Talking Points: St Flannan's look menacing, but all Harty Cup semi-finalists now believe this is their time

Ironically, Limerick are the only one of the major hurling counties in Munster without a school in the semi-finals of the Harty Cup. The Mon, St Flannan's, DLS Waterford and Thurles CBS will all feel they can go on and claim the blue riband

CBS CORK'S Denis Riordan times his challenge on DLS Waterford's Conor Tobin in Monday's Dr Harty Cup (U19AHC) quarter-final at the Town Park, Fethard, Co Tipperary. Pic: Dan Linehan

St Flannan’s and St Joseph’s Tulla kept the Harty Cup in Banner country at the end of successive campaigns, in 2020 and 2022, but thereafter the uptick in Clare’s underage fortunes ceased to translate to good fortunes on the schools front. 

For the 2022-23 campaign, neither Flannan’s nor Tulla emerged from their respective group. In 2023-24, neither Tulla nor new entrants Rice College Ennis emerged from their respective group, while Flannan’s fell at the last eight. Again this year, only Flannan’s of the three safely negotiated the group phase.