Thurles CBS reach final in bid to re-capture Harty Cup after decade-long wait 

Colm Hartley, De La Salle College, attempts to block Cillian Minogue, Thurles CBS. Pic: Jim Coughlan.

Harty Cup semi-final: Thurles CBS 0-28 De La Salle College Waterford 3-12 

When Thurles CBS grabbed a late equaliser to take a share of the spoils in the TUS Dr Harty Cup group opener against St Flannan’s College, Ennis last October, Niall Cahill told his charges the teams would meet again.

And they will, on Saturday week in the provincial final and it promises to be a cracker.

After falling behind by 0-9 to 0-1 in Castlelyons on Wednesday, De La Salle College put it up to the Tipperary school, but the winners showed absolute composure to never be led.

They closed the game out emphatically too, and overall 24 of the 28 points came from open play.

“We played Flannan’s in the first game and they are top quality,” Cahill said. “We told the boys that week we are going to be playing Flannan’s at least twice this year if we are going anywhere. And it proved to pass.

“We’re scoring big all year, we’d be disappointed with the few goals we conceded all right but you don’t come up against the quality of the DLS forwards too often.

“A lot of our players were there two years ago (beaten by Cashel CS in the final), they were a very young team then. It's the last chance for some of them.

“It’s Robbie Ryan’s fourth year playing Harty Cup. He wants it badly.” 

Captain Robbie Ryan, David Costigan and Cillian Minogue were the stars up front amassing 15 points between them.

Thurles CBS built on a fast start and turned 0-15 to 1-7 ahead - Conor Tobin’s 22nd minute goal a much-needed green flag for De La Salle College.

They were also left to rue scoring a point from a penalty in first-half stoppage.

They did, however, take control from the resumption when they struck 1-2 in five minutes - centre-back Conor Power’s brilliant surge ended with setting up his twin Shane who rattled the net. Mark Hartley drew them level for the first time in the 35th minute.

It was helter-skelter for a while, but Thurles CBS were able to turn it around again to go 0-21 to 2-11 up with 10 minutes remaining.

A mistake at the other end led to Mark Hartley’s 53rd minute goal to set up what looked like a grandstand finish.

Not for Thurles CBS though who had other ideas and closed out in style, outhitting De La Salle seven points to one.

They will look to bridge a 10-year gap since their last Harty title.

“A lot of these boys were on Tipp’s success three years ago and then on the year gone by. I’m a Kilkenny man, unfortunately,” smiled Cahill. “We’re very lucky to have these boys coming in, it is a pleasure to go in when you have lads like that. There are 53 on the panel and another 50 back in the school would love to be here.” 

Scorers for Thurles CBS: C Minogue (0-7), D Costigan, C Fitzpatrick (0-3 frees, 0-1 65) and R Ryan (0-4 each), E Morris, R Bargary and K Rossiter (0-2 each), T Corbett, E Murray and T Ryan (0-1 each).

Scorers for De La Salle College: M Hartley (1-5, 0-3 frees), S Power (1-2), C Tobin (1-0), A Regan (0-2), C Hartley (pen), R Jacob and O Fives (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); J Butler (Sean Treacys), D Costigan (Moycarkey Borris), C Fitzpatrick (Drom & Inch); J Hayes (Moycarkey Borris), C Minogue (Thurles Sarsfields), R Ryan (Holycross Ballycahill, Capt).

Subs: T Ryan (Holycross Ballycahill) J Butler (37), L Donoghue (Thurles Sarsfields) for J Hayes (57), D Hickey (Emeralds) for R Bargary (62).

DE LA SALLE COLLEGE: R Nolan (Ballygunner); P Power (Ballygunner), F Cooney (Ballygunner, J-Capt), A Dawson (Ballygunner); C O’Sullivan (Ballygunner), C Power (De La Salle), J Power (Ballygunner); R Jacob (Passage), O Fives (Ballygunner); A Regan (Mount Sion, J-Capt), C Tobin Ballygunner), S Power (De La Salle); C Hartley (Ballygunner), M Hartley (Ballygunner), R Doherty (Mooncoin).

Subs: E Burke (Roanmore) for R Doherty (45), J Shanahan (Erin’s Own) for C Tobin (52 inj).

Referee: Cathal McAllister (Cork).