Tipperary school Carrick CBS lose big lead and place in knockout phase of Harty Cup

Carrick-on-Suir CBS 4-16 John The Baptist Community School Hospital 2-22

John The Baptist Community School, Hospital, county Limerick advanced to the knockout stages of the 2023/24 TUS Dr Harty Cup after staging a dramatic and remarkable second half comeback to draw level in added time with Carrick-on-Suir CBS at Fethard Town Park on Wednesday afternoon.

They trailed by eleven points at half-time, 0-8 to 2-13, and few in the crowd could have imagined their second half revival, which completely stunned their opponents.

They were a completely different animal for the final quarter plus added time, as they reined in the Carrick outfit and outscored them 1-9 to 0-1 during the final ten minutes.

This result means the end of the road for the Carrick school in their Harty venture, as Castletroy College from Limerick will join Hospital in the knockout stages.

The scores were level after eight minutes, as both sides found their range following early misses. Niall O’Brien found his range and also got in for a Carrick goal after 25 minutes.

Eoin Hogan got in for a second major three minutes later, as the south Tipperary side dictated proceedings all over the field.
Hospital finished the half with two late points but stilled trailed by eleven at the break.

For the second half, the Limerick side were a transformed outfit and completely overran Carrick CBS, especially during the final seventeen minutes, culminating in Hugh Murnane’s equaliser in injury time.

Both sides were off the mark early on as the game started at a slow pace. Eventually Stefan Tobin found his range after six minutes following a good run from David Comerford. Michael Leo equalised before Diarmaid Hurley eased Hospital to the front.

Conor Phelan had the teams level for the second time in the eighth minute, before Carrick got into a run that yielded four points without reply. Niall O’Brien had found his range with three and Gearoid Power also hit a point from a narrow angle.
Fifteen minutes into the game, goalkeeper Shane Cronin saved from Griffin McCaffrey and the rebound fell to Charlie Cronin, but his shot took a deflection.

Owen Meaney put over the resulting 65, but Carrick scored three of the next four points through Gearoid Power, Stefan Tobin and David Comerford.

Diarmaid Hurley got his second of the afternoon before Carrick hit 1-4 in the next four minutes, the goal coming from the alert Niall O’Brien when he pounced on a goalkeeping error.

Eoin Hogan crashed a shot to the top corner of the net after a move that also involved Comerford and Gearoid Power to leave his side eleven points to the good at the break.

The expected response from Hospital came early after the break. Charlie Cronin, Owen Meaney and Hugh Murnane cut the deficit to eight after four minutes. Niall O’Brien and Owen Meany traded placed balls, but Eoin Horgan got in for his second goal when he latched onto a high delivery by O’Brien from out under the stand. Gearoid Power hit his third as Carrick moved into a 3-18 to 0-12 lead by the 42nd minute.

What followed in the remaining eighteen minutes plus added time was a remarkable and dramatic recovery by the Limerick school.

Hugh Flanagan crashed home a goal when he received a pass from Griffin McCaffrey after intercepting a puckout.

Niall O’Brien cancelled this out on eighteen minutes when he scrambled home a goal after a delivery from Stefan Tobin.
The final twelve minutes plus added time was all Hospital.

First, Hugh Murnane goaled and Charlie Cronin began to dominate, hitting three points in succession in a two-minute period.
Owen Meaney hit two placed balls, one from a 65 and Diarmaid Hurley hit his third of the day.

Niall O’Brien put over what looked like the winner in injury time but Hugh Murnane struck a dramatic equaliser on 32 minutes to give Hospital a share of the points and a place in the knockout stages.

John the Baptist School Hospital: Lorcan Costelloe (Hospital Herbertstown), Niall McNamara (Pallasgreen), Shane Treacy (Staker Wallace), Declan Heavey (Garryspillane), Niall Connaughton (Caherline), Sean Casey (Bruff), Fionnan Leahy (Knockainey), Owen Meany (Bruff, captain, 0-7, 5 frees, 2 ‘65s), Michael Leo (Knockainey 0-1), Griffin McCaffrey (Hospital Herbertstown), Hugh Flanagan (Garryspillane 1-1, 0-1 free), Barry Callin (Bruff 0-2), Diarmaid Hurley (Hospital Herbertstown 0-3), Charlie Cronin (Bruff 0-5), Hugh Murnane (Caherline 1-2).

Sub: Jack O’Neill (Bruff 0-1).

Carrick-on-Suir CBS: Shane Cronin (Carrick Davins), Ben Moriarty (Piltown), Eoin Reid (Piltown, captain), Andrew Phelan (Piltown), Conor Shankey (Portlaw), Aaron O’Halloran (Carrick Swan), Dylan Barry (Carrick Swan), David Comerford (St Mollerans 0-1), Darragh Dunne (Carrick Swan), Stefan Tobin (Carrick Swan 0-3), Sean Foley (Carrick Swan 0-1), Gearoid Power (Clonea 0-3), Niall O’Brien (Piltown 2-7, 7 frees), Eoin Hogan (Piltown 2-0), Cody Phelan (St Mollerans (0-1).

Subs: James O’Meara (Grangemockler/Ballyneale) for Ben Moriarty (20), Darragh Doyle (Windgap) for Darragh Dunne (50), Noah 0’Shea (Windgap) for Eoin Hogan (60).

Referee: Tom Loughnane (Gortnahoe/Glengoole).