Our Ladys delve into their reserves to claim victory in their opening Harty Cup fixture

TUS Dr Harty Cup - Group 6 - Round 2

Our Ladys Templemore 0-21

Gaelcholáiste Mhuire AG, Cork 2-13

By John O'Shea

Our Lady’s Templemore got their 2023/24 TUS Dr. Harty Cup campaign up and running at Fethard Town Park on Wednesday afternoon, with a two-point winning margin over Gaelcoláiste Mhuire AG of Cork City. 

Played in excellent conditions on the 4G pitch, both sides served up a fast, hard-hitting but fair game of hurling. Referee, Tadhg Lonergan, played his part in what was a most enjoyable contest, with his efficient and firm, but yet common sense approach throughout. 

In the end, it turned out to be the Jamie Ormond show with his accuracy from the placed ball a feature of the game. The JK Brackens clubman finished with a personal tally of 0-16, with 0-10 coming from frees and 0.3 from 65’s. Some of the converted frees were from around the 90 meters. 

The Gaelcoláiste were very defendant on Cork Under 20 player, Ross Ó Súlleabháin, who finished with a personal tally of 0-10, with 0-7 from placed balls, including one 65.

The sides were evenly matched throughout with the sides level three times during the opening half, including at the break. The Templemore boys were ahead by the minimum at the three-quarter stage, but built up a lead during the final fifteen minutes, going five to the good into injury time. A late surge from the Cork boys finished with a major with the last play of the afternoon. Our Lady’s now meet Cashel CS in the final round game of this three-team group, where score difference could yet decide which two teams will advance to the knockout stages.

Jamie Ormond got the scoreboard ticking with a well-struck point after three minutes. Ross Ó Súilleabháin equalised from the puck out and then developed into a shoot-out between them over the next seventeen minutes. 

Ormond converted his first placed ball on four minutes before the first goal chance of the game was created by Sean Stapleton, but the Clonakenny Moneygall club man’s shot was well saved. Jamie Ormond, from a placed ball, eased Our Lady’s advantage out to two but Ross Ó Súilleabháin had Gaelcholáiste Mhuire back on level terms for the second time by the eleventh minute.

Two minutes later Ormond was again on target before Mikey Ryan was called upon in the Templemore goals, saving a goal-bound shot from full forward Kian Ó Gealbháin. Ormond punished another indiscretion at the quarter stage, to restore the two-point advantage. 

Craig Ó Súilleabháin pulled one back for the Cork side but again Our Lady’s replied on the double, with a good outfield point from Drom’s TJ Kinnane followed by a point from open play from Ormond. This gave the Templemore lads a three-point advantage as the game entered the final ten minutes before the break. 

Ross Ó Súilleabháin and Jamie Ormond from well over 90 meters, traded minors before Cormac Ó Néill pointed following good work from DJ Ó Cofaigh, reducing the deficit to two. Four minutes before the half-time break, Our Lady’s were rocked when Lúcás Ó Muirthile got through for the opening goal of the game and this was quickly followed up with a Ross Ó Súilleabháin point from open play, giving the Cork lads a two-point advantage.  This advantage was short-lived as Jamie Ormond hit back with two converted placed balls to tie the game at the break 0-10 to 1-7.

After the break, Ormond continued where he left off as he hit the opening two points, one from a free, again restoring a two-point advantage. The Cork side were back on level terms by the ninth minute following two good points, one each from Ross Ó Súilleabháin and centre forward Jamie Ó hÉigeartaigh.

Our Lady’s then hit their best patch in the game, in a ten-minute spell up to the 22nd minute. They hit four unanswered points, three from Ormond, and a good score by Philip O’Dwyer from an acute angle. Also during this period, Eoin Boyle was unlucky to have his shot on goal deflected by the foot of defender Gearóid Ó Duibhir Ó hArrachtáin for a 65, which Ormond converted.

The Gaelcholáiste pulled back a point with two minutes of normal time remaining, but Joey Quinn and Philip O’Dwyer responded well with two at the other end, O’Dwyer being quick to respond when a 65 fell short. 

Two minutes into added time Ciaran O’Shea got the insurance point following good work from Sean Stapleton. From the subsequent puck out Gaelcholáiste attacked down the right at the far side and DJ Ó Cofaigh finished with a green flag to close out the scoring in a well contested encounter.  Final score; Our Lady’s Templemore 0-21, Gaelcholáiste Mhuire AG 2-13

Scorers: Our Ladys: Jamie Ormond (0-16, 0-10f, 0-3 65s), Philip O’Dwyer (0-2).TJ Kinnane (0-1), Joey Quinn (0-1), Ciaran O’Shea (0-1).

Gaelcholáiste Mhuire: Ross Ó Súilleabháin (0-10, 0-6f, 0-1 65), DJ Ó Coffaigh (1-0), Lúcás Ó Muirthile (1-0), Jamie Ó hÉigeartaigh (0-1), Cormac Ó Néill (0-1), Craig Ó Súilleabhán (0-1).

Our Ladys Templemore: Mikey Ryan (Loughmore Castleiney); Tommy Burke (JK Brackens), Eoghan Kennedy (Drom & Inch), Cian Sheedy (JK Brackens); TJ Kinnane (Drom & Inch), Tom Corcoran (JK Brackens), Shay Gleeson (Clonakenny Moneygall); Cormac Cahill (Drom & Inch), Michael Cahill (JK Brackens); Jack Marnell (JK Brackens), Ciaran O’Shea (JK Brackens), Sean Stapleton (Clonakenny Moneygall); Joey Quinn (Loughmore Castleiney), Jamie Ormond (JK Brackens), Eoin Boyle (BorrisIleigh). 

Subs used: Philip O’Dwyer for Cian Sheedy (HT).

Gaelcholáiste Mhuire AG: Josh Ó Gabhláin; Gearóid Ó Duibhír Ó hArrachtáin, Eoghan Ó Suilleabháin, Dónal Ó Scannláin; Pádraig Hosford, Ciarán Ó Mac Uidhir, Eoin Ó Crónín; Seán Pól Cúc, Cormac Ó Néill; Lúcás Ó Muirthile, Jamie Ó hÉigeartaigh, Ross Ó Súilleabháin; DJ Ó Cofaigh, Kian Ó Gealbháin, Craig Ó Súilleabháin. 

Subs used: Darragh Ó Conaill for Craig Ó Súilleabháin (46), Seán Ó Dálaigh for Kian Ó Gealbháin (57), Jack Mac Craith for Eoin Ó Cróinín (60).

Referee: Tadhg Lonergan (Kilsheelan Kilcash)