Exciting fare for Harty Cup quarter-finals

The draws for the concluding stages of the hurling and football championships were made at the spring meeting of the Munster Post Primary Colleges GAA body last Saturday in Mallow.
The quarter-finals of the Dr Harty Cup (Senior A Hurling Championship) have thrown up some mouth-watering pairings and there should be plenty of excitement on Wednesday, January 18, when the games take place.
St Flannan’s College Ennis will face Waterford Colleges, a strong combination who finished runners-up to Midleton CBS in their group.
Title holders Ard Scoil Rís, who are chasing a third title in a row, will face fellow Limerick City side Castletroy Community School, who were runners-up to Nenagh in their group. Clare minor star Jamie Shanahan will be at midfield for the title holders and he is one of a number of Clare players in the champions’ squad.
There will be an all-Tipperary clash when Nenagh CBS face Thurles CBS while the remaining quarter-final will see Midleton CBS face De La Salle from Waterford.
The semi-finals will take place on the weekend of February 4-5 with Midleton or De La Salle facing St Flannan’s or Waterford Colleges, which leaves Nenagh or Thurles to play Ard Scoil Rís or Castletroy.
The final is scheduled for Sunday, February 26.
In the All-Ireland stage of the competition, the quarter-finals will be on Saturday, March 10, the semi-finals on Saturday, March 17 and the final on Saturday, March 31.
St Flannan’s are also in the senior A football title race (Corn Uí Mhuiri) and their quarter-final opponents on Wednesday, January 25, will be PS Corca Dhuibhne (Dingle), who topped their group with wins over Clonmel and Tralee. Victory for the Ennis school will give them a semi-final date against Rochestown Community School, winners over St Flannan’s in round one by a point, or Tralee CBS.
In the other quarter-finals, De La Salle Macroom play Skibbereen CBS, while St Brendan’s, Killarney, take on Coláiste Chriost Rí, with the winners meeting in the semi-final. The semi-finals are set for February 12 with the final on Sunday, March 4. The All-Ireland semi-finals are on Saturday, March 24 with the finals on Saturday, April 7.
Both St Joseph’s, Tulla and St Anne’s, Killaloe played in the senior B hurling competition but neither made it through to the play-offs. St Caimin’s, Shannon competed in Corn an Uachtaráin (senior B football) but they failed to get to the knockout stage.
Scariff Community School have progressed to the semi-final of the senior C hurling (Corn Mhic Ruairi) and they will play Kilmacthomas Community School on Wednesday, February 1. The other semi-final is between Borris-Illeigh and Pallaskenry Community School. The final is set for February 29.

Injury worries for Flannan’s

As they put the finishing touches to their preparations for Wednesday’s meeting with Waterford Colleges, the St Flannan’s mentors, Alan Dunne and John Minogue, have a number of injury concerns. Martin O’Leary has returned to training following a broken collarbone suffered in November but the Kilmihil teenager remains a major doubt for this tie.  Clarecastle’s Conor Clancy is still out of action due to a collarbone injury. Goalkeeper Eibhear Quilligan is a major doubt due to a hamstring injury, which has kept him out of action in recent weeks, while defender Shane Kelleher is also a major doubt.
Ballyea pair Jack Browne and Tony Kelly are key members of the side, along with Peter Duggan from Clooney Quin. Gearóid Ryan, Bobby Duggan, David Reidy and Stephen Ward are others who are expected to be in the starting line-up for the Ennis school for what is expected to be a stiff test for the side.
Waterford Colleges are drawn from St Augustine’s Dungarvan and Dungarvan CBS, both of whom are in the quarter-finals of the senior B championship (Corn Phadraig). The game will be played at 1.30pm and venue is Tipperary Town.
On the same afternoon, holders Ard Scoil Rís will face neighbours Castletroy, also at 1.30pm in Bruff, County Limerick.