Nenagh CBS, the defending All-Ireland colleges champions, were knocked out of this year’s Dr Harty Cup following a one-point defeat (1-11 to 0-15) suffered at the hands of Midleton CBS in Charleville today.
For prolonged periods of this encounter Nenagh CBS looked the more accomplished outfit, but they failed to put away a resilient Midleton CBS team. After just ten minutes Nenagh CBS led 1-1 to 0-1, but Midleton reeled Nenagh CBS in and trailed by just a point at the break (1-5 to 0-7). Midleton then forced themselves into a deserved 0-13 to 1-7 lead by the 54th minute, but Nenagh CBS responded with four consecutive points to take the lead (1-11 to 0-13) in the 61st minute. Midleton, however, were far from finished and hit two late, late points to book their place in the quarter-finals.
Donnacha Quinn raced on to a booming Jack Peters clearance in the tenth minute before firing home a left-handed shot which helped Nenagh CBS into a 1-1 to 0-1 lead.
While Midleton managed to respond three Tadhg Gallagher points from play established a 1-4 to 0-3 lead inside the opening twenty minutes. Midleton then converted three successive frees to cut the deficit to a single point before a Donnacha Quinn free steadied Nenagh CBS prior to the break. Yet another Midleton free left just a single point (1-5 to 0-7) between them at the interval.
Midleton began the second half in positive fashion with two frees helping the Cork men into a 0-9 to 1-5 lead before Tadhg Gallagher responded for Nenagh CBS in the 38th minute. Midleton then scooted into a two-point lead before the game reached a critical juncture in the 47th minute when Andy Dunne created a goal-scoring opportunity for James Mackey. Unfortunately, Mackey’s shot was deflected out for a ’65 which Donnacha Quinn converted.
Following two further frees (the Rebels ninth from a placed opportunity) Midleton CBS led 0-13 to 1-7 by the 54th minute.
Finally, Nenagh CBS sparked into hurling life with three points in two minutes (two from Donnacha Quinn and one from Killian Gleeson) levelled matters by the 58th minute - 1-10 to 0-13. All the momentum was with Nenagh CBS and Andy Dunne franked that dominance in the first minute of injury time when the Burgess man fired Nenagh CBS into a 1-11 to 0-13 lead.
To their credit Midleton CBS hit back with two points of their own and celebrated wildly when referee Michael Meade blew his final whistle.
Nenagh CBS’ search a first-ever Dr Harty Cup title goes on.
Nenagh CBS: Mark Grace (Toomevara), Conor Ryan (Nenagh Éire Óg), Niall Gleeson (Portroe), David Sweeney (Kildangan), Andrew Coffey (Nenagh Éire Óg), Jack Peters (Kilruane MacDonagh’s), Darragh Peters (Kilruane MacDonagh’s), Killian Gleeson (Nenagh Éire Óg, 0-1), Jack Keating (Portroe), Stephen O’Brien (Ballina), Tadhg Gallagher (Kildangan, 0-4), Shane Hennessy (Nenagh Éire Óg), Andy Dunne (Burgess, 0-1), Donnacha Quinn (Nenagh Éire Óg, 1-5, 0-3 frees, 0-1 ‘65), James Mackey (Nenagh Éire Óg). Subs: (HT) Stephen Cleary (Kilruane MacDonagh’s) for Jack Keating, (57th) Bill O’Flaherty (Burgess) for Conor Ryan.
Referee: Michael Meade (Limerick).
©2024 Nenagh.ie. Website by The Smart Group
