Cashel CS spring trap to down Thurles CBS in thrilling all-Tipp Harty clash

TUS Dr Harty Cup Group 1 Round 2

Cashel Community School 1-17

Thurles CBS 2-12

Cashel Community School kept their Harty Cup aspirations alive with a stunning Tipperary derby victory over Thurles CBS in a raucous atmosphere in Boherlahan on Wednesday afternoon, producing a performance full of intensity, determination and no shortage of quality to claim a deserved two-point win.

Having suffered an opening-round defeat to Tralee CBS, nothing other than victory would realistically suffice for the 2022 champions, but they responded magnificently against a Thurles side that had comprehensively defeated De La Salle College in their opening fixture.

Cashel were comfortably the better team for long periods, with their relentless work rate and physicality causing serious problems for their more heralded opponents, but they still had to survive a frantic nine minutes of additional time before securing the points.

The foundations were laid during a sensational opening seven minutes, when everything Cashel touched appeared to turn to gold.

Charlie Hall opened the scoring with a free inside thirty seconds, before Denis O'Callaghan and Shane Cooney added points.

The game's opening goal arrived in the fifth minute when Eimhin Ryan latched onto a Conor Fogarty sideline cut, rounded his marker and buried a superb effort into the net.

Ryan quickly added a point, leaving Cashel an astonishing 1-4 to 0-0 ahead.

Thurles gradually settled, with two Chris Dunne frees and an Eoin Kennedy point reducing the deficit, but Cashel's dominance in general play continued.

Fogarty was outstanding in attack, combining excellent ball-winning with accurate shooting, while Ultan O'Donoghue was another major physical presence.

Further points from Fogarty, Cian Fitzgerald, O'Donoghue, O'Callaghan, Bobby McLoughlin and Cooney helped Cashel maintain their advantage, with Thurles relying heavily on Dunne to keep the scoreboard ticking over.

Aaron Darmody completed the first-half scoring, leaving Cashel 1-10 to 0-7 ahead at the interval.

Thurles missed a glorious opportunity to reduce the deficit in the 33rd minute when Darragh O'Dwyer broke through on goal but fired narrowly wide.

Fogarty punished that miss with a free before Thurles struck for a crucial goal in the 36th minute.

Jack Cahill's long-range free cannoned off the upright, and Darragh Doyle reacted quickest to gather possession before supplying O'Dwyer, who finished from close range.

However, Cashel responded emphatically with three unanswered points through Fitzgerald, Fogarty and O'Donoghue, restoring their six-point cushion.

Senan Mackey, pushed further forward after the restart, added another excellent point in the 52nd minute to leave Cashel 1-15 to 1-9 ahead.

Yet Thurles refused to give up the ghost.

Doyle again provided the crucial intervention, gathering a long delivery inside the 21-yard line before feeding substitute Zach O'Keeffe, who finished clinically past Jason O'Sullivan.

A Dunne free subsequently reduced the deficit to two points, and Thurles almost snatched the initiative in the 57th minute when Ciarán O'Mahoney broke forward with space ahead of him.

Rather than take the straightforward point, he went for goal, but his tame effort was gathered by O'Sullivan, who subsequently won a free.

The closing stages were frantic, with Cashel increasingly retreating into their defensive shape as Thurles piled on the pressure.

Points from Kennedy and Cahill brought the Mid Tipperary school within a solitary point deep into additional time, leaving Cashel desperately clinging to their advantage.

However, Fogarty produced the defining moment in the 67th minute, brilliantly fetching an O'Sullivan puck-out, shrugging off his marker and floating over a magnificent left-footed point to restore a two-point cushion.

There was still time for further Thurles attacks, but Cashel's defenders threw their bodies into everything, crowding out the danger and refusing to relinquish their lead.

When referee Tom McGlinchey finally sounded the whistle after nine minutes of additional time, the Cashel supporters flooded onto the pitch in celebration.

It was a victory built on tremendous collective effort, with Fogarty, O'Donoghue and Cooney particularly influential, and one which leaves Cashel heading into their final group fixture with a genuine opportunity to reach the knockout stages.

Scorers: Cashel Community School: Conor Fogarty (0-4, 0-2f), Eimhin Ryan 1-1, Denis O'Callaghan (0-2, 0-1f), Cian Fitzgerald, Shane Cooney, Ultan O'Donoghue 0-2 each, Charlie Hall 0-1f, Bobby McLoughlin, Senan Mackey, Jack Donnelly all 0-1 each.

Thurles CBS: Chris Dunne (0-6, 0-4f), Jack Cahill (0-3, 0-2f), Zach O'Keeffe, Darragh O'Dwyer 1-0 each, Eoin Kennedy 0-2, Aaron Darmody 0-1.

Cashel Community School: Jason O'Sullivan (Cashel King Cormacs); Bobby McLoughlin (Boherlahan Dualla), Tommy O'Connor (Cashel King Cormacs), Kyle Cully (Cashel King Cormacs); James Finn (Golden Kilfeacle), Senan Mackey (Knockavilla Kickhams), Ben Fitzgerald (Cashel King Cormacs); Shane Cooney (Clerihan), Charlie Hall (Golden Kilfeacle); Ultan O'Donoghue (Cashel King Cormacs), Denis O'Callaghan (Cashel King Cormacs), Cian Fitzgerald (Cashel King Cormacs); Eimhin Ryan (Cashel King Cormacs), Conor Fogarty (Boherlahan Dualla), Harry Hickey (Clerihan).

Subs used: Harry O'Connor (Cashel King Cormacs) for C Fitzgerald (54, inj); Jack Donnelly (Golden Kilfeacle) for O'Donoghue (59); Evan Ryan (Cashel King Cormacs) for Mackey (61, inj); Jack O'Gara (Holycross Ballycahill) for Hickey (64).

Thurles CBS: Rory Crosse (Boherlahan Dualla); Orán Fogarty (Thurles Sarsfields), Conor Kennedy (Boherlahan Dualla), Ciarán O'Mahoney (Thurles Sarsfields); Danny Barry (Fethard), Seán Griffin (Upperchurch Drombane), Darragh Hickey (Emeralds); Jack Cahill (Ballingarry), Conor Kennedy (Clonoulty Rossmore); Darragh Doyle (Killenaule), Eoin Kennedy (Boherlahan Dualla), Charlie Lawlor (Thurles Sarsfields); Chris Dunne (Gortnahoe Glengoole), Aaron Darmody (Thurles Sarsfields), Darragh O'Dwyer (Thurles Sarsfields).

Subs used: Zach O'Keeffe (Holycross Ballycahill) for Lawlor (HT); Cathal Lillis (Drom & Inch) for Dunne (61).

Referee: Tom McGlinchey (Newport)