Rochestown exit Dr Harty Cup after defeat to Templemore

Our Lady’s Secondary School, Templemore 3-15 St Francis College, Rochestown 2-13

THE Dr Harty Cup hopes of St Francis College of Rochestown are over for another year following defeat in their final group game on Wednesday.

Going into their clash in Bansha with Our Lady’s Secondary School of Templemore, the terms were clear-cut – as both had lost to group winners Thurles CBS and beaten Youghal’s Pobalscoil na Tríonóide, this was a play-off for second place and a quarter-final spot. However, Templemore’s better scoring difference effectively gave them a head-start of a point.

Rochestown looked the better team in the opening stages, especially when a run of points from Robert Hanley, Kevin Lyons and Micheál O’Mahony put them 0-5 to 0-2 in front, but Templemore levelled through their star player Jamie Ormond – an All-Ireland minor winner this year – and Ciarán O’Shea before Cian Buckley looked to have put ‘Roco’ back in front only for the shot be waved wide. While O’Mahony’s free did give them the lead again, it was for the last time and an unanswered 2-3 by Templemore turned the game in their favour.

Having moved 0-7 to 0-6 in front, they struck for the first goal on 25 minutes. Josh McMahon got on the end of Michael Cahill’s delivery only for Luke Kiely to save well but Templemore kept the ball alive and Paddy Phelan fed McMahon, who fired home.

Almost immediately, they were raising the green flag again, with James Ryan to McMahon allowing him to find Ciarán O’Shea and he applied the finish. Another Ormond point had them eight ahead but by half-time, Rochestown were back to within five, 2-9 to 1-7, after Cathal Hallahan and Mikey O’Connell combined for a Charlie Lucas goal.

Unfortunately for Rochestown, the first score of the second half was another Templemore goal, with Michael Cahill finding the net to restore the eight-point advantage. To their credit, Roco came back well with four points on the trot while Fionnán Leahy was unlucky to see a goal attempt touched on to the post by Templemore goalkeeper Archie Devaney.

That four-point margin was the smallest cushion that Templemore enjoyed in the second half, however, with Rochestown’s wides tally reaching 14 as they had just one point between the 38th and 57th minutes.

Ormond and Ned Walsh had good points for Templemore as they reaffirmed their advantage. A good long-range free by Cork U20 player Lyons was followed in injury time by a goal from Eoin O’Flynn, but it was mere consolation as Templemore advanced.

Scorers for Our Lady’s Secondary School: J Ormond 0-9 (0-4 f), C O’Shea 1-2, J McMahon, M Cahill 1-0 each, N Walsh 0-2, P Phelan (0-1f), D McAllister 0-1 each.

St Francis College: M O’Mahony 0-6 f, C Lucas, E O’Flynn 1-1 each, K Lyons (0-1 f), E O’Connor 0-2 each, R Hanley 0-1.

OUR LADY’S SECONDARY SCHOOL: A Devaney (Borris-Ileigh); C Gleeson (Drom & Inch), J Bergin (JK Brackens); E Kennedy (Drom & Inch); J Ryan (JK Brackens), E Larkin (Roscrea), N Delaney (JK Brackens); T Corcoran (JK Brackens), J Ormond (JK Brackens); N Walsh (JK Brackens), M Cahill (JK Brackens), P Phelan (Upperchurch-Drombane); C O’Shea (JK Brackens), J McMahon (Roscrea), D McAllister (Drom & Inch).

Subs: C Cahill (Drom & Inch) for Larkin (half-time, injured), C Guilfoyle (Moyne-Templetuohy) for McAllister (53), C Fleming (Moneygall) for McMahon (56).

ST FRANCIS COLLEGE: L Kiely (Blackrock); O McAdoo (Blackrock), S Healy (Blackrock), L Dwane Fogarty (Douglas); C O’Keeffe (Douglas), K Lyons (Ballygarvan), E O’Flynn (Douglas); F Leahy (Blackrock), C Buckley (St Finbarr’s); M O’Connell (Blackrock), M O’Mahony (Ballygarvan), R Hanley (Douglas), E O’Connor (Ballygarvan), C Hallahan (Douglas), C Lucas (Douglas).

Sub: O Haynes Barry (Douglas) for O’Keeffe (33).

Referee: T Loughnane (Gortnahoe-Glengoole).