TUS Dr Harty Cup: Thurles CBS snatch dramatic late winner against St Colman's of Cork

Thurles CBS 1-16

St. Colmans Fermoy 0-17

By John O’Shea at Bansha
Thurles CBS snatched a dramatic injury time winner, from a free, from captain Tommy Maher in this TUS Dr. Harty Cup Quarter Final at Bansha this afternoon afternoon. Following a morning of torrential rainfall, which lasted right up until the throw-in, the weather cleared for the duration of this energy sapping contest.

Thurles never led in this game until the 61st minute when a goal from their captain gave them the lead for the first time. Robbie Ryan followed up with his sixth point to wrap the game up.

St. Colmans played with the aid of a strong wind for the opening half and dictated terms for long periods, with Brendan Lehane being particularly impressive during the opening quarter, hitting three points from play. They raced into a four point lead in the opening eight minutes, as the Thurles forwards struggled in front of goal. It was all of ten minutes before the registered their opening score, a point from Robbie Stapleton. Colmans were 0.7 to 0.3 after fifteen minutes and were unlucky not to have raised a green flag, Jim Ryan coming to the rescue for Thurles.

The second quarter was even enough, as Thurles came more into the game, with Jim Ryan tightening up the defence and Joe Egan and Tommy Maher holding their own at midfield. St. Colmans on-field dominance failed to transfer to the scoreboard as they led by three as half time approached. A late converted 65 by Jamie Magner gave the Cork side a four point interval lead, 0.10 to 0.6.

Five minutes after the restart, Thurles had cut the deficit to the minimum and a Stephen Walsh point after sixteen minutes brought the sides level for the first time. However in the deteriorating conditions, they failed to hit the front and trailed by two points as the game entered injury time. They continued to battle on and the late goal and a point eventually getting them over the line.

Thurles CBS on the attack. Picture John O'Loughlin.

St. Colmans played with the aid of the elements in the opening half and Liam Og Hegarty split the posts after eighteen seconds to get the scoreboard ticking over. Hegarty was a late replacement for the injured Cillian Tobin. Five minutes later Jamie Magner got the first of his five points from a placed ball, before Brendan Lehane hit two in quick succession to go four up.

Thurles, through Robbie Stapleton, hit back with two good scores either side of a Brendan Lehane score. The Thurles defence, particularly their inside line tightened up and curbed the threat posed by Lehane.

Colmans continued to shade the on-field exchanges but were unable to transfer this dominance onto the scoreboard. They were four points to the good by the fifteenth minute, but failed to drive on. Thurles matched them score for score during the second quarter. Robbie Ryan came more into the game, despite the heavy underfoot conditions, and registered the first of his six points.

Two points from the stick of Ronan O’Connell, either side of a Tommy Maher point on seventeen minutes, stretched Colmans lead to five, before Daniel Rossiter and Robbie Ryan pulled two back for the Thurles side. Jamie Magner had the last say of a tough first half when he converted a 65 to leave the score St Colmans 0.10, Thurles CBS 0.6 at the interval.

Thurles, now with the aid of the strong wind, needed a good start to the second half. They took the fight to the cork side from the off, chasing a green flag. The Colmans defence stood solid, but Tommy Maher converted a 65, Robbie Ryan hit his third of the afternoon and wing back Stephen Walsh send over a long range effort. Five minutes into the second half and the deficit was down to the minimum.

Colmans rallied and two points in succession from Jamie Magner restored their three point advantage. Points from Tommy Maher and Joe Egan kept the CBS in contention and when Stephen Walsh hit his second on sixteen minutes, the sides were level for the first time.

The game was now in the melting pot and with the conditions around the near end goal deteriorating, the Thurles forwards were up against it. Eoin Flynn and Michael O’Driscoll edged the Fermoy side back in front. Robbie Ryan and Ronan O’Connell exchanged points. Robbie Ryan hit his fifth point, from a free, with two minutes of normal remaining to leave the minimum between the sides. Jamie Magner, from a placed ball, put two between the sides as the clock went into injury time.

Thurles continued to battle in search of a winner and Daniel Rossiter was fouled, to the left of the goal. Team captain, Tommy Maher, drove low and hard to the Colmans net and the CBS were in front for the first time in this titanic battle. Robbie Ryan put the icing on the cake with his sixth point of the afternoon just before Cathal McAllister called time on a game where the CBS never gave up and battled to the end.

Thurles CBS are back in the semi final where they will meet Midleton CBS on Saturday 21 January.