Harty Cup: Late burst secures Christian Brothers College unlikely win over Scoil Na Tríonóide Naofa Doon
LATE BURST: Christian Brothers College's Jake Brosnan hand-passing the ball as he is challenged by Scoil Na Trionóide Naofa, Doon's Evan Coleman in the Dr. Harty Cup at Banteer. Picture Denis Minihane.
A late, late burst of 1-3 without reply secured Cork’s Christian Brothers College an unlikely opening-day Harty Cup win.
Having not led this Group 1 fixture until the 47th minute and having been subsequently overtaken to trail by three as late as the 58th minute, Christians showed commendable resolve to eke out an against-the-head victory in the closing minutes.
In a difficult group that contains last year’s beaten semi-finalists, Midleton CBS, this could yet prove a precious come-from-behind result when the knockout places are being divvied out over the coming weeks.
For Scoil Na Tríonóide Naofa, there was massive disappointment and regret at not marking their return to the Harty scene after six years away with a win.
Ahead by 1-12 to 0-12 on 57 minutes, they had a free to extend their lead to four and put two scores between the teams. Cathal Hayes’ strike, though, drifted left and wide, leaving the door ajar for Christians’ 11th hour raid.
That missed free, mind, was not the winning and losing of the game from a Scoil Na Tríonóide Naofa perspective.
They will instead look more ruefully on the nine wides and three unconverted goal chances they amassed before half-time.
Doon’s 0-8 to 0-6 interval advantage in no way reflected the trouble they had the Christians defence under or the extent to which they were on top in the middle third.
Diarmuid Wall accounted for four of Christians’ six first half white flags. It was his fifth free that nudged the Cork city school in front for the first time on 47 minutes.
And it was his hopeful delivery, spilled by opposing ‘keeper Callum Wallace, that led to their levelling goal on 58 minutes.
On hand to punish the mistake and scramble the sliotar to the net was sub Fionán Barry. 1-12 to 1-12. Momentum CBC.
Wall’s sixth and final free a minute shy of the hour nudged his team ahead for only the second time. Centre-back Conor McCarthy then landed an absolute monster of a dead-ball effort from close to his own 20-metre line in injury-time.
Sub Peter O’Shea, who did not start because of injury, applied the final brushstroke to this masterpiece of a finish by the students from Sidney Hill.
Doon were near stunned at the final whistle. And understandably so. From a winning position to a succession of gut punches.
Only one score in the final 14 minutes was not enough to hang on in the face of their opponents’ game-turning surge.
Doon’s opening was kinder than their closing. Cathal Hayes (two frees and a ‘65) and Tom Ryan had them 0-4 to 0-1 in front on 10 minutes.
By this juncture, they’d already been denied the first of three opening half goal opportunities. ‘Keeper Eoin Coughlan was brilliant in repelling Ryan’s shot.
Coughlan twice more came to his team’s rescue. The last of those stops, the shot again from Ryan, was a stonewall Doon penalty not given.
Christians outgunning the Limerick school by 0-5 to 0-1 between the 35th and 47th minute was the foundation upon which they assumed pole position, 0-12 to 0-11, for the first time 13 minutes from the end.
A Tadgh Hourigan Doon goal two minutes later put Christians back on their heels. But there they refused to stay.
D Wall (0-9, 0-6 frees, 0-2 65s); F Barry (1-0); C McCarthy (Glen Rovers, 0-1 free), B Mayer, J Brosnan, C McCarthy (St Finbarr’s), D O’Connor, P O’Shea (0-1 each).
C Hayes (0-7, 0-6 frees); T Hourigan (1-1); A Moloney (0-2); D Hogan, T Ryan (0-1 each).
E Coughlan (Blackrock); B Nolan (Erin’s Own), J O’Callaghan Maher (Douglas), J Huggins (Sarsfields); J Leddy (Sarsfields), C McCarthy (Glen Rovers), D Browne (Blackrock); B Mayer (Ballinora), J Brosnan (Glen Rovers); P Lehane (Na Piarsaigh), J Hartnett (Douglas), C McCarthy (St Finbarr’s); D Wall (Glen Rovers), J Cronin (Blarney), D O’Connor (Sarsfields).
J Hegarty (Ballinora) for Cronin (37); P O’Shea (Erin’s Own) for Leddy, F Barry (Douglas) for O’Connor (both 46); M Brosnan (Glen Rovers) for Hartnett (52); R Buckley (Whitechurch) for Lehane (54).
C Wallace (Doon); T Costello (Cappawhite), S Óg Blackmore (Doon), S McDonnell (Doon); O Holmes (Murroe Boher), A O’Connell (Doon), J Stokes (Doon); E Coleman (Cappamore), D Hogan (Cappamore); A Moloney (Doon), C Hayes (Doon), E Roche (Doon); T Hourigan (Pallasgreen), C Gantley (Cappawhite), T Ryan (Doon).
M Ryan (Doon) for Gantley (HT); C Hynes (Doon) for Hogan (56).
D Hickey.
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