Christians lose out to Cashel CS in Dr Harty Cup quarter-final
Peter O'Shea scored four points for CBC. File picture: Larry Cummins
A GOAL 40 seconds after the start ultimately proved to be the difference as the TUS Dr Harty Cup hopes of Christian Brothers College were brought to a halt at Ballyagran on Wednesday afternoon.
The game was still in its infancy when Cashel CS joint captain Ben Currivan weaved his through the CBC defence before sending a low shot to the net.
It set up the Tipperary school to dominate the first half with the wind at their backs and provided a cushion in the second period as they sought to defend that lead.
While Christians had more of the ball after half-time and cut what was at one stage a seven-point deficit down to a margin of just two, a goal remained elusive for the Sidney Hill outfit, who exit the competition at the last-eight stage for the second year in a row.
Winners of their group with a 100 percent record, Christians would have been hopeful of making an impact in the knockout stages.
Unfortunately for them, the strong elements in their faces in the opening half made life difficult and it wasn’t until the excellent Peter O’Shea got the first of his four points in the 19th minute that they had a score from play.
Prior to that, Cashel had assembled a 1-6 to 0-2 advantage, with points from former Tipperary minor captain Ronan Connolly, Oisín O’Donoghue and corner-back Cian Ryan buttressing their advantage after the opening goal.
But for some wayward shooting – they had nine first-half wides – Cashel could have been further clear but O’Shea’s point was followed by a free from Mikey Finn, his third, to reduce the lead to five, 1-6 to 0-4, by the 24th minute.
However, Cashel had three of the last four points of the half – O’Shea with the sole CBC score after he did well to extricate the sliothar from a phalanx of bodies – and a 1-9 to 0-5 lead at half-time left the northside school with a mountain to climb.
On the restart, they exerted pressure and first-half sub Fionán Barry had an early score, the point awarded after the shot had initially been waved wide. O’Shea followed that with a monstrous effort and there was a sense that they could get back into it.
Cashel had withdrawn Connolly to play as a sweeper and that frustrated CBC somewhat, while Currivan added a pair of frees to keep daylight between the sides.
After David Cremin’s good point for CBC left them five behind, 1-11 to 0-9, on 45 minutes, Adam Daly replied to move Cashel six ahead again before Christians had their most fruitful spell of the game.
Cremin set up Barry for a good score and then Ruairí Cummins landed one, meaning Finn’s fourth point cut the lead to a goal in the 51st minute.
A second for Cummins, reacting well after a Finn from deep broke close to goal, had them within touching distance but unfortunately it proved to be their final score.
Cummins was dismissed moments later after an umpire drew referee John O’Halloran’s attention to an off-the-ball incident and a good Connolly free from distance moved Cashel three ahead once more.
Christians did have a couple of late 20m frees as they sought a levelling goal but goalkeeper Eoin Coughlan found his efforts repelled by the Cashel players on the line.
R Connolly 0-6 (0-5 f), B Currivan 1-2 (0-2 f), A Daly, O O’Donoghue, D McGrath, C Ryan, G O’Dwyer 0-1 each.
M Finn (f), P O’Shea 0-4 each, F Barry, R Cummins 0-2 each, D Cremin 0-1.
T Breen; C Ryan, D Spillane, C Byrne; J Quinlan, G O’Dwyer, D Fogarty; S Buckley, O O’Donoghue; É Ormond, D McGrath, R Connolly; B Currivan, R Darcy, A Daly.
P Dalton for Ormond, A Walsh for Darcy (both 51).
E Coughlan (Blackrock); C Dunphy (Erin’s Own), J O’Callaghan Maher (Douglas), D Browne (Blackrock); P Lehane (Na Piarsaigh), B Kingston (Mallow), D Wall (Glen Rovers); P O’Shea (Erin’s Own), M Finn (Midleton); T Buckley (Blarney), D Cremin (Midleton), G O’Shea (Douglas); F Heffernan (Mallow), M O’Dwyer (Russell Rovers), R Cummins (Russell Rovers).
F Barry (Douglas) for G O’Shea (23, injured).
J O’Halloran (Tipperary).
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