Ard Scoil Rís win and qualify in fine style

Ard Scoil Rís 3-19 Midleton CBS 2-7

Magnificently led by centre back Nicky O’Carroll, full forward Darach Honan and corner forward Tom O’Brien; the Limerick college led from the 50th second when Honan struck a point. Hurling with supreme confidence all over the field, they crushed the former champions who were a huge disappointment.

O’Carroll was majestic in defence while Honan gave Midleton’s Alywin Kearney a torrid time, scoring 1-5 off the Cork minor full back. O’Brien also showed his scoring prowess, scoring 2-5.

Despite fielding a number of players who figured in their Harty Cup success of 2005, Midleton never looked like repeating the feat.

They looked a jaded side, particularly those who played with the county minors in this year’s All-Ireland final, and at minor, under-21, senior and intermediate hurling with their clubs.

Pádraig O’Shea worked his socks off at wing back, while Luke O’Farrell was their only forward to make an impression.

With the strong wind to their backs in the opening half the Limerick school needed a sizeable half- time lead if they were to have any chance, and things were looking good for them when Tom O’Brien scored a goal after 15 minutes.

They then hit six unanswered points which took them to a 1-11 to 0-5 half-time lead and it looked to be good enough, given how well they had been defending in the opening half.

A Paul Haughney point seconds after the resumption raised hopes of a Midleton recovery but it was a false dawn. Limerick struck back with goals by Darach Honan and Tom O’Brien, and there was only going to be one result.

Luke O’Farrell tried all he knew to try and rescue his side but his goal was only a token score as a resolute Ard Scoil defence, in which Nicky O’Carroll was a colossus at centre back, defied the best Midleton had to offer to run out comfortable winners.

Scorers for Ard Scoil Rís : T O’Brien 2-5 (0-4 frees); D Honan 1-5; N O’Carroll 0-3 (0-2 frees, 0-1 65); K Downes, N Kennedy 0-2 each; P Gleeson, C Ryan 0-1 each.

Midleton CBS: P Haughney 0-4 (frees);

L Farrell, R White 1-0 each; J Nagle,

P O’Keeffe, P O’Shea (free) 0-1 each.

ARD SCOIL RIS: B Hennessy; I O’Donoghue, A Sherlock, E Mulvihill; C McInerney,

N O’Carroll, D Lynch; P Gleeson, K Kennedy; N Kennedy, C Ryan, K Downes; K Brennan,

D Honan, T O’Brien.

Subs: G Quilligan for Lynch; D Hannon for Gleeson; N Buckley for Mulvihill; R Sheehan for Brennan; J O’Brien for T O’Brien.

MIDLETON CBS: C Lehane; B O Tuama,

A Kearney, S Richards; P O’Shea, C Rice, F O’Brien; J Nagle, P O’Keeffe; E Healy, R White, P Haughney; L O’Farrell, P O’Neill, J Keane.

Subs: D Moynihan for Rice; J Aherne for O’Neill; B Hartnett for O’Keeffe.

Referee: S McMahon (Clare).