Dr. Harty Cup Semi-Final Replay – Nenagh CBS 1-11 Ardscoil Rís 0-13

Flying Forde inspires Nenagh

Nenagh CBS 1-11 Ardscoil Rís 0-13

By Fintan O’Toole for the Irish Examiner newspaper

THE sparkling skills of Jason Forde inspired a dramatic victory for Nenagh CBS in yesterday’s Dr Harty Cup semi-final replay in Tipperary Town as the Silvermines youngster propelled his school into their first decider since 1997 with a late scoring salvo. Forde, captain of the Tipp minors last summer, has established himself as the talisman of this Nenagh CBS side and he delivered once more here with a staggering haul of 1-10. It was his solitary goal and final point that transpired to be the crucial scores. In the 57th minute he wiped out the two-point lead that Ardscoil Rís possessed when taking a pass from Tadhg Gallagher before racing through the defence, shortening his grip to avoid a hook from Stephen Fitzgerald, and flicking the ball to the net.

Ardscoil Rís responded and levelled the game in the 61st minute when the nerveless Jamie Shanahan, under immense pressure near the sideline, fired over a long-rang free. Yet Forde had the final say, collecting the ball in the middle third, scything through the Ardscoil Rís rearguard and lofting over a marvellous winning point. It was a heartbreaking defeat for Ardscoil Rís and was the first loss the school have suffered in this competition since their 2009 Dr Harty Cup semi-final loss to St Caimin’s (Shannon). They came close to maintaining their three-in-a-row ambitions here with David Dempsey, PJ Hall, Ronan Lynch and Shanahan all making excellent contributions.

Nenagh CBS now face a novel final against Coláiste na Déise on Sunday week, with two schools who have never won this competition set to battle for honours. Forde has amassed 2-31 in his last four games, yet was keen to apportion the praise elsewhere. “It’s a team effort. They’re all a great bunch of lads who have worked hard all year. The Harty wasn’t taken that seriously in the school for the last number of years. But Donagh O’Donnell and Niall Quigley have come in and done a tremendous job. I can’t thank them enough, if it wasn’t for them we wouldn’t be here. “Jason led by example and is a great character,” said Nenagh CBS manager Donagh O’Donnell afterwards. “For a fella who didn’t hit a ball from play last week, to come back and put up a score like that again was phenomenal.”

Nenagh CBS had made the early running, assisted by the wind, to lead 0-3 to 0-0 after only six minutes. By the 20th minute they were still in the ascendancy by 0-5 to 0-3 yet Forde was their only scorer in the first-half and Ardscoil Rís gradually worked their way back into contention as they played intelligent hurling. Shanahan, who started at full-forward, was withdrawn to midfield midway through the half where he was influential while Dempsey produced a splendid block to deny Jack Loughnane a goal in the 12th minute. Ardscoil Rís, who chalked up 12 wides in total, saw some shots from placed balls drift wide of the post but their accuracy improved to draw level at 0-7 apiece at the interval.

The reigning champions gained the initiative early in the second-half and held it for long stages. Ronan Lynch fired over a few points from frees while Barry O’Connell nullified Forde’s threat for a spell. Nenagh CBS struggled to make headway up front, with a fine point by Stephen O’Brien their only score in the first 20 minutes of the second-half, but the superb defending of Jack Peters and Donncha Quinn helped keep Ardscoil Rís at bay. The action became more frenetic nearing the finish as a pair of Forde frees tied the game at 0-10 apiece with eight minutes to go. Impressive scores by William O’Donoghue and Jack Kelleher swung the pendulum back in the favour of Ardscoil Rís but it was Forde who came to the fore when his team’s need was greatest at the death.

Scorers for Nenagh CBS: J Forde 1-10 (0-6f), S O’Brien 0-1.

Scorers for Ardscoil Rís: R Lynch (0-5f), J Shanahan (0-4f) 0-5 each, W O’Donoghue, J Kelleher, C Lynch 0-1 each.

NENAGH CBS: W Power (Silvermines); D Quinn (Éire Óg Nenagh), K Gubbins (Éire Óg Nenagh), S Cleary (Kilruane McDonaghs); E Hynes (Templederry), J Peters (Kilruane McDonaghs), J Flaherty (Burgess); J Loughnane (Kildangan), T Gallagher (Kildangan); C Delaney (Toomevara), J Forde (Silvermines), S O’Brien (Ballina); J Mackey (Éire Óg Nenagh), P Shanahan (Toomevara), P Fogarty (Silvermines).

Subs: S Geaney (Éire Óg Nenagh) for Shanahan (half-time), K Gleeson (Éire Óg Nenagh) for Mackey (54).

ARDSCOIL RÍS: D Dempsey (Na Piarsaigh); R Kirby (Mungret), PJ Hall (Adare), K McNamara (Na Piarsaigh); E Fitzgerald (Claughaun), B O’Connell (Kildimo), S Fitzgerald (Claughaun); J Hannon (Adare), R Lynch (Na Piarsaigh); C Lynch (Patrickswell), K O’Brien (Patrickswell), J Kelleher (Patrickswell); M O’Loughlin (Clonlara), J Shanahan (Sixmilebridge), L O’Brien (Adare).

Subs: W O’Donoghue (Na Piarsaigh) for L O’Brien (half-time), M Foley (Na Piarsaigh) for K O’Brien (35), C O’Brien (Mungret) for O’Loughlin (42).

Referee: Pat Casey (Waterford

Ardscoil Ris lose out in Harty Cup thriller

Report from the Limerick Leader newspaper

Published on Tuesday 14 February 2012 19:33

ARDSCOIL Ris’ dream of claiming a hat-trick of Dr Harty Cup titles were shattered in the dramatic closing stages of their semi-final replay clash with Nenagh CBS at Tipperary Town on Wednesday afternoon as they went down on a scoreline of 1-11 to 0-13. Three-in-a-row seeking Ardscoil looked a good bet to reach another Harty final when edging into a two-point lead with a little over five minutes remaining.

However, Nenagh CBS’ outstanding performer, Jason Forde, helped the Tipperary side regain the lead with a splendid solo goal after he raced through the Ardscoil defence to score four minutes from time. Nenagh CBS now led by a point, but, to their credit, Ardscoil showed admirable resolve to respond and a pointed free from midfielder Jamie Shanahan as the game ticked into injury time, looked set to send the game to extra time. However, the drama wasn’t done yet and in a grandstand finish, Tipp minor star Forde ended Ardscoil Ris’ 18-game unbeaten run at Harty Cup level when he landed the winning point in the third minute of stoppage time. The final whistle brought heartache and bitter disappointment for an Ardscoil Ris side which had showed indomitable spirit to eek out the final two points in the drawn game and force the semi-final to a replay.

Replays generally tend not to follow the same pattern as drawn games, but this semi-final tie was an exception to that old adage. The game was again highly competitive from the outset, with the sides going tit-for-that on the scoreboard and the outcome only decided deep in injury time. Ardscoil Ris will rue their inability to close the game out. Backed by a stiff breeze, their two-point advantage in a game where the sides had been level on four occasions to that point, should have proved the launch pad for another notable success in Munster Colleges’ premier hurling competition. The North Circular Road side were also left to regret some wayward shooting during both half, with the holders amassing up to a dozen wides over the hour.

Ardscoil Ris’ defeat was their first suffered by the Limerick city side in Dr Harty Cup in three years. The school has built a reputation as a fine hurling nursery, but the challenge facing Ardscoil Ris will be one of maintaining those high standards in the years to come. This replay was a fine advertisement for the colleges’ game. The hurling, produced by both sides, was of a high quality with the continuity of the game helped by the remarkably dry underfoot conditions. The players’ first touch was assured and the ball-striking crisp. But teams had a real purpose about them and while the stakes were high, neither set of players allowed the occasion get the better of them.

Nenagh CBS made good use of the elements in the opening half, racing into an early 0-3 to 0-0 lead. Their inspirational centre half-back, Jason Forde, who operated in a more advanced position as the game wore on scored all three points, two from play. Slowly Ardscoil Ris began to settle and by the 20th minute Nenagh’s advantage was reduced to two points, 0-5 to 0-3. The Lynch’s, Ronan with two frees, and Cian, from play, bagged the Limerick side’s points. With Ardscoil’s survivors from last year’s final, including captain PJ Hall, Barry O’Connell and Jamie Shanahan doing well, ably assisted by the likes of Ronan Lynch, the holders remained well in the contest.

Within five minutes of half-time, Ardscoil were level, thanks to three fine points from Sixmilebridge’s Jamie Shanahan, including one smashing effort from play. Ardscoil did have to survive a few hairy moments in defence and netminder David Dempsey produced two terrific saves to deny Nenagh’s Jack Loughnane and Podge Shanahan scoring the game’s opening goal. The sides remained deadlocked, 0-7 each, at half-time.  Little separated the sides during a highly competitive second half. The sides were tied three times during that period, but the game’s outstanding perfomer, Forde proved his side’s hero with that late winning point which helped Nenagh CBS reach their first final in 15 years.

SCORERS – Nenagh CBS – Jason Forde 1-10 (0-4 frees), Stephen O’Brien 0-1; Ardscoil Ris – Ronan Lynch 0-5 (all frees), Jamie Shanahan 0-5 (four frees), Cian Lynch, William O’Donoghue and Jack Kelleher 0-1 each.

NENAGH CBS – Will Power; Stephen Cleary, Kevin Gubbins, Donnacha Quinn; Eddie Hynes, Jason Forde, Jack Peters; Jack Loughnane, Jack Flaherty; Tadhg Gallagher, Conor Delaney, Stephen O’Brien; Podge Shanahan, Paudie Fogarty, James Mackey. Subs: Sean Geaney for Shanahan (half-time), Killian Gleeson for Mackey (51 mins).

ARDSCOIL RIS – David Dempsey (Na Piarsaigh); Ronan Kirby (Mungret), PJ Hall (Adare), Kevin McNamara (Na Piarsaigh), Evan Fitzgerald (Claughaun), Barry O’Connell (Kildimo), Stephen Fitzgerald (Claughaun); Jamie Shanahan (Sixmilebridge), Jody Hannon (Adare); Michael O’Loughlin (Clonlara), Ronan Lynch (Na Piarsaigh), Jack Kelleher (Patrickswell); Lukas O’Brien (Adare), Kevin O’Brien (Patrickswell), Cian Lynch (Patrickswell). Subs: William O’Donoghue (Na Piarsaigh) for Lukas O’Brien (half-time), Michael Foley (Na Piarsaigh) for Kevin O’Brien (35 mins), Cian O’Brien (Mungret) for O’Loughlin (41 mins).

REFEREE – Pat Casey (Waterford)