Dr Harty Cup: Two Cork derbies as competition gets underway

FOR the first time in three years, the ‘normal’ Dr Harty Cup (Munster Post-Primary Schools U19½ A HC) format returns tomorrow, with two Cork derbies among the pick of the fixtures.

With Covid-19 resulting in no competition taking place in 2020-21 – the first time since 1928 that his had happened – the Harty was back last year but run on a knockout basis. St Joseph’s Secondary School of Tulla in Clare were the champions, beating Midleton CBS and Cork City school Christian Brothers College along the way. Both Midleton and Christians are involved in all-Cork ties as the round-robin method is reinstalled.

Fourteen teams are competing, with two groups of four and two groups of three, two advancing from each to reach the quarter-finals. Christians and their opponents on Wednesday, fellow northside school Gaelcholáiste Mhuire an Mainistir Thaidh, are in Group 1, one of the four-team sections, along with Waterford’s De La Salle and Nenagh CBS.

Christians can call upon Midleton pair Mikey Finn and David Cremin, both of whom were on the Cork minor panel in 2021, but nobody else remains from last year’s Harty team. Erin’s Own player Peter O’Shea was one of the better performers for the Cork minor side in 2022, while Bill Kingston and Fionn Heffernan both sampled senior A championship hurling with Mallow this autumn.

The Gaelcholáiste Mhuire team is largely backboned by players from Na Piarsaigh, with the attacking wizardry of Ross O’Sullivan, a star with Cork minors this year, likely to be key for them. Séan Paul Cooke is another Na Piarsaigh man likely to feature in attack, along with Colm O’Regan, younger brother of Sarsfields’ Shane.

In defence, Jack Scanlon played premier senior for Na Piarsaigh this year and his clubmate Kian Galvin and Mayfield’s Luke Malone will be integral to their hopes, too.

Pobalscoil na Tríonóide of Youghal are back in the Harty after a six-year break and they are in Group 2, which also comprises four schools. The East Cork side take on Our Lady’s Secondary School of Templemore in their opener, while the other Cork school in that group, St Francis College of Rochestown, are in action against Thurles CBS.

The three-team Group 3 is a Cork-free zone – tomorrow, the competition’s record winners St Flannan’s College of Ennis take on Limerick’s Ardscoil Rís, while the other side in that pool are Cashel Community School.

Also featuring three schools is Group 4, which commences with an interesting clash between St Colman’s College of Fermoy and Midleton CBS tomorrow. Midleton are likely to benefit from the experience of the likes of Paudie O’Sullivan, Jack Leahy, Tiernan Roche and Darragh Leahy, while Patrick Walsh and Cillian O’Callaghan are likely to be on the 2023 Cork minor panel.

The two sides are joined by the holders from Tulla, with St Colman’s up against them in the second round of fixtures in a fortnight’s time.

ROUND ROBIN

Meanwhile, there is a chance that next year’s Munster U20 and Minor Hurling Championships will run along similar lines to the senior edition.

In 2021, the six counties were arranged into two groups of three, with the top two counties in each section progressing to the semi-finals. However, with Kerry withdrawing from the Munster minor and U20 championships for 2023, Cork’s Munster Council delegate Ger Lane told last week’s county board meeting in Páirc Uí Chaoimh that provincial officials were examining alternative formats. 

With counties having little appetite for a five-team knockout competition – where one quarter-final would be followed by two semi-finals – the round-robin has more support. The team finishing top of the five-team group would go straight to the Munster final, with second and third playing in the only semi-final. With only Munster and Leinster championships at the grade, the Munster winners will advance straight to the All-Ireland final.

Galway have applied to enter either the Leinster or Munster minor hurling championship, with their preference in that order. If Leinster refuse the request, Munster will consider it, based on the views of the five competing counties.

If Galway take part, there will be two groups of three as was the case this year, but if they don’t, then a five-team round-robin will most likely take place. If that happens, then the Munster final losers will be involved in an All-Ireland quarter-final series along with the Leinster runners-up and Galway.