Harty Cup quarter-finals postponed, Thursday's Clonmel meeting called off

The weather has forced to postponement of

Mon, 06 Jan, 2025 - 15:45

PJ Browne and Darren Norris

Munster GAA has confirmed that all U19 schools hurling fixtures, including the quarter-finals of the Harty Cup, have been postponed due to adverse weather conditions.

In the Harty Cup quarter-finals, which were due to be played on Wednesday, Midleton CBS play St Flannans, Cashel CS face Gaelcholaiste Mhuire AG, Ardscoil Ris clash with Thurles CBS, and CBC Cork play De La Salle Waterford.

"All Munster Under 19 A, B & C hurling fixtures scheduled to take place this Tuesday 07.01.2025 and Wednesday 08.01.2025 are all POSTPONED and will be rescheduled by the Munster PPS CCC," it was said in a statement.

Meanwhile, the Canon O’Brien Cup hurling match between UCC and Cork has been put back 24 hours to Friday, January 10 at 7pm in the Mardyke.

Poor weather continues to play havoc with National Hunt racing, with Thursday’s meeting at Clonmel among the meetings off.

With the track covered in snow on Monday, and unlikely to improve in time for racing, an early decision was made to call off the meeting.

Clerk of the course Lorcan Wyer said: "Following adverse weather over the weekend, unfortunately the track at Clonmel is unfit for racing at present due to a covering of snow.

"The current weather forecast is for temperatures to remain very low and dropping as low as -7C in the Clonmel area this week.

"Due to the current conditions and the forecast for the coming days, the fixture scheduled for Thursday has been cancelled.

"The team at Clonmel are working with Horse Racing Ireland regarding a new date for this meeting."

In Britain, Tuesday's meeting at Hereford was abandoned due to a waterlogged track.

Significant flooding in several areas left course officials with no alternative but to cancel the six-race card following a Monday lunchtime inspection.

With Leicester having already been called off for the same reason over the weekend, that leaves a void of afternoon racing, with Wolverhampton's all-weather Flat fixture not starting until 4.30pm.

Thursday's jumps card at Catterick, which features the North Yorkshire Grand National, is already under threat, with an inspection to be held at 7.45am on Tuesday due to current snow cover and forecast significant frost.

Clerk of the course Fiona Needham said: "To be fair, the snow I wouldn't be so fussed about, I think if that went, that would be all right, but it's the incoming frost.

"With all that moisture in the ground, it's going to freeze solid isn't it. That's why I'm looking in the morning, but everybody knows about the weather and I don't think anybody will be surprised."

Monday's jumps meeting at Ludlow was abandoned due to a waterlogged track but Ayr did go ahead.

Taunton is scheduled to be the only National Hunt fixture on Wednesday, with the going described as soft following 40 millimetres of rain in recent days and the take-offs and landings being covered.