Midleton CBS advance in Harty Cup with storming second-half display

Midleton CBS 1-25 St Joseph’s Tulla 1-13 

MIDLETON CBS ended St Joseph’s reign as Dr Harty Cup champions with a powerful second-half performance in glorious conditions in Ballyagran on Wednesday.

The east Cork school joined St Colman’s, Fermoy, in the Munster Post-Primary Schools SHC quarter-finals after Christmas with a 1-17 scoring burst after half-time. Dungourney’s Jack Leahy was once again the star player, finishing with 1-12.

Patrick Walsh from Carrigtwohill was another to make a sizeable contribution from centre-forward, helping himself to 0-5 from play while excellent centre-back Daniel Murnane also got on the score sheet with a monster at the start of the second-half.

The only blight was the red card shown to substitute Colm Leahy from Killeagh following an off-the-ball incident near the end.

Tulla’s season is over, but the first-time champions acquitted themselves well before their weakened team, minus a couple of key forwards, ran out of steam.

The Clare representatives led by 0-7 to 0-4 after 19 minutes and the rivals turned around level for a fourth time at 0-8 apiece, but Midleton CBS were a different proposition on the change of ends.

Murnane’s inspirational score was followed immediately by another, Walsh applying the perfect finish from an acute angle on the right after a dynamic run from wing-back Timmy Wilk.

It was still tight entering the closing quarter, Dylan McCarthy’s outstanding second point from the left and a huge effort from corner-back Darragh Leahy helping Midleton CBS to a 0-16 to 0-13 advantage.

Tulla, though, would only add one more score to their tally as Midleton CBS powered further in front by claiming seven unanswered points in an eight-minute burst.

The 2021 winners needed a goal to have any chance of reeling in the 0-22 to 0-13 deficit and it arrived after 54 minutes, impressive full-forward Danna Fox firing a shot across the face of Paudie O’Sullivan’s goal to the far corner of the net.

Midleton CBS rallied, however, to add another 1-3 with Jack Leahy’s goal from a free, three minutes into stoppage time, a fitting climax to his and the team’s display.

Scorers for Midleton CBS: J Leahy 1-12 (1-8 f), P Walsh 0-5, D McCarthy 0-2, D Leahy, D Murnane, T O’Regan, S Irwin, C Leahy, D Buckley 0-1 each.

Tulla: L O’Connor 0-6 (0-5 f), D Fox 1-3, S Boyce 0-2, E Creaven 0-2f.

MIDLETON CBS: P O’Sullivan (Fr O’Neill’s, jc); S O’Callaghan (Aghada); A Moloney (Midleton), D Leahy (Castlemartyr); C O’Callaghan (Dungourney), D Murnane (Carrigtwohill), T Wilk (Cobh); T Roche (Midleton), T O’Regan (Cloyne); S Irwin (Killeagh), P Walsh (Carrigtwohill), D McCarthy (Killeagh); J O’Brien (Cloyne); M Wall (Fr O’Neill’s), J Leahy (Dungourney, jc).

Subs: B Walsh (Killeagh) for Wall half-time, C Leahy (Killeagh) for O’Regan 40, B McGann (Castlemartyr) for Irwin injured 52, D Buckley (Killeagh) for O’Brien 59.

ST JOSEPH’S: E Creaven; C McNamara, F Ryan, C O’Gara; C O’Donnell, E Maxted, captain, P Daly; D Moroney, E Culloo; D Fitzgerald, L O’Connor, C Hogan; E Mulcahy, D Fox, S Boyce.

Sub: S Cooper for O’Connor injured 50.

Referee: J O’Halloran (Limerick).