St Flannan’s Fire Their Way Into Harty Cup Final

St Flannan’s 0-18   Our Lady’s Templemore 1-13

ST FLANNAN’S booked their place in the Harty Cup final with a dramatic two-point victory over Our Lady’s Templemore in Nenagh this afternoon.

Despite having a strong breeze, the Ennis school trailed by 1-7 to 0-9 at the break and it appeared they had a tough task on their hands.

The Clare side never wavered under pressure and it was Templemore that eventually yielded the lead in the final quarter of the game as an onslaught led by Cian Galvin and Ashley Brohan from placed balls ensured St Flannan’s would doggedly prevail.

They now face CBC of Cork in the final.

It was a nervy start for Flannan’s with four wides in the first three minutes but once they settled – they were the dominant side of the first half. Stephen Casey, Cian Galvin and Ashley Brohan had the lion’s share of scoring for Flannan’s in the first half while Kevin Maher and Tony Cahill did most damage for Templemore.

Three minutes before half-time James Devanney gave Templemore an unlikely lead when his shot arrowed into the left corner of the net. It was a lead they would hold at the break and the Tipperary side must have been confident with a significant wind to come in the second half.

Flannan’s, as they had in the first half, had more possession and did more of the hurling, with Galvin, Brohan and Oisín O’Donnell all making their presence felt on the scoreboard with crucial points. Templemore had to rely solely on placed balls in the second half as the Flannan’s defence, and half-back line in particular became totally dominant.

The game hung in the balance with a quarter remaining but it was St Flannan’s who took the game to their opponents with pace and ferocity and points from Killian O’Connor, Brohan and Galvin ensured St Flannan’s will contest their first Harty Cup final for nine years when they attempt to down CBC in three weeks’ time.

For a comprehensive report and reaction, pick up a copy of next week’s Clare Champion.

Eoghan Moloney

St Flannan’s: Cian Broderick (Clarecastle); Matthew Reidy (Ballyea), Darragh Healy (Clarecastle), Niall Walsh (The Banner); Stephen Casey(Ballyea), Cian Galvin (Clarecastle), Tony Butler (St Joseph’s Doora-Barefield); Conner Hegarty (Inagh-Kilnamona), Jarlath Collins (Éire Óg); Ashley Brohan (Ruan), Oisín O’Donnell (Crusheen), Killian O’Connor (Corofin); Colm Cassidy (Clooney-Quin), Diarmaid Cahill (Corofin), Peter Power (Newmarket-on-Fergus).

Our Lady’s Templemore: Paddy Hassett; Shane Lowe, Lorcan Roche, Henry Fogarty; James Corcoran, Kevin Maher, Cian O’Dwyer; Conor Cadell, John Campion; Ciarán McCormack, Kenny Ryan, Eddie Ryan; James Devanney, Tony Cahill, Paudie Kinnane.