Harty Cup: Thurles CBS power past Ardscoil Rís to claim last-four spot

A flurry of unanswered scores in the second quarter proved pivotal. 

Thurles CBS's Jack Hayes shoots despite pressure from Ardscoil Ris's Evan Ryan and Sean Morrissey during the TUS Harty Cup quarter final at UL. Picture: Eddie O'Hare

Thurles CBS 2-25 Ardscoil Rís 0-23 

Thurles CBS powered into the Harty Cup semi-finals with a comprehensive 2-25 to 0-23 win over Ardscoil Rís at UL’s North Campus.

A scoring haul of 2-10 without reply in the second quarter of the contest was key for a classy Thurles outfit.

Goals from Cormac Fitzpatrick and Jack Hayes paved the way for a 15-point half time lead and Thurles never looked back.

The Tipperary school were a point down before the scoring march gave them full control, with Ardscoil failing to provide an answer to the power and pace in the Thurles attack.

It was an even opening 15 minutes that saw the scores level four times but strikes from Fitzpatrick, Keith Loughnane and Robbie Ryan saw Thurles into a lead they were never to relinquish. That left the score at 0-9 to 0-8 and it was one-way traffic from there on in.

James Butler had missed a goal chance on 20 minutes when he latched onto a sublime Cillian Minogue pass but shot just wide.

However, they didn’t have to wait long for their opening goal as Hayes latched onto Fitzpatrick’s low ball 60 seconds later and provided a devastating finish to the net.

David Costigan and Ryan then followed up with points to leave the score at 1-12 to 0-8 at the 23-minute mark.

Ardscoil barely had time to breath before another scoring barrage came their way. Fitzpatrick was the scorer in chief for Thurles with three further points as the half time whistle approached, while Costigan and Minogue also raised white flags.

It was Fitzpatrick that then landed the killer blow with a cool finish beyond the despairing dive of Ardscoil netminder Darragh Jordan to put his side 2-17 to 0-8 up at the break.

Ardscoil got the second half scoring underway through Eoin Begley but the response was swift from Thurles with Minogue, Fitzpatrick and Hayes all hitting the target.

Two Patrick Kearney placed balls and a long-range Darragh Gleeson point gave Ardscoil brief hope of a comeback but Thurles continued to pick off scores at will.

The unavailability of Marc O’Brien, James Coughlan and Sean Arthur certainly hampered their chances but, even with the talented trio, Thurles’ may have still had too much for their opponents.

Loughnane marshalled the defence from centre back brilliantly before being called ashore due to injury, while Euan Murray and Kieran Rossiter bossed the middle of the park with ease.

All six starting forwards gave their markers a torrid time with five of them scoring multiple times in an impressive showing.

Eoin Brosnan was the leader in chief for Ardscoil with an impressive 0-5 from wing back, while Michael Collins didn’t have the support up front that was badly needed.

The Limerick school did tack on late scores to make the scoreline a little kinder but Thurles romped home to a well-deserved eight-point victory.

Scorers for Thurles CBS: C Fitzpatrick 1-10 (7f), J Hayes 1-2, D Costigan and C Minogue 0-4 each, R Ryan 0-3, K Loughnane and K Cantwell 0-1 each 

Scorers for Ardscoil Rís: E Brosnan and M Collins 0-5 each, P Kearney 0-4 (3f, ’65), I O’Brien 0-3, J Cosgrave 0-2, E Begley, D Gleeson, J O’Keeffe and C Murphy 0-1 each.

Thurles CBS: H Loughnane (Roscrea); T Corbett (Upperchurch Drombane), E Morris (Holycross Ballycahill), J Lahart (Holycross Ballycahill); K Cantwell (Moycarkey Borris), K Loughnane (Thurles Sarsfields), R Bargary (Boherlahan Dualla); E Murray (Durlas Óg), K Rossiter (Durlas Óg); C Fitzpatrick (Drom & Inch), D Costigan (Moycarkey Borris), J Butler (Sean Treacys); J Hayes (Moycarkey Borris), R Ryan (Holycross Ballycahill), C Mingoue (Durlas Óg).

Subs: T Ryan (Holycross Ballycahill) for Loughnane (45, inj), D Hickey (Emeralds) for Bargary (49), L Donoghue (Durlas Óg) for Hayes (52), R O’Brien (Thurles Sarsfields) for Minogue (58).

Ardscoil Rís: D Jordan (Na Piarsaigh), C Ryan (Adare), S Morrissey (Dromin-Athlacca), A Fitzsimmons (Na Piarsaigh); D Gleeson (Adare), J Cosgrave (Ahane), E Brosnan (Na Piarsaigh); M McKenna (Pallasgreen), C Conlan-Ryan (Ahane); O O’Byrne (Crecora-Manister), J O’Connor (Ahane), M Collins (Clonlara); E Begley (Clonlara), I O’Brien (Cratloe), P Kearney (Adare).

Subs: R Horgan (Murroe-Boher) for O’Byrne (h-t), J O’Keeffe (Murroe-Boher) for O’Connor (h-t), E Ryan (South Liberties) for Fitzsimons (h-t), C Murphy (Sixmilebridge) for Begley (49), G O’Brien (Kilmallock) for Conlon-Ryan (58).

Referee: T Walsh (Waterford).