Harty Cup: Midleton v Nenagh has potential to be standout tie

Midleton have just three survivors from last year's Harty Cup quarter-final defeat to St Flannan's

Nenagh CBS' Eoghan Doughan has inflicted pain on opposition defences during this year's Harty Cup. Pic: Brendan Gleeson

Thurles CBS v De La Salle Waterford, Castlelyons, 1.30pm 

A repeat of last year’s semi-final, and a return to the same venue of that 0-28 to 3-12 Thurles victory. De La Salla cannot afford the slow start that saw Thurles surge eight clear early doors. They cannot allow Cillian Minogue to enjoy another seven-points-from-play sort of afternoon.

Minogue was one of four Thurles players to register at least four scores last January, with three more striking a pair each. That same spread was evident during a group phase where the champions posted tallies of 0-24, 2-29, and 4-26. Tiarnán Ryan, Tony Ryan, and James Butler are others in scoring form.

De La Salle lost their final group outing to Midleton by eight. They hit 19 wides and were without Waterford All-Ireland minor winning corner-forward Jamie Shanahan. They need everyone, and everyone firing this afternoon.

Verdict: Thurles CBS 

Midleton CBS v Nenagh CBS, Bansha, 1.30pm 

No point making much reference to the hurt Midleton carried out of last year’s largely self-inflicted quarter-final exit to St Flannan’s considering the starting team from the final group win over De La Salle contained just three survivors - centre-back Colm Garde, centre-forward Cian Stack, and full-forward Cormac Deane - from that game.

Midleton conceded not a single goal during their unbeaten group run. Their opponents raised four against Ardscoil Rís and seven against Cashel. 2024 All-Ireland minor winner Eoghan Doughan, Patrick Ryan, Paul Cahalan, and Éanna Tucker were the Nenagh students inflicting most pain on the opposition goal.

This quarter-final brings together the 2023/24 and 2024/25 Dean Ryan champions. Could be the quarter-final of the day.

Verdict: Nenagh CBS.

St Joseph’s Tulla v Blackwater CS Lismore, Kilmallock, 1.30pm

A first quarter-final involvement for Tulla since their all-conquering knockout run at the beginning of 2022, while Lismore are making a return to the last eight for the first time in 13 years.

After having to work incredibly hard to earn an opening day stalemate against North Mon, St Joseph’s were so impressive in securing back-to-back wins over Templemore and Christians thereafter.

2024 Clare minor Matthew Corbett - 0-34 (0-25 from the placed-ball) is his tally to date - will ask the tough questions of Lismore. Close-to-perfect discipline is required on both sides given the Blackwater sharpshooter, 2024 Waterford minor Ben Cummins, comes in with 2-29 (1-23 from the placed-ball).

Verdict: St Joseph’s Tulla 

St Flannan’s College, Ennis v Our Lady’s Templemore, TUS Moylish, 1.30pm 

Our Lady’s Templemore are appearing in a first quarter-final since exiting at this stage in 2023. While the group phase is now almost two months in the rearview mirror, they came away and came out of Group 4 with real momentum following a final day come-from-behind late surge against North Mon to book their last-eight berth.

Mark Conroy, Niall Delaney, and Shay Gleeson backbone a Templemore defensive effort charged with quietening leading Flannan’s cast members Harry Doherty, Patrick Finneran, Graham Ball, and Eoin O’Connor. Such is the somewhat lopsided nature of the knockout draws, Flannan’s will be eying a run to a second consecutive final.

Verdict: St Flannan’s