Dr Harty Cup: Epic fightback earns Gaelcholáiste Mhuire a place in quarter-finals
Gaelcholaiste Mhuire's Eoin Cronin is tackled by Harry O'Donovan of Blackwater Community School Lismore, during their Harty Cup clash at Castlelyons.
Gaelcholáiste Mhuire produced an immense show of character as they battled back from a seemingly hopeless position in Wednesday’s TUS Dr Harty Cup preliminary quarter-final at Castlelyons.
At half-time, the northside school trailed by 2-6 to 0-4; by the 11th minute of the second half, the arrears had been reduced but only slightly, as Blackwater CS led by 3-7 to 0-7. For the remaining 19 minutes of normal time and 20 more in extra time, the score was 0-15 to 0-3 in favour of ‘the AG’.
In conditions that could be euphemistically described as spirit-building, Gaelcholáiste Mhuire’s performance was not without mistakes – certainly with the concession of some cheap goals early on and then even with wayward shooting in the closing stages that might have left them regretful. However, there was no shortage of courage or guile as they ate into the deficit, point by point, to force extra time and push into a lead that would not be relinquished.
It means that they will be hurling into the new year and, while they will not be among the favourites of the eight teams left, they fact is that they are there.
Down by eight at half-time, the AG – with the wind behind them – enjoyed a good start to the second half. Chief sharpshooter Craig Ó Súilleabháin, who finished with 16 points, Seán Ó Dálaigh and Darragh Ó Conaill had scores but the good work was undone as a Blackwater breakaway yielded a penalty, which Ben Cummins converted. He added a free to keep them six ahead and, after an Ó Súilleabháin free in response, the AG missed a goal chance as Billy Murphy saved from Jamie Ó hÉigeartaigh.
However, the goalkeeper injured himself in that process of making that intervention and, while sub Rian O’Dwyer did nothing wrong, the hold-up halted their momentum and allowed Gaelcholáiste Mhuire to settle and re-focus.
Another raker from Ó Dálaigh and one from Ó hÉigeartaigh were part of a three-point burst and, though Cummins replied for the Lismore school on 54 to make it 3-8 to 0-11, they would not score again until the 72nd minute.
In between, the AG were to reel off ten in a row – though the last four of those wouldn’t have been possible without the six to tie the game. Ó Súilleabháin was flawless from frees, with Dónal Ó Scannláin and Lucas Ó Muirthile providing the hard work to win them while Gabhán Ó Ceallabháin provided a valuable outlet after his introduction.
Even so, they still needed a heroic block from Cian Ó Gealbháin on a Stephen Murphy shot for Lismore that was going over the bar when they led by two in the second minute of injury time – an Ó Súilleabháin 65 and a Darragh Ó Conaill point completed the fightback and set up the addition 20 minutes.
With the wind again, they moved ahead for the first time since the opening minutes, the lead four – 0-21 to 3-9 – at the turnaround. Though Cummins did end Lismore’s scoring drough on the restart, a goal effort from a free was kept out and superb defending limited their ability to reduce the arrears further.
By this stage, Callum Ó Cofaigh was the only AG player inside the Lismore 65 but he was unlucky with one goal chance before doing brilliantly to take Ó Ceallacháin’s delivery before being hauled down, with Ó Súilleabháin adding the pointed free.
Cummins did bring it back to three as the clock ticked into the red and there was one last goalmouth scramble as Lismore sought an equaliser but the AG held out, to joyous scenes.
It was all so different in the first half, though. A Cummins free from distance ended in the net to give Blackwater a cushion before he set up David O’Farrell to make it 2-1 to 0-2 in the ninth minute. With the AG struggling to make inroads, the lead had stretched to eight by half-time and the third goal looked to be decisive. There were lots of twists and turns left, though.
C O’Súilleabháin 0-16 (0-11 f, 0-3 65), D Ó Conaill, S Ó Dálaigh 0-2 each, L Ó Muirthile, J Ó hÉigeartaigh 0-1 each.
B Cummins 2-8 (1-8f, 1-0 penalty), D O’Farrell 1-1, A Cummins 0-1.
J Ó Gabhláin (Glen Rovers); M Gayfer (Glen Rovers), J Ó Brosnacháin (Glen Rovers), E Ó Murchú (Mayfield); S Ó Dálaigh (St Vincent’s), C Ó Maonaigh (Na Piarsaigh), C Ó Gealbháin (Na Piarsaigh); E Ó Cróinin (Na Piarsaigh), T Ó Bruadau (St Vincent’s); D Ó Scannláin (Na Piarsaigh), C Ó Súilleabháin (Na Piarsaigh), L Ó Muirthile (Na Piarsaigh); D Ó Conaill (Whitechurch), C Ó Cofaigh (Na Piarsaigh), J Ó hÉigeartaigh (Whitechurch).
S Mac Seoin (St Vincent’s) for Gayfer, G Ó Ceallacháin (Glen Rovers) for Ó Bruadau (both 40), C Ó Riain (Carraig na bhFear) for Ó Cróinín (44), C Ó Briain (Whitechurch) for Ó Murchú (60), G Ó Duibhir Ó hArrachtáin for Ó hÉigeartaigh (72, injured).
B Murphy (Cois Bhríde); C Lynch (St Oliver's), D O'Brien (Ballysaggart), G Kenneally (Ballyduff Upper); S Barry (Lismore), H Quann (Lismore), B Bourke (Ballyduff Upper); J McDonnell (Cois Bhríde), J Hickey (Modeligo); C Lineen (Lismore), B Cummins (Lismore), H O'Donovan (St Oliver's); A Cummins (Lismore), S Murphy (Tallow), D O'Farrell (Lismore).
A Murphy (Cois Bhríde) for O’Donovan (35), R O’Dwyer (Lismore) for Murphy (46, injured), C Nicholson (Cappoquin/Affane) for Lineen (56), Lineen for Nicholson (half-time in extra time).
T Loughnane (Tipperary).
App?
