Dr Harty Cup: CBC well on top as they open campaign with victory over Hospital

Christian Brothers College, Cork 2-22

John The Baptist CS, Hospital 0-12

The longer wait than normal was no impediment to Christian Brothers College as they cruised to victory in their TUS Dr Harty Cup opener at Castlelyons on Thursday.

While Sam Mitchell of John The Baptist CS opened the scoring after 11 seconds of this clash between the last two teams to open their campaigns, CBC had the lead as Tom Huggins struck the first two of seven points and they held it thereafter.

The Cork outfit had seven points on the board before their Hospital opponents doubled their tally and by half-time a 0-14 to 0-4 lead looked commanding - a scuffle that led to six yellow cards had not even been enough to shake their supremacy.

While there was no turning point as such, one what-if moment came late in the first half as the trailing side went for goal from a free when a point would heave left it 0-11 to 0-5 – that was blocked and centre-back Max Murphy, Hugo Raftery and Ben Hegarty extended the lead at the other end.

On the resumption, Cian O’Flynn, Danny O’Donovan (two) and Huggins made it a 14-point game before Conor O’Dwyer ended Hospital’s scoring drought on 38 minutes. That was followed by a nice Christian Higgins score but any hopes of a fightback were soon extinguished as O’Donovan’s delivery found its way to Hegarty; while he had work to do, he used his strength and speed to create an opening before firing to the net.

Michael Quill’s free on the three-quarter mark put CBC – who did not make the knockout stages last year – 16 clear.

Subs Keith Quinn and Jason Ryan were among the scores as Hospital reduced the deficit in the closing stages and Seán O’Dwyer had sight of goal but Cian Power and Seán Ó Sé pressured his shot and goalkeeper Khalid Abderazik saved.

At the death, CBC sub Patrick McCarthy did well to set fellow replacement Jack Norton away and he fired home to leave the scoring-difference tally looking healthy, should it be required.

The win puts CBC top of the Group 3 table along with St Flannan’s – next up after midterm for the Sidney Hill outfit is a clash with Our Lady’s Secondary School while Hospital face the Ennis side.

Scorers for Christian Brothers College: T Huggins 0-7 (0-1f), B Hegarty 1-2, M Quill 0-4f, C O’Flynn 0-3, J Norton 1-0, M Murphy (0-2f), D O’Donovan 0-2 each, C Kelly, H Raftery 0-1 each.

John The Baptist CS: C Higgins 0-6 (0-4f), S Mitchell 0-2, M Hanly (0-1f), C O’Dwyer (0-1f), K Quinn, J Ryan 0-1 each.

CHRISTIAN BROTHERS COLLLEGE: K Abdelrazik (Castlelyons); D Carroll (Carrigaline), C Burke (Glen Rovers), J Costello (Clonakilty); C Power (Nemo Rangers), M Murphy (Midleton), C Kelly (Midleton); M Quill (Blackrock), C Stack (Blackrock); T Huggins (Sarsfields), L Cregan (Douglas), H Raftery (Liscarroll-Churchtown Gaels); B Hegarty (Ballinora), C O’Flynn (Blarney), D O’Donovan (Douglas).

Subs: F O’Shea (Ballinhassig) for Raftery (42), F O’Leary (Ballincollig) for Cregan (49), P McCarthy (Blackrock) for Murphy (51), J Norton (Erin’s Own) for Hegarty (53), S Ó Sé (Blackrock) for Burke (55).

JOHN THE BAPTIST CS: C Hyland (Garryspillane); L Ellevsen (Hospital-Herbertstown), K Hennessy (Hospital-Herberstown), C Cleary (Knockainey); J O’Riordan (Bruff) M Hanly (Ballybricken-Bohermore), J McMahon (Hospital-Herbertstown); S O’Dwyer (Caherline), C Shanahan (Bruff); S Mitchell (Knockainey), C O’Dwyer (Pallasgreen), F O’Carroll (Garryspillane); R Martin (Ballybricken-Bohermore), C Higgins (Hospital-Herbertstown), R Hanly (Ballybricken-Bohermore).

Subs: K Quinn (Hospital-Herbertstown) for O’Carroll (40), J Ryan (Knockainey) for O’Dwyer (49), M Boland (Caherline) for McMahon (54), E Lonergan (Emly) for Martin (57).

Referee: S Stokes (Tullylease).