THE final round of games in the group stage of the Dr Harty Cup, Munster colleges senior hurling championship, will take place next Wednesday and whether or not St Flannan’s, St Caimin’s and Limerick’s Ard Scoil Rís, who have a strong Clare involvement including team captain Cathal McInerney, progress is very much in their own hands.
Venues for next week’s games won’t be finalised until this weekend because of the current inclement weather.
St Flannan’s, with a win and a loss from their two outings to date, will play Waterford Colleges and a win here will ensure them a place in the quarter-finals.
Following a comprehensive win over Kerry Colleges in the opening round, St Flannan’s went under to De La Salle last time out. They will need to improve on that performance if they are to win this week.
Waterford Colleges have lost both of their games to date. After going down by a point to De La Salle in round one, there was a big surprise last time out when they lost out to Kerry Colleges.
If Kerry colleges can manage a win over group leaders De La Salle and if St Flannan’s slip up against Waterford colleges, they the Kerry amalgamation can go through. If both St Flannan’s and Kerry win, then St Flannan’s will advance as they won their match with Kerry colleges
A draw will be sufficient to sent last year’s beaten finalists St Caimin’s into the quarter-finals when they play Templemore CBS on Wednesday. Both are unbeaten, with Templemore a point ahead as they won both of their games
Should St Caimin’s fail to win on Wednesday it would leave the door open for Blackwater Community school, who will be fancied to beat pointless Doon. Should this happen, it will then be a question of what Blackwater’s victory margin would be to determine who will go through as runners-up to Templemore.
Ard Scoil Rís will be fancied to beat Cashel in their clash on Wednesday and this will be enough to see them through to the next round. In the other game in this group, Midleton will play St Colman’s and this game will take place on Friday, November 20.
It will be a busy week for St Caimin’s as they will have a senior football game on Friday, November 20, when they play Carrigaline in round two of the Senior B title race
St Joseph’s, Tulla, will see action in round two of the senior C hurling championship next week when they take on Ballingarry on Wednesday.
Scariff Community College will be in action in the U-16½ hurling on Wednesday when they will play Youghal.
In the senior C football championship, Ennistymon will play Kilkee on Friday in Cooraclare, with the winners going through to play Rice College, Ennis on Wednesday next.

St Flannan’s bow out

ST Flannan’s bowed out of the race for the Dean Ryan, Munster colleges junior A hurling championship, title at Mallow on Monday when they went under to Blackwater College from Waterford.
A stronger and better-balanced Waterford outfit put in a strong final quarter to deservingly win this tie and qualify for the decider.
After a well contested first half, the winners went to the break leading by the minimum margin. Approaching the end of the third quarter the teams were level but the winners dominated matters from here on and deservedly won through to the final in two weeks time, where they will play either Thurles CBS or St Colman’s.
Impressive for the Clare side in Monday’s game were Conor Clancy, Tony Kelly, Jack Browne and Gearóid Ryan.

St Flannan’s: Jonathan Griffey (Clarecastle); Conor Clancy (Clarecastle), Rory Halpin (Crusheen), Dara McNamara (Sixmilebridge); Conor Cleary (Kilmaley), Alan O’Neill (Doora-Barefield), Manus Malone (Corofin); Tony Kelly (Ballyea), Jack Browne (Ballyea); Gearóid Ryan (Clarecastle), Jamie Malone (Corofin), Stephen Ward (Clarecastle); Shane O’Donnell (Éire Óg), David O’Loughlin (Corofin), David Reidy (Éire Óg);
Subs: Brian Dolan (Éire Óg) for Griffey; David Conroy (Doora-Barefield) for Reidy.