Four-goal haul helps Hospital get Harty Cup campaign up-and-running
Goals from Diarmuid Hurley and Charlie Cronin helped Hospital to a nine-point half-time advantage. Pic: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
John The Baptist CS Hospital opened their Harty Cup campaign in impressive fashion with a 4-20 to 0-20 victory over Rice College Ennis in Meelick.
Last year’s quarter-finalists bossed the game from start to finish with goals from Diarmuid Hurley and Charlie Cronin helping them to a nine-point half-time advantage.
The goals continued in the second half with Hurley bagging a second and substitute Paudie Hennessy also raising a green flag.
Rice College were heavily reliant on Padraig O’Donovan who floated between the full forward line and midfield but needed others to help him with the heavy load.
John The Baptist took control from the throw-in with points coming from Cian McNamara, Rory Hanly and Hurley coming in the opening four minutes.
O’Donovan and Callum Henchy replied for Rice College but Hurley’s opening goal proved to be decisive.
He ghosted by his man to collect Jamie O’Shea’s pinpoint delivery and fly a shot into the bottom right corner of the net.
Two points from Hurley and one from Michael Hanly then gave Hospital a 1-6 to 0-3 advantage at the 12-minute mark.
Rice College came back into the contest in the second quarter with O’Donovan leading the charge.
Two from him and one from Jack McAllister helped cut the deficit to five points but they were hit by a killer blow in the 22nd minute.
Cronin latched onto a loose ball on the right wing and headed straight for goal, delivering a powerful shot to the roof of the net.
Limerick U20 player Hugh Flanagan then slotted over two points in the space of 20 seconds to give John The Baptist a 2-11 to 0-8 lead at the break.
Rice College would have been hoping for a better start to the second half but they were dashed inside 33 seconds.
Michael Hanly slotted a second excellent score of the game and then Hurley and O’Shea combined again for the former to bury his second goal of the contest.
A fourth arrived in the final quarter for a somewhat rampant John The Baptist side. It was Hennessy that provided the finish when he broke through a tired Rice College defence and found his way to the net to seal a comfortable win.
D Hurley 2-3, C Cronin 1-2, P Hennessy 1-1, H Flanagan 0-5 (4f), M Hanly 0-3, C McNamara, R Hanly, G McCaffrey J O’Shea, S McElligott and E Martin 0-1 each.
P O’Donovan 0-13 (10f, ’65), J McAllister and D Moroney 0-2 each, C Henchy, N Doyle and R Mulcahy (f) 0-1 each.
T Ryan (Garryspillane); N McNamara (Pallasgreen), S Treacy (Staker Wallace), A Gleeson (Hospital-Herbertstown); J O’Shea (Garryspillane), D Heavey (Garryspillane), S O’Dea (Hospital-Herbertstown); R Hanly (Ballybricken-Bohermore), G McCaffrey (Hospital-Herbertstown); S Ryan (Ballybricken-Bohermore), H Flanagan (Garryspillane), C McNamara (Hospital-Herbertstown); M Hanly (Ballybricken-Bohermore), D Hurley (Hospital-Herbertstown), C Cronin (Bruff).
Subs: S McElligott (Caherline) for S Ryan (h-t), P Hennessy (Bruff) for M Hanly (44), E Martin (Caherline) for O’Shea (53), K Hennessy (Hospital-Herbertstown) for O’Dea (55), C Clancy (Bruff) for McNamara (57).
D Meehan (Newmarket on Fergus); E Pyne (Éire Og), L Clune (St Joseph’s Doora Barefield), C O’Toole (The Banner); B O’Halloran (The Banner), E Fitzpatrick (The Banner), R McDermott (Éire Og); N Doyle (Éire Og), D Cahill (Clooney Quin); C Henchy (The Banner), R Mulcahy (Éire Og), S Kelly (The Banner); P O’Donovan (St Joseph’s Doora Barefield), J McAllister (St Joseph’s Doora Barefield), D Moroney (Éire Og).
R Clohessy (Éire Og) for O’Toole (32), D Tierney (Éire Og) for McAllister (51).
J Hickey (Cratloe).
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