There was mixed luck for Clare teams in the opening round of the Dr Harty Cup, Munster Colleges Senior Hurling Championship, this week.
St Flannan’s scored a tremendous win against one of the competition favourites, Thurles CBS, coming from behind to win by two points at Newport. St Caimin’s went down to Templemore while a Jamie Shanahan-powered Ard Scoil Rís got their challenge for a third title on the trot off to a great start with an eight-point win over De La Salle on Tuesday.

St Flannan’s 1-13
Thurles CBS 1-11
When St Flannan’s trailed by a goal at half-time having played with the aid of a strong wind, their chances of winning looked very slim indeed. However, the switch of Tony Kelly from centre-back to midfield, allied to the introduction of Bobby Duggan to the attack, played a big part in their recovery.  Duggan scored the winning points for the Ennis side.
Thurles weren’t helped by the fact that they had a player sent off with 10 minutes remaining.
St Flannan’s showed great determination in the second period and gradually took control of the game. Their defence was prominent throughout with David Clancy, Jack Browne and Tony Kelly doing well.
St Flannan’s: Eibhear Quilligan (Feakle); David Clancy (Doora-Barefield), Jack Browne (Ballyea), David Conroy (Doora-Barefield); Gearóid Ryan (Clarecastle), Tony Kelly (Ballyea), Aidan McGuane (Kilmaley); Conor Cleary (Miltown), Shane Kelleher (Newmarket); Peter Duggan (Clooney-Quin), Mark McGuane (Clarecastle), Martin O’Leary (Kilmihil); Stephen Ward (Clarecastle), Shane O’Donnell (Éire Óg), Robbie O’Loughlin (Ruan).
Subs: Bobby Duggan (Clarecastle) for O’Loughlin; Joe Barry (Clarecastle) for Conroy.

Templemore CBS 1-14 
St Caimin’s  1-5
Being reduced to 14 players after 15 minutes proved very costly for St Caimin’s in this Harty Cup first-round game at Dolla on Wednesday.
Halfway through the first half, full-forward Conor Deasy was sent off and being a player short told in the closing quarter.
St Caimin’s weren’t in a bad position at the break, when they trailed by seven pints, 0-1 to 0-8, after playing against the breeze.
They fought back to within two points of their Tipperary opponents in the second half but then the extra man proved vital in a tie played in very difficult weather conditions.
St Caimin’s: James Hickey (Cratloe); Paudie Conway (Newmarket), Evan Keogh (Newmarket), Barry Fitzpatrick (Sixmilebridge); Oisín O’Connor (Newmarket), Shane O’Leary (Cratloe), James Warren (Newmarket); David Murphy (Sixmilebridge), John Mulready (Sixmilebridge); Gavin White (Sixmilebridge), Alex Morey (Sixmilebridge), Shane Gleeson (Cratloe); Stephen Mulready (Sixmilebridge), Conor Deasy (Sixmilebridge), Brian Corry (Sixmilebridge).
Subs: Diarmuid Costigan (Cratloe) for Murphy; Kevin Fennessy (Sixmilebridge) for O’Connor.

Ard Scoil Rís 2-21 
De La Salle  1-16
Sixmilebridge teenager Jamie Shanahan scored 0-7 as titleholders Ard Scoil Rís got their challenge for a third title in a row underway at Cashel on Tuesday.
Lining out at midfield, Shanahan was the only Clare player in the Limerick school’s starting line-up.
Their panel also includes Colin Byrne and Bobby Sherlock (Meelick), Michael O’Loughlin and David Poland (Clonlara), Colin Crehan, Ronan Broderick (O’Callaghan’s Mills), Aaron Gaule (Cratloe) and Cian McCarthy (Parteen).

 

Dean Ryan Cup

De La Salle 1-11
St Flannan’s 1-6
Titleholders St Flannan’s are out of the Dean Ryan (hurling) title race after defeat by De La Salle from Waterford at Cashel last week.
In a repeat of last year’s final, the unavailability of Dylan Casey (Éire Óg), Cian Moloney (Kilmaley) and Dylan Broderick (Clarecastle) proved a big blow to the Ennis school.
The winners laid the foundation for their victory in the opening half when they opened a six-point lead, 1-5 to 0-2.
St Flannan’s fought back in the final quarter and a goal from a Mark McGuane 20m free gave them hope. However, they failed to get through for another goal and De La Salle held on for victory.
The Ennis side’s defence impressed throughout with team captain David Clancy and Colin Vaughan particularly impressive. Up front, Conor Galvin tried hard, as did substitute Padraic McNamara.
St Flannan’s: Jake Kearney (Clarecastle); Owen Hanrahan (Doora-Barefield), David Clancy (Doora-Barefield) capt, Kieran Malone (Éire Óg); Michael Moloney (Éire Óg), Mark McGuane (Clarecastle), Colin Vaughan (Crushen); Liam Corbett (Corofin), Dara Walsh (Éire Óg); Cian Crimmins (Clarecastle), Fergus Killeen (Corofin), Conor Galvin (Clarecastle); Liam O’Donovan (Ruan), Aonghus Keane (Ballyea), Brian Guilfoyle (Doora-Barefield).
Subs: Padraic McNamara (Kilmaley) for Guilfoyle;  Jason Courtney (Ruan) for Walsh (inj).
There was a major surprise when hot favourites, Árd Scoil Rís were defeated by Gael Cholaiste Mhuire from Cork after extra time on a score of 3-17 to 0-19.

Dr Kinnane Cup

In the junior B hurling competition, (Dr Kinnane Cup), Rochestown defeated St Caimin’s from Shannon on a 1-15 to 1-8 scoreline.
St Joseph’s Tulla suffered defeat in the opening round of the senior C hurling competition, when they lost to Dungarvan CBS on a scoreline of 3-16 to 1-12
In the same competition, Scariff Community College had a facile 9-15 to 0-6 win over Newcastle West on Wednesday.

 

Corn Uí Mhorain

West Clare Colleges 0-7
Coláiste Chríost Rí 0-4 (AET)
West Clare Colleges scored an excellent win over Coláiste Chríost Rí in the opening round of the U-15A Munster Colleges Championship (Corn Uí Mhorain) in Rathbane on Wednesday. The sides were tied at 0-3 each at half-time and at 0-4 apiece at the end of normal time. However, West Clare Colleges held their Cork opponents scoreless in extra time and added three points themselves.
Shane O’Donoghue (Cooraclare), David Killeen (Kilmihil), Pierse Lillis (Cooraclare) and Gary Stevens (Lissycasey) did the scoring for the four-school West Clare amalgamation. 
The teachers in charge of the team are Mark O’Dea (Kilrush), Dermot Galvin (Kilkee), Stephen Browne (Kilmihil) and Leo O’Donoghue (Kildysart).
The team is part of West Clare coaching project funded by Munster Council coaching project. This is year three of the project. On Sunday mornings, first years are coached for an hour, as are second and third years for the following hour. The same applies in North Clare.
West Clare Colleges: Conor Downes, (Kilkee Community School); Niall McCarthy (St Michael’s Kilmihil), Cathal Downes (Kilkee), David Kelly, (Kilmihil); Mark Fennell (Kilrush Community College), Cathal Tighe, (Kildysart Community College), George Bradley (Kilrush); Tomás Crotty (Kilkee), Colm Pyne, (Kilrush); Pierse Lillis (Kilrush), Shane O’Donoghue, (Kilmihil), Cian Murphy, (Kildysart); Ben Cleary (Kildysart), David Killeen (Kilmihil), Gary Stevens (Kilmihil).
Subs used: James Greene (Kilkee), David Foran (Kilrush), Keith Marrinan (Kilmihil).
Meanwhile, the West Clare Colleges senior team play Killorgin in the Corn Uí Mhuirí in Glin next Wednesday at 2.30pm.

Glanmire CS 9-5
St Flannan’s  1-10
A weak St Flannan’s side suffered a heavy defeat from Glanmire at Ballyagran on Wednesday.
Having played with the aid of the breeze in the opening half, St Flannan’s trailed, 0-8 to 4-1 and the writing was on the wall at this stage.
The Cork side took the initiative on the resumption and extended their lead. They will now play West Clare Colleges in a quarter-final tie in two weeks’ time.
St Flannan’s: Sean Moroney (Doora-Barefield); Gerry Kennedy (Banner), Conor Tevlin (Naomh Eoin), Shane Moloney (Corofin); Dara Quinn (Clarecastle), Stephen Burke (Corofin), Ryan Mulligan (Doora-Barefield); Padraic McNamara (Kilmaley), Shane Cassidy (Banner); Cathal Lynch (Éire Óg), Malachy Lynch (Clondegad), Micheál Corry (Clooney-Quin); Cathal Fitzgerald (Kilmaley), Darren Crowe (Clarecastle), Daire Hanrahan (Lissycasey).
Subs: Conor Lynch (Clondegad); Rory Barry (Clondegad); Cillian Clancy (Corofin); Rory Crimmins (Clarecastle) and Alan Connolly (Clarecastle).

Corn Uí Mhuirí

Attention switches to football next week when the race for the senior title for Corn Uí Mhuiri will get underway.
West Clare Colleges will take on intermediate school Killorglin at Glin while St Flannan’s will play Rochestown from Cork on Wednesday.

U-15 hurling finals

The U-15A and B hurling finals will take place this Sunday. In the A decider, Doora-Barefield will take on Inagh-Kilnamona and this game will be played at Clarecastle at 5pm.
Bodyke is the venue for the B decider in which two East Clare amalgamations will be in opposition. Scariff-Ogonnelloe will play Feakle-Killanena at 12.30pm.