Dr Harty Cup: Gaelcholáiste Mhuire left to rue late lapse as Matthew Corbett rescues a draw for Tulla
Josh Ó Brosnacháin in action for Gaelcholáiste Mhuire against St Joseph's Tulla during thier Dr Harty Cup clash in Kilmallock, Co Limerick. Picture: Larry Cummins
The first half belonged to Gaelcholáiste Mhuire. The second was claimed by St Joseph’s Tulla.
And in the end, a draw felt about right in their Dr Harty Cup Group 4 opener – even if the AG were only denied victory by a 64th-minute free, nervelessly struck by Matthew Corbett in Kilmallock on Wednesday.
The AG had led since the 12th minute, clinging to that advantage right up until Corbett landed his fourth free in succession to make it 1-14 to 0-17 on 47 minutes. The Cork school were their own worst enemy after that, coughing up too many frees, and were fortunate to see Corbett miss two in a row before Gabhán Ó Ceallacháin finally ended a 15-minute scoring drought with a placed ball.
Former Clare minors Ryan Hayes and Jerry O’Connor combined for the latter to level matters for the fifth time in the 57th minute, but when Josh Ó Brosnacháin won a free two minutes later, Craig Ó Suilleabháin restored the AG’s slender lead.
They could have pushed two clear, only for Ó Ceallacháin to miss in added time, only his second wide from placed balls in an otherwise masterful performance from the Glen forward. But when they gave away yet another soft free, Corbett punished them, drilling over in the final minute to salvage a draw for the Clare school.
The opening exchanges were cagey, 0-3 apiece after 11 minutes, Liam Murphy’s crisp effort for Tulla the pick of them. The AG then seized control, hitting seven of the next eight points to move six ahead, Ó Ceallacháin winning the battle of wills with a lively Tulla crowd who did everything they could to put him off.
Two Corbett frees narrowed the gap before Ó Ceallacháin fired in a sideline cut that deceived goalkeeper Patrick Murphy and nestled in the net – a moment that pushed Gaelcholáiste seven clear after 25 minutes, 1-10 to 0-6.
At half-time they led by six, Tulla looking blunt, with just two scorers and only two points from play. Both sides had posted sweepers, keeping two up top and at the back, clogging the middle third.
The pattern flipped after the restart. Tulla dominated territory as scores from play came at a premium, their first four points coming unanswered, with Aodhán O’Driscoll and Cathal Leamy among the few to find space for scores from play. There would be only five scores from play in the latter act.
Ó Ceallacháin steadied the AG again from a superb free, and made sure the Tulla contingent knew about it with his celebrations. After a point each from play, down the other end, Corbett replied in kind – four frees on the spin, ice-cold under pressure from the AG crowd, dragging his side level.
They would finish that way, but not after a few late twists and Corbett’s heroics.
Ten wides apiece told the story of a game that swung wildly but rarely settled. Seán Ó Dálaigh was impressive in defence for the AG, so too was Dónal Ó Scannláin, but both sides will know they’ll need to tidy things up if they’re to emerge from this group.
G Ó Ceallacháin 1-8 (0-6 f, 1-0 sdl, 0-1 65), C Ó Suilleabháin 0-4 (0-2 f), L Ó Muirthile 0-2, E Mac Eochán, S Ó Cathaláin 0-1 each.
M Corbett 0-14 (0-12 f, 0-1 65), L Murphy, A O’Driscoll, C Leamy, M Vaughan, J O’Connor 0-1 each.
J Ó Gabhláin (Fánaithe an Ghleanna); N Ó Cofaigh (Na Piarsaigh), E Ó Murchú (Fánaithe an Ghleanna); D Ó Scannláin (Na Piarsaigh); S Ó Dálaigh (Naomh Uinseann), J Ó Brosnacháin (Fánaithe an Ghleanna), R Ó Buachalla (Fánaithe an Ghleanna), G Ó Duibhir Ó hArrachtán (Na Piarsaigh); T Ó Bruadau (Naomh Uinseann), E Mac Eochán (Fánaithe an Ghleanna); L Ó Muirthile (Na Piarsaigh) (c), C Ó Suilleabháin (Na Piarsaigh), G Ó Ceallacháin (Fánaithe an Ghleanna); C Ó Cofaigh (Na Piarsaigh), S Ó Cathaláin (Na Piarsaigh).
S Ó Laocha (Naomh Uinseann) for Ó Murchú (HT), D De Barra (Dúglas) for Ó Cathaláin (45), J Ó Riain (An Bhlarna) for Mac Eochán (49 inj).
P Murphy (Tulla); D Greene (Broadford), E Cooney (Tulla); R Hayes (Tulla); L Moroney (Tulla); H Nolan (Tula), F Minogue (Feakle); M Corbett (Clooney-Quin), M Vaughan (Broadford) (c); L Murphy (O’Callaghan’s Mills), C Leamy (Clooney-Quin), J O’Connor (Clooney-Quin) Ó Perril (Crusheen); A O’Driscoll (Broadford), J O’Donnell (Broadford).
C Maxted (Clooney-Quin) for Minogue (30), N Belenko (Tulla) for Perril (48).
M Sexton (Bruree)
App?
