Dr. Harty Cup Semi Final – Ard Scoil Ris 2-14 Hamilton HS Bandon 1-4

Ard Scoil Ris defeated Hamilton HS Bandon by 2-14 to 1-4 in the Dr. Harty Cup Semi Final on Saturday February 1st at Mallow.

Lynch leads the way for rampant Ardscoil Rís

Report from the Irish Independent newspaper

Ardscoil Rís 2-14 Hamilton HS 1-4

Limerick’s Ardscoil Rís are just one game away from a third title in the space of five years following their victory over Hamilton High School Bandon in Mallow. County minor star Ronan Lynch led the way for 2010 and ’11 winners Ardscoil as he scored 1-9, including the crucial second goal which ended the Hamilton challenge when opening up a 2-9 to 1-4 lead with a quarter of the game left.

Despite falling behind to Michael Cahalane’s early point, Ardscoil soon took control in the first half and Colin Crehan’s goal, from Cian Lynch’s pass, put them 1-3 to 0-1 in front. By half-time, that advantage had stretched to 1-7 to 0-2, with Ronan Lynch deadly from frees. Against the severe wind, Bandon had withdrawn Luke Meade to play as a sweeper and while he was their best player, snuffing out danger more than once, they were labouring in attack.

A renewed vigour at the outset of the second half helped Bandon to edge a bit closer and then they got lucky when Cahalane’s delivery was mishandled by Ardscoil goalkeeper Páraic O’Loughlin to leave just four points in it. They would not score again, however. Ronan Lynch responded immediately with a free and then his ’65’ eluded the Hamilton defenders and travelled all the way to the net to leave eight points between the sides.

Ronan Lynch continued to punish any indiscretions by converting frees and Crehan also added another point late on to leave 13 points between the teams. The Limerick side now await either St Francis College, Rochestown or Scoil na Tríonóide Naofa, Doon in the final on February 23. This other semi-final, scheduled for Cahir on Saturday, was postponed due to an unplayable pitch.

Scorers – Ardscoil Rís: R Lynch 1-9 (1-0, 65, 0-7 frees), C Crehan 1-1, A Morey, M O’Loughlin, C Lynch, I Galvin 0-1 each. Hamilton HS: M Cahalane 1-4 (0-2fs).

ARDSCOIL RÍS – P O’Loughlin; E Costelloe, J O’Halloran, M Casey; G Brown, B Fitzpatrick, J English; C O’Brien, R Lynch; I Galvin, C Lynch, T Grimes; C Crehan, A Morey, M O’Loughlin. Subs: C McCarthy for Grimes (42), C Fitzgerald for M O’Loughlin (53), E Mulcahy for O’Halloran (55), A Gillane for C Lynch (59).

HAMILTON HS: R McCarthy; A O’Connell, M McSweeney, J O’Callaghan; N Muray, C O’Leary, E O’Brien; J Mulcahy, J O’Neill; K O’Donovan, M Cahalane, D Curran; B Crowley, T Horgan, L Meade. Subs: E O’Reilly for Crowley (51), D Healy for Curran (56).

Ref – P Foley (Waterford)

Limerick’s Ardscoil Ris power into Harty Cup final

by Jerome O’Connell for the Limerick Leader newspaper

ARDSCOIL Ris are back in the Dr Harty Cup final after an emphatic 2-14 to 1-4 win over Hamilton High School of Bandon this Saturday afternoon in Mallow. The winners in 2010 and 2011, the Limerick city secondary school were beaten at the semi-final stage of the last two years. They will meet either Doon or Rochestown in the final – that semi-final will take place next weekend after falling to the weather earlier on Saturday.

Ardscoil Ris played with the aid of the wind in the opening half and led 1-7 to 0-2 at half time. Their goal came in the ninth minute when Colin Crehan fired low to the net. Micheal O’Loughlin, Alex Morey and Cian Lynch also chipped in with points.

But it was to be Ronan Lynch, who was the scoring hero for the Limerick side. On a bitterly cold and wet day he showed great composure from frees and ended with 1-7 from placed balls. Ardscoil carried an eight point lead into the second half when they had to defend their lead. But they put in a terrific defensive performance to break the hearts of the Cork side.

As the wind and rain cleared, Ardscoil powered into final. Their second goal came in the 43rd minute when Lynch’s ‘65 slipped through the fingers of a defender on the line.

Scorers: Ardscoil Ris: Ronan Lynch 1-9 (0-7frees, 1-0 ‘65), Colin Crehan 1-1, Micheal O’Loughlin, Cian Lynch, Ian Galvin 0-1 each. Bandon: Michael Cahalane 1-4 (1-2frees).

ARDSCOIL RIS: Paraic O’Loughlin (Clonlara); Eoghan Costelloe (Adare), Michael Casey (Na Piarsaigh), Josh O’Halloran (Na Piarsaigh); Gordan Browne (Na Piarsaigh), Barry Fitzpatrick (Sixmilebridge), Jack English (Adare); Cian O’Brien (Mungret), Ronan Lynch (Na Piarsaigh); Thomas Grimes (Na Piarsaigh), Cian Lynch (Patrickswell), Ian Galvin (Clonlara); Colin Crehan (O’Callaghan Mills), Alex Morey (Sixmilebridge), Micheal O’Loughlin (Clonlara). Subs: Charlie McCarthy (Adare) for Thomas Grimes (h-t), Conor Fitzgerald (Claughaun) for Micheal O’Loughlin (50mins), Eoin Mulcahy (Mungret) for Josh O’Halloran (53mins), Aaron Gillane (Patrickswell) for Cian Lynch (57mins).

BANDON: Robbie McCarthy; Andrew O’Connell, Micheal McSweeney, Jack O’Callaghan; Eoin O’Brien, Chris O’Leary, Niall Murray; Jonathan Mulcahy, Luke Meade; Jerry O’Neill, Michael Cahalane, Darragh Curran; Billy Crowley, Trevor Horgan, Kevin O’Donovan. Subs: Eoin O’Reilly for Billy Crowley (50mins), David Healy for Darragh Curran (56mins).

REFEREE: Paul Foley (Waterford).