Special allure of Harty Cup draws Andrew O'Shaughnessy back to Colman's

HARTY MAGIC: Brendan Lehane, St Colman's College breaking the tackle of Tiernan Roche, Midleton CBS during their Dr Harty Cup match at Watergrasshill, Cork. Pic: Dan Linehan

It was by pure happenstance that Andrew O’Shaughnessy - 20 years after he walked out of it for the last time - returned inside the St Colman’s Fermoy dressing-room a couple of months ago.

On one random afternoon before the start of the current Harty Cup season, O’Shaughnessy ran into St Colman’s vice-principal Jimmy Condon. The conversation, as it always does when O’Shaughnessy meets someone from his alma mater, drifted towards matters Harty.

Condon enquired if the former pupil might be interested in giving a hand with the current crop. O’Shaughnessy, given all he won during his six years boarding at the college, was more than willing to give back.

“I have always had this affinity with Colman’s since I went there,” the former Limerick forward began.

“I boarded for six years, so I have lifelong friends from there. I loved it there and will always have a connection with Colman’s. When I meet former teachers, the first thing we always talk about is Harty hurling in the school. That’s my connection. And no matter what I do, I can never lose that. I never want to lose that.

“The bond is there because of the boarding. You were around the same lads every day and every week for the school year. What added to that then was they were the same lads you lined out alongside on the hurling team. First and foremost, it was the friendships built up, and then the hurling success we had copperfastened that bond.” 

The school’s current Harty crop weren’t even born when O’Shaughnessy played his last game for Colman’s. But they didn’t need to be around in the early noughties to know of his elevated status within the walls of St Colman’s college. Those very walls carry evidence plenty of the mark he and his classmates made while enrolled at the Fermoy establishment.

When O’Shaughnessy finished at the school in 2003, he did so with three Harty Cup medals and two Croke Cups. The team he was so integral to remain the last to achieve a Harty three-in-a-row.

The then 16-year-old Limerick wonderkid struck 2-6 in the 2001 final win over Flannan’s, only 0-2 of which were converted frees. He top-scored, again, in the 2002 demolition of Our Lady’s Templemore. His contribution of 1-4 in the 2003 replayed final was the smallest of the three wins and yet, once more, he stood atop the scoring chart.

There were five of them - Denis Fitzgerald, Seamus Stack, and Aidan and Paul Kearney the other four - who featured in all three final wins.

“It was a once in a lifetime opportunity, but you never appreciate those in the moment because you are so young,” the 2007 All-Star continued.

Although a regular attendee at Harty games in the 20 years since his own days, it was Colmans’ opening game of this year’s competition - a 0-20 apiece draw with Midleton CBS at Watergrasshill - that brought back the special allure and fervency of this competition.

“You can’t replicate Harty hurling. You go on and play in different competitions, and they are intense and well-supported, but Harty is so raw and so unaffected by tactics or pressure because they are just kids playing. Kids don’t have any fear.

“One of my first matches of our first successful year was against Farranferris at Watergrasshill. This season’s game in Watergrasshill brought it all back.

“This competition offers a great grounding. If you are a manager of a county minor or U20 team, you are looking at Harty Cup and freshers hurling. The fact that it is winter hurling then, as well, it really tests character, mental strength, and what players are like when the going isn’t great and how do they respond.” 

The Colman’s class of 2023 travel to Bansha on Wednesday afternoon for a quarter-final against Thurles CBS. The school hasn’t reached the last four since 2017. It has been 20 years since their last win. No regrets is O’Shaughnessy’s hope for the players he has spent the last few months coaching.

“Anyone still left in the competition, they all have ambitions of winning the Harty. Whether we win it or not, I’d like them to give the best account of themselves. If they can reflect on the match and say, they gave an honest effort and did their best, that’s all you want because they are only kids. They’ll learn from his competition, win, lose or draw.”