Harty Cup final a welcome distraction for St Flannan's captain after Storm Éowyn
LAST CHANCE: St Flannan's captain James Hegarty has had plenty of close calls in the Harty Cup. This Saturday's final is his last chance to win the competition. Pic: Dan Linehan
For St Flannan’s captain James Hegarty, this Saturday’s Harty Cup final is a welcome diversion amid the aftermath of Storm Éowyn.
His house has been left without electricity or water, while his local pitch suffered damage in the red-warning winds.
“The Kilnamona hurling pitch was only done up there a couple of months ago and the goalposts were snapped,” says Hegarty.
“They’re really high goalposts and they just snapped at the joint and bent. It’s unfortunate but I suppose we’ll just have to put up new goals.
“Apart from that, Flannan’s has been ok. It was good to get back out training when you were inside all day with the storm.
“I’ve no power at home and no water so it’s great to get out of the house!”
Hegarty is in his fourth year of Harty hurling with the Ennis school, in which time they have had plenty of close calls.
“My first year at Harty – it’s a while ago now – but we lost by a point to Cashel and we lost by a point in another game and we were out of the championship.
“The next year then we played Cashel again. They scored five goals against us and we only lost by a point.
“They went on to win it and that was the real sickener for us because we didn’t even get out of the group and we were so close to beating Cashel that day.
“You don’t take it for granted. In your last year, you really realise how much it means to you to win a Harty.
“In your third year and TY, you think, ‘We still have another year, it’ll be alright, we’ll get there eventually’. Whereas now, it’s the last year so the panic button has set in!”
Flannan’s have plenty of history and tradition in this competition and Hegarty carries the drive from seeing his schoolmates win the famous trophy back in 2020.
“I was in first or second year at the time and looking up to them sixth years winning a Harty, it really drives the first years on.
“You want to be them when you’re in fifth or sixth year because the Harty Cup is one of the best things you can win as a hurler. There’s not much above it.”
They have plenty of inspiration along the sideline too.
“With Tony (Kelly), Jamesie (O’Connor), Brendan Bugler, and Michael Donnellan, you couldn’t ask for any better coaches.
“They have played in All-Ireland finals and they know what it’s like to win big matches.
“They’ll bring a lot of experience to us as younger players. It’s very easy for it to happen that teams can take it for granted and not perform but they’ll keep us ticking over for the week and push us on.”
Thurles CBS will provide familiar and formidable opposition. They drew with each other on the opening day, 2-21 apiece, in October.
“Thurles were very good the first day. It was a physical game. There’s good hurlers on both sides.
“Their team has probably changed a lot. They’ve learned a lot more. They’ve got faster, quicker, got used to playing with each other.
“We learned a lot from Midleton too. We didn’t deserve to win that day. We got away with one and we learned from it.
“If we just stick to what we know and keep doing it, we’re in with a great chance.”
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