2019/2020 Dr. Harty Cup Group A Round 2 – Thurles CBS 2-28 John the Baptist Hospital 0-13

2019/2020 Dr. Harty Cup Group A Round 2

Thurles CBS 2-28 John the Baptist Hospital 0-13

By Ed Donnelly

Thurles CBS maintained their 100% record in Group A of the Dr. Harty Cup with a comprehensive victory over John the Baptist Community School Hospital at a wet Newport on Wednesday.

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Click here to view photos from the game

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When these schools clashed at the Quarter-Final stage in January of this year, it took 150 minutes of action before Thurles CBS earned a replay victory after two epic games. Just 11 of the 30 players who started last January survived to line out on this occasion with Thurles retaining 7 hurlers and Hospital with just 4.

From an early stage, it was clear that there was a gulf in class between the sides with Thurles racing in to a 0-8 to 0-3 lead after 11 minutes. Soon afterwards, Eoin Purcell and Jack Lee scored goals for Thurles as they led by 2-10 to 0-3 before they hit their first wide in the 19th minute. Their accuracy in front of goal was indicative of both good inter-play by the Thurles forwards and the lack of intensity from the Hospital rearguard in putting their players under pressure. By the interval, the game was over as a contest with the Tipperary school in front by 2-15 to 0-4.

John the Baptist Hospital’s play improved on the resumption as Aidan O’Heney (free) and Pa Reale scored the first two points. The Limerick side has numerous other opportunities in the next few minutes but were struggling to convert their chances, in particular from placed balls. Eventually, Hospital would find their range when third choice free-taker Darragh McAuley took control and he would convert six pointed frees in the final 20 minutes.
Thurles meanwhile began to empty the bench midway through the second half and kept hitting over the points as the game petered out to its inevitable conclusion with Thurles in front by 21 points – 2-28 to 0-13. In a game where Thurles had eight different scorers from open play, none of the Hospital starting forwards scored from play and 10 of their 13 points came from placed balls.

Thurles will now play Nenagh CBS in the final round while St. Colmans Fermoy will play John the Baptist Hospital.

Thurles CBS: Jason O’Dwyer; Martin Paul O’Dwyer, Frankie Hanafin, James Armstrong; Keith Ryan (0-2), Kevin Hayes (Captain), Kieran Costello; Ciaran Lloyd, Jack Morrissey (0-1); Jack Leamy (0-1), Devon Ryan (0-13, 0-10 frees), Eoin Purcell (1-4); Paddy Creedon (0-1), Darren Flood, Jack Lee (1-3)
Subs: Kieran Larkin, Stephen Ferncombe (0-3, 0-1 free), Conor Horgan, Mark Stakelum, Edmond Connolly

John the Baptist Hospital: Jack Franklin; Jake Kennedy, James Carroll, Dylan Hartnett; Rory Hannon, Pa Byrne (Captain), Killian O’Shea; Paddy Kennedy (0-1), Pa Reale (0-1); Darragh Butler, Michael Martin, Aidan O’Heney (0-4 frees); Ethan Dorney, Darragh McAuley (0-6 frees), Eoin Cleary
Subs: Colm O’Riordan, Steven O’Donnell, Sean Murnane (0-1), Harry Fox

Referee: Jim Lees