Ardscoil Rís hold off Nenagh rally to book Harty Cup quarter-final spot

The Tipperary side stormed back in the final minutes but the stopwatch caught up with them.

Michael Gavin, Ardscoil Rís bursting between Darragh McCarthy, and Adam Steed of Nenagh CBS during their Dr. Harty Cup Munster Post Primary Schools A U19 hurling championship at Sixmilebridge. Picture Dan Linehan

Harty Cup: Ardscoil Rís 0-18 Nenagh CBS 0-16 

LIMERICK side Ardscoil Rís just held off a late charge from Nenagh CBS in this round one Dr Harty Cup tie in Sixmilebridge.

Ardscoil Rís were six points clear in the third quarter but the Tipperary side stormed back in the final minutes before the stopwatch eventually caught up with them.

Ardscoil Rís had six pointed frees from Niall O’Farrell in their first half tally as they led 0-11 to 0-6 at half-time after playing with the aid of the breeze.

The game was level 0-5 each after 17-minutes with Darragh McCarthy leading the Nenagh scoring from placed balls.

Rian O’Byrne, Michael Gavlin and Dara Casey had Ardscoil Ris scores just before the hal- time whistle to open a five-point interval lead.

Three early second-half points from Shane O’Brien looked to have the Limerick side well positioned for victory but Nenagh had other ideas.

Adam Hall and two long-range frees from Micheál Ryan cut the lead to 0-16 to 0-13 at the second-half water break.

McCarthy scores from frees left one between the teams in injury time but it was Dara Casey that found the next crucial score for Ardscoil Ris to confirm their victory.

Ardscoil Rís move onto a January quarter-final, while Nenagh CBS must regroup to play Gaelcholaiste Mhuire an Mhainistir Thuaidh later this month.

Scorers for Ardscoil Rís: N O’Farrell (0-9, 7f), D Casey and S O’Brien (0-3), R O’Byrne, M Galvin and O O’Farrell (0-1).

Scorers for Nenagh CBS: D McCarthy (0-9, 7f, 1 ‘65), S Kenneally (0-3, 1 f), A Hall (0-2), and M Ryan (0-2, 2 f).

ARDSCOIL RÍS: S Gully; C Flynn, J Fitzgerald, E O’Leary; M Galvin, C Scully, D Lynch; JJ Carey, R O’Byrne; O O’Farrell, N O’Farrell, J Golden; S Hickey, S O’Brien, N Flynn. 

Subs: D Casey for Lynch (11), W Kearns for Hickey (37), P O’Neill for N Flynn (48).

NENAGH CBS: D McTiernan; J Gleeson, A O’Halloran, L Grace; M Crawley, M Ryan, C Coffey; A Steed, C Sheahan; A Hall, S Kenneally, O O’Connor; D McCarthy, J Mulcahy, E Grace. 

Subs: A Ferris for Coffey (32), J Carroll for Mulcahy (43), C Cavanagh for Gleeson (46), C Cooney for O’Connor (49), N Gleeson for Carroll (57).

Referee: R McGann (Clare).