), Cillian Minogue 0-4f, Tony Ryan, Tiarnan Ryan 0-3 each, Euan Murray, Chris Dunne, Eoghan Hickey, James Butler, Ryne Bargary all 0-1 each.

Nenagh CBS: Paddy McCormack (Moneygall); Diarmuid Fogarty (Kiladangan), Dara O'Dwyer (Kiladangan), Cormac Kennedy (Kilruane MacDonaghs); Johnny Grace (Burgess), Shane Cleary (Kilruane MacDonaghs), Emmet Jones (Nenagh Éire Óg); Austin Duff (Toomevara), Billy O'Brien (Nenagh Éire Óg); Patrick Ryan (Borris-Ileigh), Paul Cahalan (Burgess), Eoghan Doughan (Moneygall); Joe O'Dwyer (Burgess), Patrick Hackett (Toomevara), Eanna Tucker (Nenagh Éire Óg).

Subs used: Hugo Healy (Kilruane MacDonaghs) for Jones (HT); Rian McGrath (Kiladangan) for Cahalan (45); Luke McKeogh (Ballina) for J O’Dwyer (49); Tom Boland (Kiladangan) for Tucker (57).

Thurles CBS: Rory Crosse (Boherlahan Dualla); Toby Corbett (Upperchurch Drombane), Darragh Hickey (Emeralds, Urlingford), Conor Kennedy (Boherlahan Dualla); Danny Barry (Fethard), Ryne Bargary (Boherlahan Dualla), Sean Griffin (Upperchurch Drombane); Jack Cahill (Ballingarry), Euan Murray (Thurles Sarsfields); Tony Ryan (Killenaule), James Butler (Sean Treacys) Tiarnán Ryan (Holycross Ballycahill); Eoghan Hickey (Holycross Ballycahill),  Cillian Minogue (Thurles Sarsfields), Chris Dunne (Gortnahoe Glengoole).

Subs used: Conor Kennedy (Clonoulty Rossmore) for Dunne (46); Zach O’Keeffe (Holycross Ballycahill) for Hickey (49).

Referee: Joe Mullins (Clare)