Nenagh CBS earn significant Harty Cup win over Ardscoil Ris

Nenagh CBS 2-23 Ardscoil Ris 3-12

By Shane Brophy

Nenagh CBS bounced back from an opening round loss to hand defending champions Ardscoil Ris a significant defeat in this group A Dr Harty Cup tie in Newport.

The North Tipperary men were hugely disappointing in their thirteen point loss to St Colman’s of Fermoy and knew another defeat would spell the end of their hopes of progressing from a hugely competitive group that also contains Gaelcholaiste North Mon with the Cork sides meeting next week.

And with their backs to the wall, Nenagh produced a superb performance, particularly from the fifteenth minute onwards after the Limerick side dominated the early stages and opened a four point lead on eight minutes with the help of a smashing Conor Bourke goal.

Nenagh struggled in attack early on with Bryan McLoughney contributing their first five points (all from frees) by the quarter hour in what would be a bittersweet day for the corner forward who finished with a haul of 1-13.

His fifth free cut the margin to two when Nenagh suddenly found their rhythm going onto add three points from play through Sean Hayes (2) and McLoughney to take the lead before they scored their first goal in the 20th minute as a Conor O’Brien’s long range shot dropped short but Kian O’Kelly managed to put Ardscoil keeper Cillian O’Brien off as the ball landed in the net.

Points from Kevin McCarthy (2) and McLoughney helped Nenagh into a six point lead but Ardscoil Ris stemmed the tide on 25 minutes when Sean Connolly goaled and with Emmet McEvoy pointing, cut the deficit to two at half time, 1-11 to 2-6.

With the fresh breeze at their backs to come, the holders looked to be well positioned and were quickly level after the resumption with point from Conor Bourke and Cathal O’Neill. However, Limerick minor star O’Neill had an off day, shooting nine wides, five from frees, but when he goaled on 40 minutes to put his side in front, Ardscoil Ris looked to have timed their move.

Nenagh dug in impressively and reeled off 1-5 without reply over the next six minutes, 1-3 from the outstanding McLoughney, but his day ended prematurely on 48 minutes as he was given a straight red card after connecting with the head of John McSweeney under a dropping ball with the Limerick defender forced off.

However, Ardscoil Ris never looked like taking advantage of the extra man, scoring just one point from then on through Colin Coughlan in added time as Nenagh added four more to record a hugely significant win and also repairing much of the score difference damage from their opening day loss in the process.

Scorers for Nenagh: B McLoughney 1-13 (0-10 frees); K McCarthy 0-4 (3 frees); C O’Brien 1-0; S Hayes, K O’Kelly 0-2 each; C Moran, C Hennessy 0-1 each.

Scorers for Ardscoil Ris: C O’Neill 1-4 (0-4 frees); S Connolly 1-2; C Bourke 1-1; A O’Connor, A Moriarty, A McNamara, E McEvoy, C Coughlan 0-1 each.

Nenagh CBS: R Brislane (Toomevara); B Keating (Portroe), C O’Brien (Portroe), D Spillane (Toomevara); C Bourke (Ballina), D McKelvey (Silvermines), S Phelan (Nenagh Eire Og); O Murphy (Silvermines), D Nolan (Silvermines); C Moran (Shannon Rovers), S Spillane (Silvermines), S Hayes (Kiladangan); B McLoughney (Kiladangan), K McCarthy (Toomevara), K O’Kelly (Kilruane MacDonaghs).

Subs: C Hennessy (Nenagh Eire Og) for S Spillane (37); B Cooney (Burgess) for Murphy (54).

Ardscoil Ris: C O’Brien (Clonlara); J McMahon (Clonlara), E Keogh (Cratloe), B Daly (Kilmallock); C O’Meara (Clonlara); C Coughlan (Ballybrown), J McSweeney (Adare); A McNamara (Na Piarsaigh), E McEvoy (Na Piarsaigh); S Long (Na Piarsaigh), C O’Neill (Crecora), C Bourke (Clonlara); S Connolly (Adare), A Moriarty (Clonlara), A O’Connor (Ballybrown).

Subs: S Hannon (Patrickswell) for O’Meara (46); D Kennedy (Claughan) for McSweeney (48 inj);

Referee: J Lees (Newport, Tipperary)