Dr Harty Cup: Midleton and AG seek responses as competition resumes
Conor Ronayne of Midleton CBS in action against James Heffernan of St Joseph's CBS. Picture: Brendan Gleeson
With no industrial action to contend with, the TUS Dr Harty Cup is back in its usual Wednesday afternoon slot for the pivotal second round of fixtures.
The opening set of games was more dispersed than usual owing to the schools’ closure this day three weeks ago, but this more uniformity this time around – all of the matches have a 1.30pm throw-in bar the Group A clash between Waterford’s De La Salle and Tralee CBS, which starts an hour earlier.
By this evening, the qualification picture in the various groups should be clearer, not in Group 2, which is the only section to contain two Cork schools, as both are coming off defeats.
First day out, Gaelcholáiste Mhuire an Mhainistir Thuaidh put up a good performance against Ardscoil Rís before falling by three points; the city school will look to bounce back but face a tricky task as they go up against the competition’s holders, St Joseph’s CBS of Nenagh, in Knocklong.
Nenagh impressed in beating Midleton CBS by 4-20 to 1-18, with Tipperary minor star KJ Dunne scoring a hat-trick of goals.
Dealing with his threat will be imperative for ‘the AG’ – Nathan Ó Cofaigh could potentially be deployed as a man-marker but then they would lose his impetus from midfield. His twin brother Callum scored 1-9 in the Ardscoil game and the northsiders will look to the likes of Darragh de Barra and Séamas Ó Meachair to impact the game too while captain Ryan Ó Cróinín, who missed that match, would be a major asset if he were to be available.
Kilmallock is the venue for the meeting of Midleton and Ardscoil. Midleton will feel that the 11-point margin of defeat against Nenagh did not do them justice as a it was a close game until the champions pulled away in the closing stages – they will need Cormac Deane, Sam Ring and Ben Geary firing in attack while hoping Tom C Walsh and Alfie Hennessy can establish a midfield foothold.
In Group C, Christian Brothers College can secure a knockout spot if they beat Our Lady’s Secondary School in Bansha and St Flannan’s College also beat John The Baptist CS.
Christians were impressive in recording a 2-22 to 0-12 victory over John The Baptist in their delayed opener, having led the Hospital school by ten points at half-time.
Max Murphy, Michael Quill, Tom Huggins and Ben Hegarty are just some of the key names for the Sidney Hill outfit, while their squad depth is the envy of most other competitors.
Also looking to build on a victory are St Colman’s College of Fermoy, who clash with Blackwater CS in Castlelyons, having started off with victory over Castletroy College.
Sam McCarthy, Alan Cotter and Matthew Kenny were to the fore as they showed their mettle in the second half to edge the Limerick side by two points. Blackwater drew with St Joseph’s of Tulla in their first game.
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