Midleton CBS battle past CBS High School Clonmel to set up De La Salle clash in Harty Cup
HARTY CUP: Midleton CBS’ Mikey McGuire stretches to knock the sliotar from CBS High School Clonmel’s Senan Carroll. Picture: Chani Anderson.
Not flashy, not perfect – but job done for Midleton CBS. Their four point win over CBS High School Clonmel leaves the Tipp side eliminated from the Dr Harty Cup, with Midleton’s focus now on De La Salle.
And as joint manager Brian O’Callaghan put it, it’s crunch. “We’re not looking beyond De La Salle, we can't. Because if we slip up there, we're gone.”
They didn’t slip up here in Cappoquin on Wednesday afternoon, they got it done, even if it was precarious at times. A brace of near identical moves led to goals from Cormac Deane early in the latter act, both assisted by Senan Carroll, put them five ahead with 34 minutes gone.
Three frees from Aaron Cagney had High School back in it, Conall Morrisson and Cagney shaving the gap down to the minimum by the 43rd minute. Matthew McSweeney and Fionn Daly nudged Midleton three clear again, but by 52 minutes, they were level for the sixth time.
Comfort was only found in the closing stages – Fionn Daly assisted by Tom A Walsh for a point, before Deane turned provider for the third and final major, assisting sub Jude Devoy for an excellent finish. McSweeney added his second after another Deane assist, 3-14 to 0-18 with six to go.
Mikey McGuire and Cagney got it down to three again in the closing stages, but Midleton held firm – Devoy driving over the insurance point at the death.
“They ran De La Salle very close in the first round, so we knew coming up today that it was going to be a very tricky match,” O’Callaghan said. “We just wanted to get over the line and we did, thank God.”
Midleton led early and nearly found a first half goal, Evan Connolly, Cormac Deane linking up to send Walsh through, but his effort was parried by High School ‘keeper Conor Walsh.
Conall Morrisson and Aaron Cagney briefly nudged Clonmel in front, but Midleton reeled off four in a row, Colm Garde teeing up Deane, Daly landing two frees, and midfielders Alfie Hennessy and Walsh setting Sam Ring up for his first, 0-7 to 0-4 after 18 minutes.
It was a first half largely reliant on placed balls, Midleton leading for the majority of it, Mikey McGuire and Cagney working High School back into it, until a brace of frees from Cagney drew parity at 0-8 apiece after 27 minutes.
Garde, excellent on his return from injury, set up Walsh for a point, Cagney and Bríain Morrisson responded in kind for Clonmel, before a free each from Fionn Daly and Cagney left it 0-10 each at the interval.
Deane’s goals on the resumption powered Midleton in front, but they still had work to do, Devoy’s late strike key as they held off High School Clonmel.
: C Deane 2-2, F Daly 0-7 (0-6 f), J Devoy 1-1, M McSweeney 0-2, Tom A Walsh, S Ring, E Connolly 0-1 each.
: A Cagney 0-14 (0-12 f, 0-1 65), C Morrisson 0-3, M McGuire 0-2, B Morrisson 0-1.
T C Walsh (Aghada); Darragh Heavin (St Colman’s), R O’Connell (Fr O’Neill’s), F Cahill (Midleton); S Carroll (Midleton), C Garde (Lisgoold), M McSweeney (Midleton); T A Walsh (Carrigtwohill) (jc), A Hennessy (Midleton); F Daly (Kiltha Óg), C Deane (Killeagh), E Connolly (Kiltha Óg); S Ring (Carrigtwohill), C Stack (Midleton (jc), D Murphy (Lisgoold).
: J Devoy (Aghada) for D Murphy (50), F Connaughton (Kiltha Óg) for Stack (59).
: C Walsh (Fourmilewater); J Lyons (Grangemockler/Ballyneale), A Ryan (Fourmilewater), B Landers (Clonmel Óg); L Hannigan (Clonmel Óg), P Spelman (Fourmilewater) (jc), C Roche (Kilsheelan/Kilcash); H Lawlor (St Mary’s), B Roche (Kilsheelan/Kilcash); B Morrisson (Moyle Rovers), M McGuire (Kilsheelan/Kilcash), A Cagney (Moyle Rovers) (jc); F Napier (St Mary’s), J Yousif (Clonmel Óg), C Morrisson (Moyle Rovers).
Subs: E Condon (St Mary’s) for Landers (41), B Fuller (St Mary’s) for Roche (59).
: T Mansfield (Waterford)
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