Top class Nenagh hold all the aces in Harty Cup
The sides were level at 0-3 apiece at the end of a first-half in which the Limerick side failed to use the elements to their advantage, shooting 10 wides in the opening period.
They also were up against a confident goalkeeper in Rory Brislane, who made a fine early save to deny Barry O’Connor. The corner-forward did open the scoring with an eighth minute free in difficult bitterly cold and wet conditions.
Three frees from star forward Bryan McLoughney kept Nenagh in the hunt in the first-half and, with the elements at their backs for the second-half, it didn’t take the North Tipp school long to assume control after the break with Barry Coffey putting his side in front, set up by the outstanding Bryan McLoughney who followed it up with the first of two 65’s in an impressive individual performance.
Ard Scoil Rís kept in the hunt through the lively Barry O’Connor but Nenagh were more clinical with Jack Nolan, Coffey (2) and McLoughney stretching their advantage before Kildangan clubman McLoughney put the result beyond doubt with a 57th minute goal,.
Points from Ronan Clifford and McLoughney’s sixth rounded off an impressive victory.
B McLoughney (1-6 (0-3f, 0-2 65s); B Coffey 0-3; S Kirwan, R Clifford, D Nolan, J Boland 0-1 each
B O’Connor (1 free), A McNamara 0-2 each; J Gillane 0-1.
R Brislane; C O’Brien, F Starr, D McKelvey; M O’Neill, E Murphy (Capt), K McCarthy; S Spillane, S Kirwan; B McLoughney, B Boffey, R Clifford; D Nolan, J Boland, S Shanahan.
J O’Keeffe for Shanahan (44); J McGrath for Spillane (60).
C O’Brien; S Gallagher, M Daly, F Mac Giolla Cearra; E McEvoy, S Long, L Fitzpatrick; J Considine, A McNamara; J Daly, M Gaule, A Moriarty; J Gillane, C Bourke, B O’Connor.
E Keogh for Daly (56).
J Larkin (Cork).
