Controversy in Kilmallock as Thurles CBS fall short in Harty Cup semi-final

TUS Dr Harty Cup Munster U19A Hurling Semi-Final

Thurles CBS 1-14

Ard Scoil Rís 0-18

A late, late converted free from Marc O’Brien deep in stoppage time gave Ard Scoil Rís victory in a pulsating, exciting, and epic Dr Harty Cup semi-final to break Thurles CBS hearts in the process in Kilmallock on Saturday afternoon.

While the contest in general was error-strewn and guided in large part by a substantial breeze at one end of the pitch, the players still served up a breathless last-four clash. Unfortunately, from a Thurles CBS perspective, they came out on the wrong side of a dubious refereeing decision in the game's dying seconds.

Despite trailing by seven points at halftime after playing against the wind, Thurles CBS worked their socks off to get back into the contest and Cormac Fitzpatrick’s goal in the 50th minute had the teams deadlocked with two minutes of added time to be played.

There were chances at either end in that time for someone to put their name up in lights but you could see the white line fever in front of both teams with chance left behind. However, Ard Scoil got a late sight at goal where Keith Loughnane managed to block an attempt at goal, and with the ball breaking, it looked like Jack Lahart was ushering young John O’Keeffe well out on the sideline with the substitute tripping over himself.

Unbelievably, the referee was fooled into giving the free and it must be said, from this journalist’s viewpoint, there was no contact with the player and it will be a bitter pill for Thurles to swallow as Marc O’Brien showed real composure under intense pressure to slot over the resulting free with the last puck of the game.

That decision wasn’t in keeping with the way that Nicky Barry had reffed the whole game in fairness, but it is disappointing for that to be the main talking point as the game delivered on the potential it was touted for earlier in the week.

A game of two halves, the game was dominated by Ard Scoil in the opening quarter as they made more than good use of the elements early on, scoring the first eight points of the game inside ten minutes to leave Thurles dumbstruck.

The 2023 finalists were far too passive in this period and allowed Ard Scoil to play the game at their pace, and even when Thurles had their hands on the ball, the distribution left a lot to be desired as they looked like a team who were letting the occasion get to them.

Daniel Chaplin was the biggest threat in that period to Thurles as the Sixmilebridge man hit 0-5 in that time and was looking deadly from placed balls, while Diarmuid Stritch was causing massive issues with his pace and also managed to pilfer 0-2 himself in that time.

It could have been even worse in that period had Harry Loughnane pulled off a smart save from Marc O’Brien in the ninth minute, closing down the space quickly to smother the Ard Scoil full forward’s snappy strike to deflect the ball away from danger.

It took eleven minutes for Thurles to finally get on the board as Cormac Fitzpatrick fired over after a sharp step away from his marker and slot over, but it did little to ignite a resurgence in the team as the game was slipping away from them fast with Daniel Chaplin and wingback Daniel Scully firing over points, along with the dangerous Stritch and a first for Michael Collins.

Thurles trailed 0-12 to 0-3 on the 20-minute mark and were playing poorly from what was expected of them from previous games, with their use of the ball sub-par as they continually hit long into the breeze and were making a hero of Jamie Moylan at the back who was being used as the spare man.

In fairness though, despite the gameplan faltering the players did up their work rate in the final ten minutes of the half and with Robbie Ryan and Euan Murray coming into the game, they managed to get the last four points of the half with two Fitzpatrick frees along with a point apiece from James Doyle and the aforementioned Murray, they would have been pleased to only trail by five at the break.

Roles reversed for the second half, Thurles made a fast start to the half with the breeze at their back, and despite Ard Scoil pointing first through Fintan Fitzgerald they hit four points in succession up the three-quarter mark of the half as Euan Murray again, Jack Hayes and two points from Robbie Ryan - including a sublime sideline cut - had Thurles’ tails up as they were now the dominant force and trailed by just two points.

The momentum was with the Tipperary lads now and they had ample time to use the conditions to find a lead score but Ard Scoil made it hard for them as they extended the lead back to three points through a very impressive score from Michael Collins, but Thurles were still coming and after points from Cormac Fitzpatrick and Euan Murray in the next five minutes, they struck home soon after.

In the 50th minute, Thurles took the lead through a Cormac Fitzpatrick goal with the Drom & Inch ace finishing a brilliant team move with Bill Flanagan and Ryne Bargary setting it up to finish what looked like it might be a telling score.

However, Thurles never managed to capitalise on the lead and even though they were leading 1-14 to 0-15 with five minutes left, Ard Scoil made more use of their substitutes and the fresh legs changed the game for them, with Marc O’Brien punishing indiscipline from Thurles and three placed balls in a row from the Cratloe man had the game level by the 58th minute with extra time a real possibility.

The winner was sought after in the ensuing minutes and both teams did have their sighters but invariably, it was a poor touch, poor decision, or good defending that foiled them at either end but the game was decided with that late free as Thurles players were left strewn across the field as the final whistle rang out from the puckout.

Thurles CBS: Harry Loughnane (Roscrea); Paul Noonan (Thurles Sarsfields), Evan Morris (Holycross Ballycahill), Jack Lahart (Holycross Ballycahill); Keith Loughnane (Durlas Óg), Padraig O’Dwyer (Killenaule), Eugene O’Dwyer (Boherlahan Dualla); Euan Murray (Durlas Óg, 0-3), James Doyle (Holycross Ballycahill, 0-1); David Costigan (Moycarkey Borris), Darragh Kelly (Éire Óg Annacarty), Bill Flanagan (Moycarkey Borris); Cormac Fitzpatrick (Drom & Inch, 1-7, 0-5f), Robbie Ryan (Holycross Ballycahill, 0-2, 0-1 sl-cut), Jack Hayes (Moycarkey Borris, 0-1).

Subs used: Ryne Bargary (Boherlahan Dualla) for Costigan (42); Toby Corbett (Upperchurch Drombane) for E O’Dwyer (57); Cillian Minogue (Thurles Sarsfields) for Flanagan (59).

Ard Scoil Rís: Fionn O’Brien (Bruree); Eoin Carey (Cratloe), Séan McMahon (Smith O’Briens), Séan Morrissey (Dromin Athlacca); James Finn (Na Piarsaigh), Jamie Moylan (Cratloe), Daniel Scully (Dromin Athlacca, 0-2); Riain McNamara (Cratloe), Matthew O’Halloran (Sixmilebridge); Diarmuid Stritch (Clonlara, 0-3), Fintan Fitzgerald (Mungret St Pauls, 0-1), Michael Collins (Clonlara, 0-2); Daniel Chaplin (Sixmilebridge, 0-6, 0-3f, 0-1 65), Marc O’Brien (Cratloe, 0-4, 0-3f, 0-1 65), Eoin Begley (Clonlara).

Subs used: Jack Cosgrove (Ahane) for Chaplin (38); Dáire Neville (Cratloe) for Begley (38); Darragh Gleeson (Adare) for Scully (43); John O’Keeffe (Na Piarsaigh) for Carey (50).

Referee: Nicky Barry (Waterford)