John Brennan keeps a cool head as Harty Cup games take a hit

The man charged with keeping a cool head amid the cold temperatures yesterday was the servicing officer of the Munster Post-Primary Schools GAA, John Brennan.

There had been 10 games — including three Dr Harty Cup quarter-finals — under the organisation’s jurisdiction scheduled for yesterday but the bad weather meant all of them were postponed early in the day. Brennan admits that it was his toughest day in the role, weather-wise.

“I had been lucky in the previous two years since I took over the role,” Brennan said, “until this week there hadn’t been anything like that number of games called off. It’s definitely the most in one go but it’s out of your control, you get on with it.

“You try to make sure you have plans in place, I would have been in contact with the venues on Tuesday night to make sure somebody was walking the pitch early in the morning so that I’d have the info by 10am. The last thing you’d want is for a school to bear the cost of travelling to a venue only for it to be postponed at a late stage. I’m lucky there are good contacts built up with the various schools and venues and the situation was able to be managed.”

It is hoped one of yesterday’s games, the Harty quarter-final between St Francis College, Rochestown and Nenagh CBS will go ahead today in Charleville, with a 1pm throw-in, while the other two last-eight ties are pencilled in for next week.

“Rochestown are still involved in the Corn Uí Mhuirí,” Brennan said, “so they are eager to play as soon as possible as they were conscious of the training plan in place.

“In fairness to Nenagh, they were willing to accept that and, hopefully, the game will go ahead, though, of course, it’ll be dependent on another early-morning pitch inspection.

“We’ll do whatever we can in our power to get the games played.”

FIXTURES: TODAY: Dr Harty Cup quarter-final:

St Francis College Rochestown v Nenagh CBS, Charleville, 1pm.

Corn Risteard Uí Mhathúna (U18½CHC) quarter-finals:

John The Baptist Hospital v Coláiste Chríost Rí, Mallow (Pitch 4), 12 noon; Carraig na bhFear v Kinsale CS, St Vincent’s, 12.30pm.

MONDAY: Dr Harty Cup quarter-final:

Hamilton HS Bandon v Ardscoil Rís, Mallow, 1.30pm.

WEDNESDAY: Dr Harty Cup quarter-final:

Castletroy College v Pobalscoil na Tríonóide Youghal, Cahir, 1.30pm.