Eoin Brennan speaks to Ardscoil joint-manager Niall Moran ahead of Saturday’s Harty decider

Niall Moran has been there from the start of the Ardscoil Rís’ hurling evolution. After breaking new ground throughout the knock-out stages in the late noughties, the Limerick City college finally reached a first Harty Cup Final in 2010 albeit that it took three attempts before finally getting over Thurles CBS in an epic decider series.

It would be the first of five Harty Cup triumphs in as many finals, an enviable record highlighted by contesting nine of the last twelve semi-finals. However, while the school do have a superb recent tradition and winning know-how, joint-manager Moran is quick to point out that it’s firmly uncharted waters for the current side.

“Given the last two years, it’s brilliant for the whole school to be back in a Harty Final. It’s new territory for all these boys though as it’s their first time in a Harty Final, no different to Tulla, so we’ll have all the same nerves and excitement that they’ll be experiencing.

“Obviously we hope to keep up that perfect final record but this particular group are zero from zero as are Tulla. To be honest, that’s how we view hurling in the school, every year you start with a new group and a new set of challenges.

“What happened before is great and there are photos on the walls and I’m sure that the current lads want to be the next Declan Hannon or Diarmuid Ryan.

“But ultimately this group doesn’t have anything in their arse pocket. We’re acutely aware that they lost a Dean Ryan Final and they certainly don’t want to go out of the school having lost two finals so that represents its own pressure in that sense too.”

“We haven’t tasted success in a couple of years now and have been beaten in a couple of finals in the meantime so we’d be anxious to try and add some silverware in order to complement the work that is being done.”

While their opponents took the scenic route, Ardscoil Rís’ path to the final has been much more straight-forward as a gritty opening victory over Nenagh CBS catapulted the side directly into the business end.

However, despite a nine-week gap, Ardscoil showed no ring-rustiness as they overcame Midleton CBS before laying down an exceptional early marker in the semi-final by outscoring Thurles CBS by 3-5 to 0-0 in a blistering opening quarter.

“Everything seemed to go right for us but perhaps Thurles will also have some regrets about that because they just didn’t show up. Thereafter we only scored 1-13 so we’re certainly not getting carried away. I mean we could have easily been beaten against Nenagh the first day out and we’re also on the other side looking at Tulla and who they have beaten along the way.

“St Colman’s were comprehensive winners at the Dean Ryan grade two years ago, they’ve beaten CBC who were the competition favourites and then De La Salle the last day. So people on the ground at schools level, I think a lot of them would say that Tulla will probably have a slight advantage on Saturday considering the teams that they have beaten to date.”

Deflecting the favourites tag is one thing but what is undeniable is the inextricable Clare/Limerick link in Ardscoil Rís’ Harty Cup story, with 14 Banner players in the current panel even pitting Broadford and Sixmilebridge club-mates against each other, such is the uniqueness of this derby decider against Tulla.

“People kind of struggle with our identity,” admits Moran who manages the side alongside Clare duo Paul Flanagan and Cormac O’Donovan.

“That’s the nature of Limerick City, we’re always going to have Clare lads and Limerick lads, irrespective of whether sport is to the fore or not in the school.

“To have so many players togging out on Saturday for a Harty Cup Final is huge for Clare hurling. The county have probably struggled in the last couple of years from a PR perspective on what it’s doing at underage level but the reality on the ground is that Clare are starting to do a lot of things very, very right across the board.

“We’ve seen that at schools level and going on the Dean Ryan Final between ourselves and St Flannan’s, you’d expect that Clare will be very strong at U- 17 level.

“Obviously with the Harty lads, you’d expect that these guys will be going on to play Under 20’s later on in the year so it’s very, very positive for Clare and I think they also recognise the work that we’re doing in the school that will benefit them in the same way Limerick always have.”

WATCH: @ArdscoilRisLimk coach Niall Moran looks ahead to the @TUS_ie Dr Harty Cup Final against @sjt_sport @MunsterGAA | @Munsterpps | @LimerickCLG | @GaaClare | #StreamSportI https://t.co/qtF01XTksM

— StreamSport.ie (@StreamsportI) February 2, 2022

Former Limerick senior Moran certainly doesn’t need reminding of the Shannonside rivalry, as his own club Ahane are nearest and dearest neighbours with Clonlara, not to mention his own schooling in St Flannan’s College in Ennis and his brother James’ current role for the Clare seniors under Brian Lohan.

“The counties are strong rivals but there’s great respect there too and obviously huge links on both sides.

“Overall I think the main thing here is that hurling people love second and third level competitions as the Fitzgibbon and Harty are both raw competitions that also have romance.

“The romance in this final is perhaps Tulla who have been the story of the competition to date. I won’t call it a fairytale story but certainly everyone likes to see a newcomer emerge.

“However, the one thing about a newcomer is that they’re coming into Saturday without fear as they’ve never lost a final. Again they’re superbly well coached and drilled so if we are to add to that Harty collection, I think it has to be our best performance in any final to date.”

Ardscoil Rís Panel: Vince Harrington (Na Piarsaigh) (Joint-Captain), Shane O’Brien (Kilmallock) (Joint-Captain); Jim Beary (Na Piarsaigh), Cian Brosnan (Na Piarsaigh), Jack Butler (Ahane), JJ Carey (Na Piarsaigh), Dara Casey (Sixmilebridge), Eoin Deegan (Cratloe), Denis Fahy (Broadford), Fintan Fitzgerald (Mungret St. Paul’s), John Fitzgerald (Na Piarsaigh), Colm Flynn (Sixmilebridge), Noel Flynn (Sixmilebridge), Michael Gavin (Ballybrown), Shane Gleeson (Adare), Jack Golden (Monaleen), Seimi Gully (Clonlara), Sam Hickey (Adare), Wayne Kearns (Na Piarsaigh), David Kennedy (Sixmilebridge), Seadhna Liddy (Newmarket-on-Fergus), Dylan Lynch (Na Piarsaigh), Sean McMahon (Smith O’Brien’s), Riain McNamara (Cratloe), Fionn O’Brien (Bruree), Rian O’Byrne (Crecora Manister), Morgan O’Connell (Sixmilebridge), Niall O’Farrell (Broadford), Oisin O’Farrell (Askeaton), Brian O’Keeffe (Murroe-Boher), Evan O’Leary (Ahane), Patrick O’Neill (Na Piarsaigh), Josh O’Reilly (Ballybrown), Lee O’Reilly (Ballybrown), Cian Scully (Dromin-Athlacca-Banogue), Daniel Scully (Dromin-Athlacca-Banogue), Sam Sheehy (Cratloe), Andrew Stack (Na Piarsaigh), Diarmuid Stritch (Clonlara)

Management: Niall Moran (Ahane), Cormac O’Donovan (Clonlara), Paul Flanagan (Ballyea)