Tipperary schools head into crucial phase of the Harty Cup

The Dr. Harty Cup is one of the most prized competitions in hurling. Winners achieve a type of immortality; their names are forever associated with the achievement. A Harty medal is a treasured possession.

The Harty is also seen as a breeding ground for future inter-county talent. When a county’s secondary schools are thriving there’s usually a future pay-off for county teams. It’s perhaps instructive that only one Cork school – Midleton CBS in 2019 – has won a Harty title in the last 20 years. In the corresponding period Limerick (Ardscoil Rís) won five times and Tipperary had six wins spread over four schools.

It has been a profitable period for Tipperary post-primary schools, especially winning the last four Hartys on the trot. That’s going to be difficult to extend this year but either way it’s been an unprecedented era for the county at this level.

The present competition heads into its third and deciding round next week with three Tipperary schools still in the reckoning for knockout places. Our Lady’s Templemore are out of contention following two defeats but Cashel CS revived their challenge with a spectacular win over Thurles CBS last week and St. Joseph’s Nenagh kept the defence of their title alive with a draw against Colaiste Mhuire (North Monastery).

That Cashel/Thurles game last Wednesday at Boherlahan was a real cracker. As a local derby it had lots of atmosphere and edge with, in some cases, divided loyalties. Boherlahan, for example, had players on both sides.

Cashel went in as underdogs but tore up the script in dramatic fashion. Coming off their defeat to Tralee CBS in the opening round, they needed something special to stay alive in the competition and they certainly produced the necessary.

They started in a whirlwind with 1-4 on the board before Thurles realised they had a battle on their hands. The goal was neatly done. Eimhin Ryan collected a sideline cut and sidestepped the cover to finish from close range. It was the perfect launch for outsiders.

Thurles eventually got into it, with Chris Dunne their main score-source from play and frees. But Cashel were defending doggedly with big displays from the likes of Tommy O’Connor, James Finn and Senan Mackey. Denis O’Callaghan and Shane Cooney were busy outfield and they kept spinning off the points to lead by six at the break, 1-10 to 0-7.

A Thurles rally was expected and it did come. Early in the second half Darragh O’Dwyer provided the finish when a Jack Cahill free from outfield came back off the post. That cut the lead to three but CBS struggled to push on. They had bad wides from a variety of sources and Cashel were more economical as they kept them at bay.

Into the last ten minutes Thurles substitute, Zack O’Keeffe, had their second goal to again cut the margin to three points and set up a grandstand finish. The final phase of the game was hectic.

The tension was palpable as Thurles chased down the lead. Cashel defended heroically as an extraordinary nine minutes of added time was played. A huge Jack Cahill free six minutes over time cut the lead to the minimum but Cashel had the last word when man of the match, Boherlahan’s Conor Fogarty, fetched and fired the sealing point.

It was dramatic stuff. Cashel, who were never led, deserved the win. They had big displays all over as they limited the effect of key men on the Thurles side. They defended without retreating too much, picked their scores more economically and bravely saw it out in the extended period of added time.

Amazingly, all four teams in Group 1 are now tied on two points, with the final round of games to decide who qualifies. Cashel CS face De La Salle Waterford while Thurles CBS face Tralee CBS. It’s all to play for.

Meanwhile, Nenagh CBS and Ardscoil Rís are tied on three points each on top of Group 2. Their meeting in the final round will be a crunch affair; North Monastery and Midleton CBS meet in the other group tie with many permutations possible.

Meanwhile, Munster club action dominates this weekend, with Tipperary heavily involved. Topping the list will be Sarsfields’ trip to Cusack Park for a semi-final joust with Clare champs, Inagh-Kilnamona. Following their win over Glen Rovers, the Banner men will be buoyant and deserving favourites against a Sarsfields team hoping to improve on the club’s past record in Munster.

Thurles Sarsfields have won nine county titles since the ending of their 31-year famine in 2005. That includes a four-in-a-row between 2014 and 2017. Yet for all that local dominance they managed just a single provincial success. On a frosty day in 2012 they defeated De La Salle at Páirc Uí Chaoimh. However, Offaly’s Kilcormac-Killoughey were too strong in the All-Ireland semi-final.

It’s a poor record for a club of Sarsfields stature and, by extension, doesn’t reflect well on the Tipperary championship. There is a general perception that Sarsfields are well stocked with top-of-the-ground skilful hurlers but when conditions get heavy in winter, they’re less well equipped for the demands.

This time they face a formidable challenge in Inagh-Kilnamona. The first-time Clare champions looked hugely impressive in their quarter-final dismantling of Glen Rovers. Out of the blocks early, they got ahead and stayed there.

They out-tackled, out-worked and generally bossed the Cork champions for most of that game. The lead was seven points at half time (1-12 to 1-5) with David Fitzgerald lashing in the goal. Patrick Horgan got a goal back from a free late in the half. Seven points was less than the Clare men deserved at that juncture.

Even when Horgan and company put on a spurt early in the second half, Inagh-Kilnamona weathered the storm and eventually came home strong seven-point winners. It was a comprehensive win.

Here in Tipperary, we’re familiar with players like Aidan McCarthy, David Fitzgerald and Sean Rynne but they have others from the Clare Under 20 side who will also be recognised by Tipperary followers. They’re formidable.

Also on Sunday St. Mary’s travel to Tralee to take on Abbeydorney in the semi-final of the Intermediate grade. Following their thrilling win over Ballincollig, the Clonmel side carry hopes of further progress in a grade where Upperchurch excelled last year. The Kerry side are senior champions in their county and have a quarter-final win over Waterford’s Clashmore to encourage them. It will be another stiff challenge for the Tipp side and like Sarsfields they carry our best wishes.

That game comes a week after Mary’s spiritual leader, Seamus Kennedy, announced his retirement from inter-county hurling. The tributes have been many and generous for a hurler who inspired both on and off the pitch during an 11-year career.

Seamus Kennedy was one of those understated players who excelled at both codes. He has the distinction of representing Tipperary at minor, Under 21 and senior in both hurling and football, something that is increasingly rare in Gaelic games nowadays.

His two finest moments were undoubtedly the 2016 and 2019 All-Ireland hurling finals. He seemed to produce his best hurling in Croke Park on the biggest stage, which reflected his big-game temperament. Indeed, in the past week a friend has posted an extraordinary statistic that Kennedy scored more from play in the 2016 and 2019 All-Ireland finals than T.J. Reid, who also called it a day recently.

He retires having done his county considerable service. Unpretentious and modest, a man of no airs and many graces, the Tipperary dressing room will be poorer for his absence. There’s hardly a better role model for aspiring youngsters.

Finally, a Munster title came to Tipperary at the weekend, though from the lack of media coverage you’d be forgiven for not noticing. Boherlahan/Dualla travelled to Cappamore on Sunday where they dispatched Cork’s best, Ballinhassig, in the Intermediate camogie final.

It was an outstanding performance from the first-time Tipperary Intermediate champions. They laid down a marker early on with some slick point-taking and then a finely-finished Anna Murphy goal.

Ballinhassig had a goal of their own from their key player, Caitriona Collins. The full forward kept her side in the hunt with impressive free-taking as well, so there were only two points in it at half time.

However, Boherlahan powered on in a dominant second-half display, which saw further goals from Susie Delaney and Clodagh Horgan finally quell any Ballinhassig resistance. The Cork champs scored a mere two points from second half play as dominant Boherlahan pulled off an historic win.

Skill and tenacity were the hallmarks of Boherlahan’s display. They defended superbly, Ellie Ryan was dominant around midfield and all the forwards got on the scoresheet, led by player of the match, Susie Delaney. It was a famous win for the Tipperary champions. Cahir were the only other Tipperary winners back in 2015 when they also won the All-Ireland.