Both teams advance as Cashel Community School win all-Tipperary Harty Cup clash

Cashel Community School 4-18 Our Lady's Secondary School Templemore 2-21

Cashel Community School, the defending champions, are through to the knockout stages of the 2023/24 TUS Dr Harty Cup following their three-point victory over Our Lady’s School Templemore in this Tipperary derby at Fethard Town Park on Wednesday afternoon.

Following a Round 1 defeat to Gaelcholaiste Mhuire, the Cashel side got back on track in what was a fascinating contest at the all-weather venue. They were out of the traps in whirlwind fashion and when joint captain Oisin O’Donoghue flashed over a point after just seventeen seconds, they signalled their intent.

They were four points to the good after four minutes, and eight ahead two minutes later following two goals in a ninety-minute spell from the O’Donoghue brothers.

They had stretched that advantage out to eleven by the 16th minute, as they completely ran riot. Twelve points separated the sides at the half-time break, which couldn’t come quickly enough for the Templemore side.

A spirited second half comeback by Our Lady’s just came up short, but at the end the crowd were treated to a grandstand finish, as the Templemore side sought to reduce their inferior score difference. In this respect the injury time goal and a point from top scorer, Jamie Ormond, proved vital and was enough to get them to the knockout stages at the expense of Gaelcholaiste Mhuire of Cork with a greater total score over their two games. Both sides had finished with the same score difference of minus one, with the holders on plus two.

Cashel started this must- win contest in whirlwind fashion with joint captain, Oisin O’Donoghue, splitting the posts after just seventeen seconds following the throw-in. The other joint captain, Shane Buckley doubled this advantage from a placed ball one minute later.

The Knockavilla/Donaskeigh Kickhams clubman followed up with a similar score from open play before wing back Charlie Ryan flashed over a long-range effort. The holders were now four to the good as they ripped Templemore apart with strong attacking play.

A Jamie Ormond converted free got Our Lady’s off the mark but from the subsequent restart Cashel drove up field and Oisin O’Donoghue struck a bullet- like shot to the top corner of the net after splitting the defence wide open.

Ninety seconds later, goal number two arrived following a Shane Buckley mishit free, which dropped short. The younger of the O’Donoghue brothers, Briaín, reacted quickly to deliver a killer blow. Cashel were now eight points to the good and dictating the play both on the field and on the scoreboard.

Jamie Ormond hit his third point from a placed ball before Oisin O’Donoghue and Charlie Ryan replied with two wonder points.
Jack Marnell pulled one back for Our Lady’s and Philip O’Dwyer got in for his opening score. The Templemore side were gradually coming to terms with the Cashel onslaught but were hit with another goal from Briaín O’Donoghue after he received a pinpoint pass from the hard working Padraig Dalton.

Scores were hard to come by for the next ten minutes. Tommy Breen saved well from the industrious Philip O’Dwyer before Jamie Ormond hit his fourth of the day from a placed ball.

The Cashel defence was very disciplined and clinical in their tackles, not giving away handy frees. Cashel’s fourth goal came on 24 minutes. After Padraig Dalton’s initial run at the Templemore defence broke down, Seamus Kennedy was on hand to pounce and the Clonoulty/Rossmore clubman made no mistake from close range.

The final five minutes before the break was Our Lady’s best period, as they put over three points to cut the deficit to four clear goals at the break.

The half-time score was Cashel CS 4-10 Our Lady’s 0-10.

Our Lady’s needed a good start to the second half, and they hit three unanswered points in the opening two minutes, two from Joey Quinn and one from Jamie Ormond after good work by Philip O’Dwyer.

Oisin O’Donoghue converted a free after Seamus Kennedy was fouled and Shane Buckley followed up with his fourth of the day when he finished off a move involving Padraig Dalton and Seamus Kennedy.

Our Lady’s then hit five of the next seven scores, which included a goal from Ciaran O’Shea, when he was first to react to a shot from Ormond that was blocked down. This goal reduced the deficit to six with fifteen minutes of normal time remaining.
The big question was if Our Lady’s could salvage something from the game. With nine minutes of normal time remaining it didn’t look like it, as Oisin O’Donoghue and Shane Buckley stretched Cashel’s advantage out to eight.

Tommy Breen again saved from Ciaran O’Shea but the final six minutes plus added time was all about Jamie Ormond. The Brackens clubman literally lifted his side into the knockout stages single-handedly. He converted two frees in the 24th and 25th minutes but they still trailed by seven as the game entered added time.

One minute into added time his twenty metre free found the net and forty seconds later he split the posts from open play, to cut the deficit to three. This vital point ensured that his team were level on score difference with the third placed team in this group, Gaelcholaiste Mhuire, but over their two group games they had scored more than the Cork side and now advance to the preliminary quarter final.

Cashel CS: Tommy Breen (Boherlahan/Dualla), Jack Dalton (Golden/Kilfeacle), Brian Manton (Cashel KC), Noah O’Flynn (Fethard), Gavin Dalton (Golden/Kilfeacle), Dylan Fogarty (Boherlahan/Dualla), Charlie Ryan (Boherlahan/Dualla 0-2), Shane Buckley (Joint captain 0-6, 2 frees), Patrick Colville (Rosegreen 0-1), Shane Cooney (Clerihan), Oisin O’Donoghue (Cashel KC 1-7, 4 frees), Padraig Dalton (Golden/ Kilfeacle), Briaín O’Donoghue (Cashel KC 2-1), Adam Daly (Knockavilla/Donaskeigh Kickhams 0-1), Seamus Kennedy (Clonoulty/Rossmore 1-0).

Subs: Ben Kirby (Boherlahan/ Dualla) for Seamus Kennedy (47), Colin Burke (Rosegreen) for Padraig Dalton (47), Sam Hall (Golden/Kilfeacle) for Noah O’Flynn (49), Rory O’Mahoney (Fethard) for Shane Cooney (57), Charlie Walsh (Fethard) for Briaín O’Donoghue (57).

Our Lady’s Templemore: Mikey Ryan (Loughmore/Castleiney), Tommy Burke (JK Brackens), Eoghan Kennedy (Drom/Inch), Tom Corcoran (JK Brackens), TJ Kinnane (Drom/Inch), Cormac Cahill (Drom/Inch), Shay Gleeson (Clonakenny/Moneygall), Michael Cahill (JK Brackens), Jamie Ormond (JK Brackens 1-13, 1-9 frees), Eoin Boyle (Borris/Ileigh 0-1), Ciaran O’Shea (JK Brackens 1-1), Jack Marnell (JK Brackens 0-1), Joey Quinn (Loughmore/Castleiney) (0-3), Sean Stapleton (Clonakenny/ Moneygall), Philip O’Dwyer (Upperchurch/Drombane 0-2).

Sub: Kieran McGrath (JK Brackens) for Sean Stapleton (41).

Referee: Tom Loughnane (Gortnahoe/Glengoole).