Harty Cup: Relentless Charleville produce the goods once more to reach last four
MARCHING ON: Bill Collins (Newtownshandrum) with possession on the half-back line for Charleville CBS in the Harty Cup (Under 19 A Hurling) quarter-final at Mallow. Pic: Larry Cummins
Amongst others, Joseph Hickey epitomises all that is good about Charleville CBS. One of their chief scorers (0-5 from play) in their TUS Dr Harty Cup preliminary quarter-final victory over holders Cashel CS, he was ruled out of Wednesday’s last eight with a knee injury.
A huge blow for the team returning to the competition for the first time since 2017.
So, when you see the walking wounded enter the fray in the dying stages to make his contribution, it demonstrates the exceptional spirit within this team.
He was their sole substitution, and despite being reduced to 14 men for those final 15 minutes (Eoin Horgan red card), they never dropped their intensity.
“They are a very genuine group. There isn’t an ounce of trouble with them, it is so enjoyable, they just train away,” mentor and former Newtownshandrum great Donal Mulcahy said.
“We have fierce craic with them. If you go into the dressing-room, there is music on, they are a different kind of a bunch. They enjoy each other's company.
“We brought on Joe (Hickey) towards the end, he got injured about a month ago. His knee is gone, he is a big player for us. He was outstanding against Cashel. We knew going in today without Joe, we were under pressure. He came on there to fill the gap for us, he is a great lad.”
Midleton CBS were pre-match favourites. Mulcahy said they concentrated on themselves.
There is no doubt his management team of Kevin Butler, Mike Cotter, Cathal O’Brien and James Riordan got the very best out of them.
When it comes to racking up scores, look no further than the skilful Chris Dunne, who incidentally was injured when they lost to their next opponents Nenagh CBS in the group stage.
He chipped in with a sensational 12 points - his pin-point accuracy especially from all nine frees significant - while goalkeeper Kieran Murphy has become a regular scorer (0-3 frees) too.
The teams were level at the break, 1-7 to 0-10, towering full-forward Liam O’Mahony getting a tip to Murphy’s long-range free in the seventh minute.
O’Mahony is another off the injured list, the 16-year-old dislocated his elbow in the opening half of the Nenagh CBS tie.
Midleton CBS had to fight back from 1-5 to 0-3 behind to lead 0-9 to 1-5.
Shane Irwin, Dylan McCarthy, Daniel Murnane and Ben Walsh got a few nice scores, but they weren’t anything close to their best.
Another glaring statistic was Midleton CBS didn’t score again until the 58th minute of the second-half. Credit for this has to go to the Charleville CBS defence - headed up by captain Bill Collins - who did their job to the maximum.
Midleton’s two goals in the 58th and 62nd minute came from Barry Walsh, but it was too little too late.
“You can see what it means to the school, the supporters, the rest of the students - it is just fantastic. It is a great feeling, we are over the moon,” Mulcahy continued.
“And the work the principal (Andrea Murphy) and vice-principal (Seán Roberts) put in behind the scenes, it is not just the lads on the field, it is everyone really.
“We have to regroup now. You hate saying you have a free shot. It's Nenagh (CBS). We’ve played them before (group), they beat us by four points.”
C Dunne (0-12, 0-9 frees), L O’Mahony (1-0), K Murphy (0-3 frees), G Gleeson (0-2), R Troy, E Horgan, P Daly (0-1 each).
Barry Walsh (2-1), D McCarthy (0-3, 0-2 free), S Irwin, Ben Walsh, D Murnane (0-1 free) (0-2 each), C Leahy 0-1.
K Murphy (Newtownshandrum); N Tobin (Bruree), T McCarthy (Newtownshandrum), F O’Sullivan (Ballyhea); S Bresnan (Charleville), B Collins (Newtownshandrum, Capt), S Byrne (Ballyhea); R Troy (Newtownshandrum), T O’Neill (Newtownshandrum); E Horgan (Granagh Ballingarry), E O’Mahony (Newtownshandrum), C Dunne (Dromina).; G Gleeson (Charleville), L O’Mahony (Newtownshandrum), P Daly (Ballyhea).
J Hickey (Ballyhea) for G Gleeson (55).
F Murphy (Killeagh); D Nolan (Carrigtwohill), S O’Callaghan (Aghada), D O’Brien (Killeagh); S Geaney (Dungourney), D Murnane (Carrigtwohill, Capt), C O’Callaghan (Dungourney); J O’Leary (Lisgoold), J O’Brien (Cloyne); Ben Walsh (Killeagh), C Leahy (Killeagh), Barry Walsh (Killeagh); D McCarthy (Killeagh), S Irwin (Erin’s Own), P Walsh (Carrigtwohill).
F O’Connor (Aghada) for J O’Leary (half-time), A Lee (Cloyne) for C Leahy (42), Evan McGrath (Midleton) for P Walsh (49), C Garde (Lisgoold) for S Geaney (63 inj).
Thomas Loughnane (Tipperary).
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