Dr. Harty Cup Final – Dungarvan Colleges 2-21 Templemore 1-11

Duggan hails ‘cream of crop’

By Jackie Cahill for the Irish Examiner newspaper

Our Lady’s Templemore (Tipperary) 1-11 Dungarvan Colleges (Waterford) 2-21

A powerful Dungarvan Colleges outfit cruised to a second successive Harty Cup final victory in front of a bumper crowd at Sean Treacy Park yesterday. An estimated 3,000 spectators were present to watch the Waterford amalgamation run riot in the second half, on a perfect afternoon for hurling in Tipperary town. A relatively dry sod and glorious sunshine proved very much to Dungarvan’s liking in the second half as they outscored Our Lady’s Templemore by 2-13 to 1-3. The sides were level at 0-8 apiece at the break but whatever coach and Tipperary native Darragh Duggan said to his players at the break had the desired effect as they upped the ante to win by 13 points.

Duggan revealed: “We just explained that they were going to get nothing soft from Templemore — they had to wake up. Templemore outsmarted us in a number of positions in the first half with quick line balls and quick frees. We weren’t taking our chances. Half time came at the right time for us and as the game opened up in the second half, I think we benefited big time.” Dungarvan cut loose on the restart and after Ryan Donnelly netted in the 35th minute to put his side five points clear, there would only be one winner. Seven minutes from time, Donnelly goaled again from close range and while John Joe Ryan bagged a consolation goal in the 56th minute for Our Lady’s, their long wait for a first Harty Cup success since 1978 goes on.

Duggan derived no pleasure from the downfall of a Tipperary team in the Harty final for a second successive year but admitted: “My heart is with the boys at the moment. Sometimes you get rewards and sometimes you don’t but for the last two years, they’re after getting exactly what they deserve. There might be better teams out there that we haven’t played yet but as far as I’m concerned, these guys are the cream of the crop.”

Whether or not there is a team outside of Munster to stop them remains to be seen. Operating under the Coláiste na nDéise name last year, Duggan’s charges were stopped in their tracks by Kilkenny CBS in the All-Ireland quarter-final. But on this season’s evidence, Dungarvan are as good, if not better, than last year’s side. They fielded 10 of the Dungarvan CBS side that won the Corn Phádraig Munster senior B title recently and there were seven survivors from the team that started last year’s Harty final against Nenagh CBS.

Within Munster, there has been nothing to match them over the last two years but other teams have expressed private disquiet at the fact that Dungarvan are an amalgamation of Dungarvan CBS and St Augustine’s. It should be remembered, of course, that it takes more than raw talent to win titles and Dungarvan have worked incredibly hard. They had eight players on the scoresheet yesterday and a watertight defence has conceded just one goal in their last three games. Our Lady’s, even with dual All-Ireland minor medallists John McGrath and Colin O’Riordan at midfield, struggled to make an impact after half time. They will take comfort though, from the fact that Nenagh bounced back from last year’s Harty Cup final defeat to finish the season as All-Ireland champions.

Scorers for Our Lady’s Templemore: J McGrath 0-5 (4f), JJ Ryan 1-0, D Carey 0-2, D McEnroe, T Nolan, Jamie Bergin & C O’Riordan 0-1 each.

Scorers for Dungarvan Colleges: P Curran 0-8 (5f), R Donnelly 2-1, C Dunford, C Breathnach & T Bourke (3f) 0-3 each, C Curran, M Harney & D Lyons 0-1 each.

OUR LADY’S TEMPLEMORE: SP Guerins (JK Brackens); D Brereton (Loughmore-Castleiney), J Ryan (Toomevara), James Bergin (JK Brackens); P Hogan (Templederry), B Kennedy (JK Brackens), M Campion (Drom & Inch); J McGrath (Loughmore-Castleiney), C O’Riordan (JK Brackens); D McEnroe (JK Brackens), D Carey (Templederry), T Maher (Loughmore-Castleiney); T Nolan (Drom & Inch), JJ Ryan (Clonakenny), Jamie Bergin (Drom & Inch).

Subs: B O’Connell (Loughmore-Castleiney) for Jamie Bergin (51), J Fogarty (JK Brackens) for Brereton (55), E Moloney (Drom & Inch) for Maher (55), T Brett (JK Brackens) for Carey (55).

DUNGARVAN COLLEGES: L Power (Abbeyside); K Looby (St Oliver’s/Ballinameela), B Looby (Abbeyside), M Cronin (Ardmore); T Bourke (Clashmore), K Daly (Dungarvan), T Devine (Modeligo); C Curran (Brickey Rangers), M Harney (Ballydurn); C Breathnach (An Rinn), P Curran (Dungarvan), S Keating (Ardmore); D Lyons (Dungarvan), C Dunford (Colligan Emmets), R Donnelly (Dungarvan).

Subs: D Gartland (Ardmore) for Dunford (48), J Mullanney (Stradbally) for K Looby (59), S Daly (Abbeyside) for Donnelly (59).

Referee: Ger Hoey (Clare)

Match Preview

The 2013 Dr Harty Cup has thrown together the novel final pairing of Dungarvan Colleges and Our Lady’s Templemore. The two teams will meet in the final this Sunday at 2.30 pm in Tipperary Town to decide who takes home the most famous trophy in Colleges sport.

Templemore have had a rollercoaster ride to the final. They overcame Midleton CBS by a point in the quarter final in what was a game that could have gone either way and then required a replay to beat Ardscoil RIs. Indeed the Limerick school struck the crossbar in the final minute of the second game; a goal at this stage would have seen them into the final. However to suggest that Templemore have enjoyed a lucky ride is far from true, they have displayed an incredible work ethic coupled with no lack of skill and thoroughly deserve their place in the final. The mercurial talent of John McGrath has been evident for all to see but this team has many potential stars. In the semi-final goalkeeper Seán Patrick Guerins was called on to make two exceptional saves, this allied with his assuredness between the sticks mark him out as an exceptional keeper. The number 3 and 6 positions are vital if a team is to be successful and in Jason Ryan and Joseph Nyland, Templemore have two of the best in the competition. Colin O’Riordan at midfield carries the dual threat as an exceptional ball winning and at times free scoring midfielder, while up front John Joe Ryan has the ability to torment any defence. The Tipp outfit have surpassed many people’s expectations of them in reaching the final but they will hope to continue to upset the form book and claim a first title since 1978.

The amalgamated Dungarvan Colleges outfit that consists of players from Dungarvan CBS and St. Augustine’s are seen by many as favourites to lift the Harty cup again this year. On route to the final they have accounted for Blackwater CS and Thurles CBS. While their progression has not been as dramatic as that of Templemore, the Dungarvan outfit have been extremely efficient in accounting for two genuine contenders in the knockout stages of the competition. In their semi-final against Thurles they trailed early on but showed great resilience to come back and hold on for a thrilling victory. The progression to a second successive final owes lot to the lethal marksmanship of Patrick Curran, who is quickly establishing himself as one of the provinces top forwards at under age level. The hard running of Christy Breathnach in the half forward line is a real scoring threat and the highly skilled Michael Harney is another player who knows where the posts are. However the strength of this Dungarvan side is the half-back line of, Tadhg Bourke, Kevin Daly and Tom Devine. Those who attended the semifinal victory over Thurles witnessed a master class in half-back line play.

The Harty Cup has served up some memorable finals over the years and this year’s final promises to join the list of classic finals. Dungarvan V Templmore, Curran V McGrath, it could very well be decided in the final minute.

Our Lady’s Templemore Results to date

Our Lady’s Templemore 1-18 West Limerick Schs. 1-18

Our Lady’s Templemore 1-13 Charleville CBS 0-14

Our Lady’s Templemore 1-19 Blackwater C.S. 1-18

Our Lady’s Templemore 1-12 Abbey CBS Tipperary 0-7

Our Lady’s Templemore 2-5 Midleton CBS 0-10

Our Lady’s Templemore 0-14 Ardscoil Ris 1-11

Our Lady’s Templemore 1-13 Ardscoil Rís Limerick 0-14

Dungarvan Colleges results to date

Dungarvan Colleges 3-13 Doon CBS 1-13

St. Flannan’s Ennis 0-16 Dungarvan Colleges 2-9

Dungarvan Colleges 3-12 St. Caimin’s Shannon 0-11

Dungarvan Colleges 5-18 Gaelcholáiste Mhuire A.G. 2-8

Dungarvan Colleges 0-14 Blackwater C.S. 0-10

Dungarvan Colleges 1-12 Thurles CBS 0-12

Our Lady’s Templemore Panel

The Our Lady’s Templemore panel for the Dr. Harty Cup is as follows –

John McGrath – Loughmore\Castleiney

Tommy Maher – Loughmore\Castleiney

Denis Brereton – Loughmore\Castleiney

Joseph Nyland- Loughmore\Castleiney

Bill O’Connell – Loughmore\Castleiney

Jason Ryan – Toomevara (Captain)

Tommy Nolan – Drom\Inch

Jamie Bergin – Drom\Inch

Michael Campion – Drom\Inch

Kevin Ahearn – Drom\Inch

Kevin Hassett – Drom\Inch

Emmet Moloney – Drom\Inch

Joey Maher – Drom\Inch

Colm Kinane – Drom\Inch

Robert Ryan – Drom\Inch

Colin O’Riordan – JK Brackens

Sean Patrick Guerins – JK Brackens

James Bergin – JK Brackens

Jack Fogarty- JK Brackens

Dean Mcenroe – JK Brackens

Brian Kennedy – JK Brackens

Tommy Brett – JK Brackens

JohnJoe Ryan – Clonakenny

Paul Bergin – Clonakenny

Dylan Carey – Templederry Kenyons

Padraig Hogan – Templederry Kenyons

Matt Stapleton – Borris-Ileigh

Jacque Dowling – Erril\Rathdowney

Gary Russell – Moyne\Templetouhy

Shane Ryan – Moyne\Templetouhy

PJ Bourke – Upperchurch\Drombane

Dungarvan Colleges Panel

Laurence Power – Abbeyside

Kealan Looby – St Olivers/Ballinameela

Brian Looby – Abbeyside

Jack Mullanney – Stradbally

Tagdh Bourke – Clashmore

Kevin Daly – Dungarvan

Tom Devine – Modeligo (Captain)

Cormac Curran – Brickey Rangers

Colin Dunford – Colligan Emmets

Ryan Donnelly – Dungarvan

Michael Harney – Ballydurn

Eamon Crotty – Abbeyside

Darragh Lyons – Dungarvan

Seamus Keating – Ardmore

Patrick Curran – Dungarvan

Gavin Power – Dungarvan

Christy Breathnach – An Rinn

David Gartland – Ardmore

Michael Cronin – Ardmore

Sean Daly – Abbeyside

Kieran Barron – St Marys Touraneena

Aaron Donnelly – Dungarvan

Jack O’Donnell – Brickey Rangers

Michael Shine – St Olivers/Ballinameela

Conor Prunty – Abbeyside

Cian Culloo – St Olivers/ Ballinameela

Carthach Barry – Brickey Rangers

Cormac O’Grady – Brickey Rangers

Conor Tobin – St Marys Touraneena

Ross Browne – Colligan Emmets

Jack Morrissey – Dungarvan