Another late show for Christians as Diarmuid Wall goal helps them into Harty Cup quarter-finals

CBC, Cork 1-7 St Colman’s College, Fermoy 0-8

AN ability to produce late fightbacks was once again to the fore as Christian Brothers College booked their TUS Dr Harty Cup quarter-final spot with a win over St Colman’s College at Mallow on Wednesday.

In stormy conditions, Christians trailed by 0-5 to 0-1 at half-time after playing against the wind and a pair of Liam Óg Hegarty frees moved Fermoy further clear on the resumption. However, the city school battled back point by point thereafter. They were still two behind, 0-8 to 0-6, when Diarmuid Wall latched on to a clearance in the 58th minute but he stayed composed as he caried the ball and fired to the net.

There was still time for a Colman’s leveller as five minutes of injury time were played but they couldn’t find one and Wall made sure of the win after sub Jack Hegarty was fouled. Having had late shows in their opening win over Doon and against Rice College in their last group game to earn a draw to send them into the preliminary quarter-finals, Christians will hope that such levels of resolve stand to them in the last eight in the new year.

They faced a very robust breeze in the first half and, though they did have the opening score through a Wall free in the second minute, it was the extent of their output prior to half-time. The fact that the Sidney Hill outfit did even register a wide – Colman’s had six in the opening period – pointed to the strength of the elements, with scoring efforts and intended deliveries falling short of their intended landing areas.

At the other end, the breeze was not always of great assistance to Colman’s, either. There were those half-dozen errant attempts and it took until the ninth minute for them to open their account. That was a point from Seán O’Donoghue, so impressive at the same venue on Saturday for St Catherine’s in the Munster JHC final, and a pair of frees from Liam Óg Hegarty gave them a cushion.

Hegarty and Brian McGrath at midfield linked well while centre-back James O’Brien provided a steadying presence and attackers Louie Roche and Fionn Lardner set a strong tone by defending from the front. For Christians, centre-back Conor McCarthy made more than one surging foray forward but they could not puncture the Colman’s rearguard.

After Hegarty made it 0-4 to 0-1 with a free from his own 65, Colman’s finished the half with a fine Liam Foley point, set up by Brian McGrath. Things got even better for them as Hegarty opened up a six-point lead when action resumed.

Gradually, Christians found their feet, Wall on song from frees while it took a good clearance from Colman’s wing-back Oisín Fitzgerald to prevent a goal. Wall made it 0-7 to 0-6 on 52 and, while Hegarty replied with another Colman’s free, it was to be their last score as Christians had the late kick again.

  Scorers for CBC: D Wall 1-6 (0-5 f, 0-1 65), P Lehane 0-1.

St Colman’s College: L Hegarty 0-6 f, S O’Donoghue, L Foley 0-1 each.

CBC: E Coughlan (Blackrock); D Collins (Erin’s Own), J O’Callaghan Maher (Douglas), J Huggins (Sarsfields); D Browne (Blackrock), C McCarthy (Glen Rovers), R Buckley (Whitechurch); A Hourigan (Mallow), B Nolan (Erin’s Own); M Brosnan (Glen Rovers), B Mayer (Ballinora), P O’Shea (Erin’s Own); D Wall (Glen Rovers), J Cronin (Blarney), P Lehane (Na Piarsaigh).

Subs: J Trench (Ballinora) for Brosnan (38), J Hegarty (Ballinora) for Cronin (51), J Hartnett (Douglas) for Nolan (57), D O’Donovan (Sarsfields) for Lehane (60).

ST COLMAN’S COLLEGE: T Corcoran (Ballyduff); A Hickey (Ballyduff), D Cashman (Bride Rovers), D O’Brien (Fermoy); O Fitzgerald (St Catherine’s), J O’Brien (Fermoy), T McGrath (Harbour Rovers); L Óg Hegarty (Kilworth), B McGrath (Fermoy); L Roche (Bride Rovers), S O’Donoghue (St Catherine’s), C O’Leary (Watergrasshill); F Lardner (Fermoy), L Foley (Watergrasshill), D Hickey (Ballyduff).

Subs: R Donovan (Fermoy) for T McGrath (44), J Temple (St Catherine’s) for Hickey, K O’Donoghue for O’Leary (both 60).

Referee: J O’Halloran (Limerick).