Harty Cup: Coláiste Choilm well beaten by St Flannan's 

St Flannan’s College Ennis 2-33 

Coláiste Choilm Ballincollig: 0-17 

COLÁISTE CHOILM bowed out of the 2023-2024 Harty Cup following defeat to Clare outfit St Flannan’s at Banteer on Wednesday afternoon.

The Ballincollig school had to win in this last group encounter and hope De La Salle College failed to win against Ardscoil Rís in order to qualify for the knockout stages.

Despite finishing the group stages with a point from three matches, Coláiste Choilm can take positives from their first adventure into the top flight as they will look to kick on next season. 

St Flannan’s were super-efficient, slick hurling and had an understanding. Coláiste Choilm played well early on but simply couldn’t live with their opposition. 

It was a ferocious start to the game with scores coming from all angles. It was a right ding-dong battle early on with St Flannan’s holding a 0-7 to 0-4 advantage after just 10 minutes. 

Eoin Dwyer split the posts for Coláiste Choilm following a neat move involving Seán O’Neill and Josh McCarthy until the sides traded points before the Clare school slowly pulled away. Their ability to pick out a player in the right position was top class.

St Flannan’s led 0-16 to 0-7 after 22 minutes. In fairness to Coláiste Choilm you couldn’t question their commitment, but St Flannan’s quality and efficiency was on another level. Daniel Murphy and Dwyer added points for the Ballincollig school before St Flannan’s raised a green flag through Luca Cleary from close-range.

St Flannan’s hit five of the last seven points of the half to lead 1-21 to 0-11 at half-time. 

St Flannan’s struck three quick points early in the second-half before Coláiste Choilm landed three points, Dwyer with two, one from a free, and a McCarthy placed ball, 1-24 to 0-14 after 38 minutes. The Clare side pushed 1-28 to 0-14 clear with 15 minutes remaining.

Coláiste Choilm battled gamely, but St Flannan’s were finding gaps and with five minutes remaining the lead was out to 1-31 to 0-15. The sides exchanged the next four white flags before St Flannan’s netted a goal deep in injury-time through sub Michael Power.

Scorers for St Flannan’s College: T Boddy 0-9 (0-6 f), J Mescall 0-6, L Cleary 1-3, F Hegarty 0-5, M Power 1-0, F Meaney, J Hegarty (f), J Casey 0-2 each, C Griffin, I Williams, E Price, M O’Connor 0-1 each.

Coláiste Choilm: E Dwyer 0-8 (0-5 f), J McCarthy 0-3 f, D Murphy, S O’Neill, D O’Leary, B Dore, C Malone, N Buckley 0-1 each.

ST FLANNAN’S COLLEGE: C Howard; C Griffin, F Ó Braoin, P Nagle; F Meaney, J Hegarty, E Price; J Casey, I Williams; J Mescall, F Hegarty, R Kilroy; T Boddy, L Cleary, H Doherty.

Subs: M O’Connor for E Price (38), R Loftus for R Kilroy (43), M Power for F Hegarty, K McDonnell for H Doherty (both 51), E Kennedy for J Hegarty (53).

COLÁISTE CHOILM: D Murphy (Ballinora); D Clifford (Éire Óg), T McGrath (Valley Rovers), C Clifford (Éire Óg); C Malone (Éire Óg), B Dore (Ballincollig), A Doyle (Inniscarra); J Galvin (Éire Óg), D O’Leary (Ballincollig); J McCarthy (Éire Óg), S O’Neill (Ballincollig), J Murray (Ballincollig); S Linehan (Inniscarra), E Dwyer (Ballincollig), D Murphy (Inniscarra).

Subs: N Buckley (Inniscarra) for S Linehan (43), G Howard (Ballincollig) for J McCarthy, D Miskella (Ballincollig) for C Clifford (both 52), L Harris (Ballincollig) for D Clifford, J Murphy (Ballincollig) for D Murphy (both 60).

Referee: Mike Sexton (Limerick).