Dr Harty Cup: Stoppage time points haul Flannan's level with Nenagh CBS

 Harry Doherty of St Flannan's. Pic: John Sheridan/Sportsfile

Dr Harty Cup group 1: St. Joseph’s CBS Nenagh 1-21 St. Flannan’s College 2-18 

There was a stalemate between Nenagh CBS and St. Flannan’s after a frantic opening 60 minutes of Dr Harty Cup action.

Trailing by as many as 10 points, the Clare school were able to dig deep to lead, before eventually needing a second rescue mission to hit three stoppage-time points to grab a share of the spoils.

Ultimately, they will be satisfied with the draw, as Nenagh were unable to continue their stunning opening half display, in part due to the loss of captain and scorer-in-chief, Eoghan Doughan.

The Moneygall flyer retired with a hamstring complaint at half-time – that and a bright start to the second half from the Ennis outfit saw the momentum completely change at the TUS Midwest campus in Limerick.

The second-half goals from John Barry and Thomas O’Connor were key but so too was an increased work-rate and greater use of the ball. 

Late points from Harry Doherty (free and from play) before the final Patrick Finneran effort tied the contest on a dry afternoon.

Nenagh showed all the hallmarks of a side intent on progressing to the knockout stages, scoring their first nine shots, showing superb energy.

They had the electric half-forward line – spearheaded by Doughan, he was ably assisted by Paul Cahalan and Patrick Hackett. Between them they combined for 1-10 – all bar a point coming in the opening half.

Forcing a turnover on Leon Talty’s puck-out, the Tipperary found the net on ten minutes from Doughan – to open a sizeable six-point advantage.

Keeping the foot on the gas, it was 1-13 to 0-6 at half-time with only Harry Doherty and eventually Patrick Finneran in reply for a wasteful St. Flannan’s, who hit nine wides compared to just two from the Premier side.

However, a Doherty fetch on 36 minutes saw him feed Darragh Kennedy, who in turn found John Barry – the Inagh Kilnamona clubman drilling to the net to breathe life into their comeback mission.

There was a further 1-5 without reply during a real purple patch, the second goal of little aesthetic, as the towering Thomas O’Connor scrambled home from close range.

Donach O’Donnell’s outfit didn’t lie down – trailing for the first time, they had a stern answer. Five white flags saw them move clear with Patrick Ryan unerring from frees in the second half.

However, Flannan’s resurgence came in the three-plus additional minutes, with Finneran’s fine equaliser greeted with as much relief as it was joy for the Ennis nursery.

“Nenagh bossed us in the first half… but there was no panic at half-time," explained St. Flannan’s mentor Mike Kelly shortly after full-time.

“They are a very mature bunch. The two goals were critical. We said at half-time, we know there is great belief in this squad. We escape with the draw”, added the Newmarket native.

Scorers for St. Joseph’s CBS Nenagh: E Doughan 1-5 (0-2f, 0-1 ’65); P Ryan 0-5 (frees); P Cahalan 0-3; P Hackett 0-2; E Tucker 0-2; P McCormack 0-1 (free); S Cleary 0-1; A Duff 0-1; L McKeogh 0-1.

Scorers for St. Flannan’s College: H Doherty 0-8 (0-6f); T O’Connor 1-2; J Barry 1-0; P Finneran 0-3; J Cullinan 0-1; C Daly 0-1; D Kennedy 0-1; E O’Connor 0-1; D McNamara 0-1.

St. Joseph’s CBS Nenagh: P McCormack (Moneygall); D Fogarty (Kiladangan), D McKelvey (Silvermines), C Kennedy (Kilruane MacDonaghs); E Jones (Nenagh Éire Og), D O’Dwyer (Kiladangan), S Cleary (Kilruane MacDonaghs); H Healy (Kilruane MacDonaghs), A Duff (Toomevara); P Hackett (Toomevara) E Doughan (C) (Moneygall), P Cahalan (Burgress); P Ryan (Borrisoleigh), L McKeogh (Ballina), E Tucker (N Éire Og).

Subs: J O’Dwyer (Burgess) for Doughan (inj – half-time); C Healy (Kilruane MacDonaghs) for Healy (39); J Grace (Burgess) for McKeogh (44), D O’Donoghue (Burgess) for Jones (58); C Kennedy (Kilruane MacDonaghs) for Cahalan (61).

St. Flannan’s College: L Talty (St. Joseph’s Doora Barefield); D Murrihy (Inagh Kilnamona), S McNamara (Clooney Quin), C Hill (Ballyea); D Ball (St. Joseph’s Doora Barefield), J Cullinan (JC) (Ruan), C Daly (St. Joseph’s Doora Barefield); D Kennedy (Ballyea), J Barry (Inagh Kilnamona); H Doherty (JC) (Clarecastle), P Finneran (Clooney Quin), G Ball (St. Joseph’s Doora Barefield); E O’Connor (Ballyea), T O’Connor (St. Joseph’s Doora Barefield), D McNamara (Clooney Quin).

Subs: R Ralph (Clooney Quin) for Cahalan (half-time); B Talty (St. Joseph’s Doora Barefield) for E O’Connor (39); I Hassett (Clooney Quin) for Hill (58).

Referee: E Stapleton (Limerick).