Dr Harty Cup: Rochestown suffer heavy defeat to holders Nenagh CBS

Nenagh CBS: 7-15 

St Francis College Rochestown: 1-12 

St Francis College Rochestown were well beaten in their TUS Dr Harty Cup opener against Nenagh CBS at Littleton in Tipperary on Wednesday afternoon.

This was always going to be a huge challenge for Rochestown in their first season back up in this competition against the reigning champions.

Alan Cadogan’s side were competitive for the most part and they did give it everything but ultimately it came down to quality. The scoreline is probably harsh on Rochestown who did a lot right for 50 minutes, but finished up with 13 players.

Given this particular Group 4 consists of three teams, all is not lost for the city school, who know a win in their last group match against Midleton CBS will be enough to qualify.

Rochestown had a strong wind advantage in the opening 30 minutes and started brightly. Alan Cadogan’s team led 0-3 to 0-1 after five minutes, a pair of Mark O’Brien points and a Brian Lynch effort with the scores for the Cork school. Also during that time, Rochestown goalkeeper Noah Duane made a great reflex save to deny Darragh Treacy a goal.

Unfortunately after a promising start, Rochestown were unable to build on it. Nenagh showed their class as it didn’t take long for them to take a stranglehold on proceedings. The Tippperary side hit 1-3 without reply with the goal coming after 15 minutes through Austin Duff.

O’Brien did convert a free for Rochestown after 16 minutes but they wouldn’t score again for the remainder of the half. They conceded a second green flag 12 minutes to the break when Joe O’Dwyer billowed the back of the net, 2-4 to 0-4.

It was one-way traffic as the holders tacked on six unanswered points to lead 2-10 to 0-4 at half-time.

As well as the commanding advantage, Nenagh also had wind advantage for the second half, but Rochestown showed character despite the deficit. Three O’Brien points on the bounce, two from frees, brought the gap down to nine points after 33 minutes.

Brian O’Meara did point for Nenagh but Rochestown were hurling much better in the second half and were rewarded with a goal after 36 minutes when Fionn O’Keeffe did well to set up Lynch and the latter buried the ball into the corner of the net, 2-11 to 1-7.

Rochestown hit two of the next three points before Nenagh got a penalty after Eoghan Doughan was fouled after 42 minutes. The same player stepped up and made no mistake, 3-12 to 1-9.

Rochestown were then reduced to 14 players with 17 minutes remaining when Diarmuid O’Donoghue picked up a second yellow card. Charlie Hanratty clipped over an effort as Cadogan’s team remained competitive for now.

The sides traded points with Nenagh 3-13 to 1-11 ahead. The holders pushed for home in the final 10 minutes or so. Everything that could have went wrong for Rochestown went wrong as they only registered a point in the closing stages, which came from an O’Brien free, while Nenagh scored 4-2. O’Dwyer, Eoin Garrigan, Doughan (free) and Eoin Grace with the goals.

Rochestown also finished with 13 players when Brian Lynch received a straight red card with a minute to go.

Scorers for Nenagh CBS: E Doughan 2-7 (0-4 f, 1-0 f, 1-0 pen, 0-1 65), J O’Dwyer 2-2, A Duff 1-1, E Garrigan, E Grace 1-0 each, B O’Meara 0-2, B O’Donnell, D Treacy, E Jones 0-1 each.

Rochestown: M O’Brien 0-9 (0-5 f), B Lynch 1-1, O O’Donovan, C Hanratty 0-1 each.

NENAGH CBS: E Sherlock; C Grace, G McGrath, P Ryan; D Fogarty, B O’Donnell, L O’Callaghan; C Hogan, D O’Dwyer; S Cleary, E Doughan, D Treacy; A Duff, B O’Meara, J O’Dwyer.

Subs: D McKelvey for D O’Dwyer (h-t), E Garrigan for C Hogan (49), E Jones for P Ryan (50), P Hackett for S Cleary, E Grace for A Duff (both 55).

ROCHESTOWN: N Duane (Douglas); J Mouret (Douglas), L Kelleher (Douglas), R Sisk (Crosshaven); D O’Donoghue (Douglas), D Reddington (Douglas), A Geary (Blackrock); B Lynch (Blackrock), F O’Keeffe (Blackrock); O O’Donovan (Passage), M O'Brien (Douglas), C Hanratty (Carrigaline); R Dooley (Douglas), S O’Keeffe (Douglas), T Lucas (Douglas).

Subs: C Lowney (Tracton) for A Geary (40), C Morrissey (Douglas) for T Lucas (53). 

Referee: Tom Loughnane (Tippperary).