With three wins from three starts to their credit prior to this week’s final round of games in the group section of the Dr Harty Cup, Munster Colleges Senior A Hurling Championship, St Flannan’s were odds-on favourites to make it through to the quarter-finals, which will take place in January.

However, a 14-point defeat at the hands of Doon CBS on Wednesday afternoon means the Ennis college are out of the prestigious competition for this season.

St Caimin’s from Shannon, already out of the running for a quarter-final spot, finished the campaign on a high note when they proved too strong for Gaelcholáiste Mhuire from Cork in a tie played at Ballyagran.

Doon CBS 3-19   St Flannan’s 0-14

Unbeaten to date, St Flannan’s College travelled to the Gaelic Grounds in Limerick for their final group game in the Dr Harty Cup confident that, even in defeat, they would still manage to do enough to progress to the play-off stages of the competition.

Doon CBS knew they had to win by 11 points or more to stay in the title race and this ensured there was much more urgency in their approach from the outset.

The Limerick side dominated in most positions from the outset and it quickly became clear that they meant business. St Flannan’s were under pressure throughout and were always struggling against a Limerick side that included many of the players that helped Doon to win the Limerick Premier Minor Championship this season.
Neutrals attending the game would be forgiven for thinking this was a competition final such were the celebrations that greeted the final whistle. Meanwhile, a shell-shocked St Flannan’s could scarcely believe they were out of the competition.

The winners raced into a two-point lead inside three minutes and a further five went by before Tadhg Lynch opened St Flannan’s account. Three points in two minutes saw the winners stretch their lead but a brace from frees by Bobby Duggan kept the Ennis college in the hunt.

As the game went into the second quarter, it was 0-6 to 0-4 in favour of Doon but from here on, Doon dictated matters.

A fortunate goal in the 18th minute when Raymond Ryan’s strike from 50m went all the way to the net, rattled St Flannan’s and Doon followed with four points in three minutes to open a nine-point lead with seven minutes still remaining in the half.

Confidence was clearly growing in the Doon camp and they finished the half with goals from Pat Ryan and Kevin Stapleton to lead by 13 points, 3-11 to 0-7, at the break.

With a quarter-final spot in their sights, they drove on in the second half and maintained the upperhand. By the three-quarter stage, they had stretched their lead to 14 points.

St Flannan’s continued to battle but they simply could not break down a powerful Doon CBS defence and the Limerick side held their 14-point advantage to the final whistle.

On a day when only three St Flannan’s players managed to get on the scoresheet – eight Doon CBS players shared in their total –  David Conroy, Mark McGuane and Bobby Duggan battled hard for the Ennis college.

St Flannan’s: Eoin Meehan (Kilmaley); Pat Tuohy (Clarecastle), Mark McGuane (Clarecastle), Joe Barry (Clarecastle); Kieran Malone (Éire Óg), Aidan McGuane (Kilmaley), Liam Corbett (Corofin); David Conroy (Doora-Barefield, 0-4), Dominic Lynch (Tulla); Ryan Taylor (Clooney-Quin), Bobby Duggan (Clarecastle, 0-8, 6f, 1 65), Tadhg Lynch (Ballyea, 0-2); Aaron Greene (Clarecastle), Cian Moloney (Kilmaley), Brian Guilfoyle (Doora-Barefield).
Subs: Conor Galvin (Clarecastle) for D Lynch (41 minutes); Barry Lynch (Kilmaley) for Guilfoyle (50 minutes).

St Caimin’s 1-17   Gaelcholaiste Mhuire, Cork 1-6

Already out of the title race, St Caimin’s Shannon ended their Harty Cup campaign on a winning note when the deservingly defeated Gaelcholáiste Mhuire from Cork at Ballyagran on Wednesday.

The winners led from the outset and were six points clear at half-time when the score was 0-11 to 0-5.

The Cork school struck for a goal at the start of the second half but St Caimin’s replied with a like score from Conor Deasy to maintain their six-point advantage and they went on to dominate the remainder of the game.

The half-back trio of Andy Shanagher, Shane O’Leary and James O’Brien did well throughout for the winners, while up front, Conor Deasy and Alex Morey were always prominent.

St Caimin’s: Eoin O’Kelly (Cratloe); Mark Quinn (Sixmilebridge), Evan Keogh (Newmarket), Stephen Mulready (Sixmilebridge); Andy Shanagher (Wolfe Tones), Shane O’Leary (Cratloe), James O’Brien (Newmarket); John Mulready (Sixmilebridge, 0-1), James Warren (Newmarket); Alex Morey (Sixmilebridge, 0-4), Shane Gleeson (Cratloe, 0-6, 4f), Jamie Arthur (Cratloe, 0-1); John Feehily (Newmarket) David O’Brien (Cratloe 0-1), Conor Deasy (Sixmilebridge, 1-4).
Sub: Sean Murray (Sixmilebridge) for Feehily.