One only has to glance at the management team to fully appreciate how much St Flannan’s College are invested in becoming the province’s leading hurling force once more.

What was once a given and almost a right of passage that the Dr Harty Cup roll of honour leaders, with 22 Munster Senior A crowns in 40 final appearances, would be competing and vying for the most prestigious prize in second level hurling somehow seemed to evaporate in the previous decade.

St Flannan’s intimidating fear factor had vanished as the school became embroiled in a 15 year famine not witnessed since the 1960’s and it had to a complete culture shift to place the emphasis on hurling again.

Students were almost mandated to bring hurleys as a school staple along with books, bags and pens as using the alleys and pucking a ball as much as possible became part of the daily curriculum.

That change proved an integral part in aiding St Flannan’s to a first Harty title in 15 years in 2020 guided by former Clare senior Brendan Bugler while Clare’s current All-Ireland winning captain Tony Kelly, two-time All-Ireland winner Jamesie O’Connor and Newmarket’s Michael Donnellan subsequently garnered a first Dean Ryan (Munster Junior A PPS title) the following season.

With both those managements aligning for this year’s Harty Cup bid, it means that St Flannan’s can boast a whopping eleven All-Stars and five All-Ireland senior medals between them, enough to surely inspire a new generation of stars.

“There was a notable shift in the culture in the year or two leading up to the 2020 win.” Admitted five-time All-Star Tony Kelly. “Before that…

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