Harty Cup final: Four to watch in Munster colleges hurling final

St Flannan's and Thurles CBS in the Munster colleges showpiece on Saturday. 

Thurles CBS' Euan Murray, in action for Tipperary, against Cathal Maloney of Galway. Pic: Tom Beary/Sportsfile

Eschewing the very obvious picks of Harry Doherty for St Flannan’s and Cillian Minogue for Thurles CBS, here are four other players to keep an eye out for in Saturday’s Harty decider.

Joseph Casey (Kilmaley, St Flannan’s) 

Jamesie O’Connor has made a habit of namechecking the Flannan’s full-back after each game. His respect for the young defender and his performances to date is obvious. Particularly against Midleton in the quarter-final, Casey was a repellent force.

As we’ve mentioned elsewhere, such is the strength of the respective attacks, the outcome of Saturday afternoon’s final is likely to be decided by whichever defence has greater success in asserting themselves. Casey will be integral to the Flannan's defensive effort. It’ll be either Robbie Ryan or Cillian Minogue he has for company. One as dangerous a prospect as the other. An intriguing and influential match-up, irrespective of who jogs into the Kilmaley clubman.

Keith Loughnane (Thurles Sarsfields) 

Lined out at full-forward for their Harty opener against Saturday’s final opponents, but was redeployed to the half-back line the same day at Cappamore and there he has remained. Has been so impressive at the heart of the Thurles defence on the road to Mallow. Conscious of the Flannan’s threat sitting behind him, the Thurles No.6 will endeavour to operate as deep as possible so as to provide cover to a full-back line tasked with minding Harry Doherty and Conor Ralph.

Euan Murray (Durlas Óg) 

Murray made a name for himself at centre-forward on last year’s All-Ireland minor winning Tipperary team. Three points in the Munster final, a tally of 1-4 in the semi-final win over Galway, and another four white flags on the deciding afternoon against Kilkenny saw him crowned minor hurler of the year.

Centre-forward for county, it was at centre-back he began this Harty campaign for school. And it was from centre-back he drove forward to land the equalising point against St Flannan’s in the group opener. Management have since settled on him at midfield, enabling his influence and involvement in either half of the field.

Conor Ralph (Clarecastle, St Flannan’s) 

When singling out a Flannan’s forward, the expectation would be that you’d go for Harry Doherty. Their top-scorer with 3-47. The player who almost single-handedly dragged them to an against-the-head quarter-final win over Midleton.

Doherty, because of what he’s done to date, won’t be short of spotlight or focus at Mallow. Ralph, on the other hand, is less documented, but no less a threat from open play. In the semi-final, he raised a green flag and assisted for another. Both stemmed from his strength in the air. Thurles are probably the one outfit who don’t need to be educated on his potential or prowess. In the opening game of the competition, Ralph netted a brace against the defence he’ll renew acquaintances with at Mallow.