Dr Harty Cup: Gaelcholáiste Mhuire manager Ó Mainnín pays tribute to team's battling qualities

Given the draw they received for this year’s TUS Dr Harty Cup, still being in contention ahead of the last set of group games is surely something that Gaelcholáiste Mhuire an Mhainistir Thuaidh would have taken if offered.

As well as the holders of the competition, St Joseph’s CBS of Nenagh, the Cork city school were in the same section as the last two winners of the U17 Dean Ryan Cup – Ardscoil Rís of Limerick and Midleton CBS.

Having performed well against Ardscoil in their opening game, ‘the AG’ were unfortunate to lose by three points and it meant that another loss in their second outing, against Nenagh in Knocklong, would end hopes of qualification.

While they went nearly 20 minutes without a score in the second half at Knocklong, good defending – and good luck, in the form of poor Nenagh shooting – meant that they only trailed by one with time almost up, when wing-back Conchúr Ó Cuinneagáin scored his fourth point of the game.

Even then, Nenagh re-took the lead through Micheál Hutchinson but in injury time Gaelcholáiste Mhuire goalkeeper Gabhán Ó Ceallacháin landed a free from his own 45 to secure a 0-12 each draw.

With the other game between Ardscoil and Midleton also finishing level, it means that the two Cork schools will go into their derby clash still with some hope of qualification and AG manager Tomás Ó Mainnín was naturally proud of his charges.

“I thought they played manfully throughout again,” he said.

“We speak about it the whole time – fantastic character, spirit, effort. I don't think we scored from a free until that one at the end, the 63rd minute, which is unusual but, again, they worked very, very hard and some outstanding performances from fellas.

“We’re very proud of them.”

Wednesday was classic ‘winter hurling’, with every score earned. That Gaelcholáiste Mhuire could restrict a team that had scored 3-20 in their opener to such a low tally spoke volumes of the planning and effort involved.

“They love playing together,” Ó Mainnín said.

“They trained four times over the midterm, they were in every second day, and we've 11 or 12 weeks of fantastic training done.

“I would just like to compliment again, like I do every year, the work of Éanna Ó Deasúnaigh, Tadhg Ó Lordáin, Seán Óg Ó hAilpín, Daire Ó Conaire and Eoin Ó Síocháin.

“We’ve fantastic players in the school and we mightn't have the most household names there on paper, but the workrate that they give you and how hard they work without the ball – which isn't something synonymous with a lot of Cork hurling teams – they have it in spades. “Teams don't score easily against us and that's just fantastic.”

The flipside of that is that the energy expended can make it difficult to make an attacking impact, but such are the trade-offs.

“There's fierce pressure on Callum [Ó Cofaigh],” Ó Mainnín said.

“He's always outnumbered up there and we have sympathy for him, but the lads never gave up and they have that attitude playing.

“I think Nenagh are ranked the number-one team for the competition and they’re the reigning champions, so you just have to be really, really proud of them again.

“You talk about playing under pressure the whole time – we've played the best team in Limerick, possibly, and probably the best team in Tipperary and they've played with fierce character and spirit.”

It gives them hope, however slim, as they face into what is a repeat of the 2025 Dean Ryan decider against Midleton.

“We’ve a chance of qualifying, ourselves and Midleton,” Ó Mainnín said.

“We know them very well and Midleton have a fantastic team.

“No doubt, in two weeks' time it'll be a great occasion and we'll go away, recover and prepare.

“It’s another day out for the lads and we’re delighted for them.”