John Fogarty and Eoghan Cormican preview the weekend's GAA fixtures.

Eleven months ago, over 7,000 people descended upon Páirc Uí Rinn for the Dr Harty Cup decider between Midleton CBS and Christian Brothers College.

A goal five minutes into injury time by Tipperary and Borris-Ileigh teenage star James ('JD') Devaney gave Our Lady’s Templemore the narrowest of victories over Thurles CBS in the Tipperary Derby in the Dr Harty Cup at The Ragg.

When Brendan Maher nailed the late free which pushed Borris-Ileigh three points ahead yesterday, his hurley split from the bas upon the moment of impact, the loose shaft of ash clearly flying off into the late winter dusk.

In testing conditions, they were forced to play three-quarters of this third round a player down after Jarlath Collins received a straight red card for an altercation with an opposing player in the 18th minute.

Ardscoil Rís are up and running in the Dr Harty Cup following a comfortable victory over St Francis College in Mallow.

Ryan McCarthy gave an exceptional display of accuracy from placed balls, the Killeagh man firing 12 points from frees and a superb sideline cut.

One evening a few weeks back, Jackie Tyrrell and I were talking about the Dr Harty Cup when I mentioned to Jackie that my Harty medal from 1987 meant far more to me than the Croke Cup (All-Ireland) I won with St Flannan’s against St Kieran’s six weeks later.

A place in the Munster Senior Schools Cup final is at stake at Musgrave Park today as Cork’s Christian Brothers College takes on Ardscoil Rís, representing the Treaty City.

After 101 years of waiting, the Christian Brothers College supporters weren’t in any rush to leave a damp Kilfinane on Saturday.

A compelling Dr Harty Cup semi-final at the Fraher Field last Saturday ended in dramatic fashion, with Midleton CBS securing a last-gasp goal to deny a gallant De La Salle outfit.

De La Salle College has set up a semi-final date with Midleton CBS in the Dr Harty Cup following their blistering first-half performance at the Fraher Field that saw them claim victory over St Colman’s College.

Goals were the order of the day for Midleton CBS at Bansha today as they crushed Our Lady’s Templemore to reach the last four of the Dr Harty Cup.

St Colman’s College finished top of Group A in the Dr Harty Cup at Kilmallock yesterday completing three wins out of three and qualification for the quarter-final stage. However, it brought an end to the reign of champions Ardscoil Rís, with Nenagh CBS taking second place.

Cork County Board secretary Frank Murphy has reiterated his opposition to the GAA decision to change the inter-county minor grade from U18 to U17, and he also maintains the U20 All-Ireland finals should not replace the minor deciders as senior curtain-raisers.

Reigning Dr Harty Cup (Munster PPS U18½AHC) champions Our Lady’s Secondary School will clash with John The Baptist CS of Hospital in the quarter-finals of the current competition.

ARDSCOIL RÍS recorded a big victory over a young Charleville CBS side in the opening round of the Dr Harty Cup at Kilmallock today. 

St Colman’s Fermoy 1-8 Midleton CBS 0-7: When the most coveted piece of silverware in Munster Colleges hurling last resided at St Colman’s, it sat in a display cabinet next to the Dean Ryan Cup.

St Colman’s, Fermoy 3-12 CBC, Cork 1-12: Three goals in a wind-assisted first-half proved priceless for Fermoy’s St Colman’s College, who booked their place in the Dr Harty Cup semi-finals for the second successive year in seeing off Christian Brothers College at Church Road in Blackrock yesterday.

Thurles CBS 0-14 Abbey CBS 0-9: It was not an afternoon for aesthetics as Thurles CBS ground out a five-point win over John Kiely’s Abbey CBS side in greasy conditions to book their place in the last eight of the Dr Harty Cup.

Ardscoil Rís 4-16 Charleville CBS 1-7: Ardscoil Rís produced another impressive display in the Dr Harty Cup at Kilmallock yesterday, beating Charleville CBS by 18-points. The champions, who defeated Hamilton High in the first round by a big margin, scored 4-14 from play, are now in the last eight.

CBC, Cork 3-18 St Francis College, Rochestown 3-12: It says much about the second-half turnaround by CBC in this Dr Harty Cup last-16 clash at Church Road yesterday that the six-point winning margin flattered their opponents more than themselves.

Despite Skibbereen CS’s win, they exit the competition as St Flannan’s College triumphed against Pobalscoil Chorca Dhuibhne in the other Group D game.

Scoil na Tríonóide Naofa of Doon topped Group A of the Dr Harty Cup (Munster PPS U18½AHC) as they overcame CBC Cork by 0-12 to 0-10 at Charleville yesterday.

Ardscoil Rís 0-11 Our Lady’s Templemore 0-8: Eighteen sides have won the Dr Harty Cup since its inception, 92 years ago.

CBS HS Clonmel (Tipperary) 1-10 St Francis College, Rochestown (Cork) 0-7: Football in Clonmel is enjoying something of a golden age, and the prospect of a dream-like spring remains a reality after Saturday’s Corn Uí Mhuirí semi-final in Fermoy.

St Colman’s College, Fermoy 2-12 CBC Cork 0-11: St Colman’s College overcame the brave challenge of CBC in the Dr Harty Cup in Mallow yesterday to book their spot in the semi-final against Ardscoil Rís.

De La Salle (Waterford) 0-13 Nenagh CBS (Tipperary) 0-10: A fruitful period at the start of the second-half — and a desire to prove others wrong — helped Waterford’s De La Salle to overcome Nenagh CBS in Kilmallock yesterday to book their place in the semi-finals of the Dr Harty Cup.

Six steps from heaven stand the students of Rochestown College.

A leading Cork Ladies Football Board official has described speculation linking senior boss Eamonn Ryan with a switch to the men’s team as “a bolt out of the blue”.

Nenagh CBS 4-18 Thurles CBS 0-14: Holders Thurles CBS crashed out of the Dr Harty Cup after their Tipperary rivals Nenagh CBS produced a devastating second-half performance in Templemore yesterday.

Last year’s champions Thurles CBS made it two wins from two in Group C of the Dr Harty Cup as they pulled away from Scoil na Tríonóide Naofa of Doon in the final quarter at Toomevara yesterday.

CBC (Cork) 2-7 St Flannan’s College (Ennis) 0-11: A first Dr Harty Cup campaign in almost a century for Cork’s Christian Brothers College will continue into the new year after they booked a quarter-final spot with a battling win over St Flannan’s at Kilmallock yesterday.

With 20 titles, St Brendan’s College’s position at the top of the Corn Uí Mhuirí roll of honour is assured for a while yet.

A combination of factors has meant today is the day Midleton CBS begin their Dr Harty Cup campaign, with a Group A clash against Ardscoil Rís in Cahir (1.30pm).