Dr Harty Cup: Gaelcholáiste Mhuire AG pegged back by St Joseph’s Tulla

Seán Óg Ó hAilpín: 'We’d gone in at half time, I wouldn’t say very comfortable, but we probably should have built on that, and we didn’t'

Dónal Ó Scannláin in action for Gaelcholáiste Mhuire AG in their Dr Harty Cup 2025 opener against St Joseph's Tulla. Pic: Larry Cummins.

Dr Harty Cup: Gaelcholáiste Mhuire AG 1-16 St Joseph’s Tulla 0-19

There was no separating them in Kilmallock, and truthfully, there shouldn’t have been.

Gaelcholáiste Mhuire dictated the first half, St Joseph’s Tulla took charge of the second, but for the North Mon, the frustration will linger longer.

They had been in front for most of the second half, only to see Matthew Corbett’s free deep in injury time deny them what would have been a hard-earned opening win in Group 4 of the Dr Harty Cup.

They had been in front since the 12th minute, clinging on until Corbett landed his fourth successive free to make it 1-14 to 0-17. But too many needless fouls kept inviting pressure.

Corbett missed two before Gabhán Ó Ceallacháin stopped a 15-minute drought for the northsiders with a placed ball to steady them again, but they couldn’t retain control.

Former Clare minors Ryan Hayes and Jerry O’Connor combined for the latter to level matters for the fifth time in the 57th minute, but when Josh Ó Brosnacháin won a free two minutes later, Craig Ó Suilleabháin restored the AG’s slender lead.

Second half battle for possession in midfield between North Mon and St Joseph's players. Picture: Larry Cummins

They could have gone two clear, only for Ó Ceallacháin to miss in added time – just his second wide from placed balls in an otherwise polished performance from the Glen forward. But when the Cork side conceded one more soft free, Corbett punished them to snatch a draw in the 64th minute, much to the satisfaction of Tulla’s Terence Fahy.

“There was nothing in it, just happy to get a result,” he said. “At half-time we were well out of the game, even in injury time they went ahead, so we’re very happy and proud of the lads.

“He [Corbett] stepped up and he hit a crucial one for us. There were a lot of frees in the game, but it was fair and well contested.”

The first half had begun cautiously, level at 0-3 each after 11 minutes, Liam Murphy’s crisp effort for Tulla the pick of them. The AG then hit their stride, hitting seven of the next eight points to move six ahead, Ó Ceallacháin winning the battle of wills with a lively Tulla crowd who did everything they could to put him off.

Two Corbett frees narrowed the gap before Ó Ceallacháin fired in a sideline cut that deceived goalkeeper Patrick Murphy and nestled in the net – a moment that pushed Gaelcholáiste seven clear after 25 minutes, 1-10 to 0-6.

At half-time they led by six, Tulla looking blunt, with just two scorers and only two points from play. Both sides had posted sweepers, keeping two up top and at the back, clogging the middle third.

After the restart, it was the Clare school who imposed themselves. Aodhán O’Driscoll and Cathal Leamy found rare room for scores, and Corbett kept punishing any AG indiscipline.

Ó Ceallacháin’s free briefly steadied things again, his celebration aimed squarely at the Tulla contingent, but Corbett – calm, clinical – replied with four on the spin to drag his side level.

It ended all square, though it felt like a point lost for the North Mon, as coach Seán Óg Ó hAilpín reflected.

Josh Ó Brosnacháin in action for North Mon. Pic: Larry Cummins

“We’d gone in at half time, I wouldn’t say very comfortable, but we probably should have built on that, and we didn’t,” he said. “Tulla then dominated the game for a lot of the second half, and we were just relying on frees to keep us in check.”

Both teams hit 10 wides, but there was quality in the sweepers – Dónal Ó Scannláin for the North Mon, Ryan Hayes for Tulla. Yet for all their first-half control, the AG’s one score from play in the second half was decisive.

“That doesn’t surprise me, we weren’t creating much from play,” said Ó hAilpín. 

“And we were relying too much on frees. If we have any ambition of going deep into this competition, we need to reverse that.” 

Scorers for Gaelcholáiste Mhuire AG: G Ó Ceallacháin 1-8 (0-6 f, 1-0 sdl, 0-1 65), C Ó Suilleabháin 0-4 (0-2 f), L Ó Muirthile 0-2, E Mac Eochán, S Ó Cathaláin 0-1 each.

Scorers for St Joseph’s Tulla: M Corbett 0-14 (0-12 f, 0-1 65), L Murphy, A O’Driscoll, C Leamy, M Vaughan, J O’Connor 0-1 each.

GAELCHOLÁISTE MHUIRE AG: J Ó Gabhláin (Fánaithe an Ghleanna); N Ó Cofaigh (Na Piarsaigh), E Ó Murchú (Fánaithe an Ghleanna); D Ó Scannláin (Na Piarsaigh); S Ó Dálaigh (Naomh Uinseann), J Ó Brosnacháin (Fánaithe an Ghleanna), R Ó Buachalla (Fánaithe an Ghleanna), G Ó Duibhir Ó hArrachtán (Na Piarsaigh); T Ó Bruadau (Naomh Uinseann), E Mac Eochán (Fánaithe an Ghleanna); L Ó Muirthile (Na Piarsaigh) (c), C Ó Suilleabháin (Na Piarsaigh), G Ó Ceallacháin (Fánaithe an Ghleanna); C Ó Cofaigh (Na Piarsaigh), S Ó Cathaláin (Na Piarsaigh).

Subs: S Ó Laocha (Naomh Uinseann) for Ó Murchú (HT), D De Barra (Dúglas) for Ó Cathaláin (45), J Ó Riain (An Bhlarna) for Mac Eochán (49 inj).

ST JOSEPH’S TULLA: P Murphy (Tulla); D Greene (Broadford), E Cooney (Tulla); R Hayes (Tulla); L Moroney (Tulla); H Nolan (Tula), F Minogue (Feakle); M Corbett (Clooney-Quin), M Vaughan (Broadford) (c); L Murphy (O’Callaghan’s Mills), C Leamy (Clooney-Quin), J O’Connor (Clooney-Quin) Ó Perril (Crusheen); A O’Driscoll (Broadford), J O’Donnell (Broadford).

Subs: C Maxted (Clooney-Quin) for Minogue (30), N Belenko (Tulla) for Perril (48).

Referee: M Sexton (Bruree).