Limerick minor hurler Patrick Kearney hit 1-14 for victorious Ardscoil Rís
Dr Harty Cup: Ardscoil Rís 2-26 Castletroy College 2-16
With Ardscoil pegged as favourites and overcoming Castletroy by 10 points in the first round of the Harty Cup – you would think it was comfortable, but that’s far from the truth.
Castletroy took it to their opponents every step of the way, but the difference on paper told in the final quarter, with Ardscoil claiming the two points in Claughaun on Wednesday afternoon.
Despite trailing by seven after 28 minutes, Castletroy fought back early in the second period. By minute 37, the Ardscoil lead stood at two.
Were it not for Limerick minor star Patrick Kearney, who hit 1-5 from play – the result wouldn’t have been so emphatic.
With Castletroy in touch Kearney hit three of the next four points, while the other arrived from the pacey Clare U20 Michael Collins, who had tormented Castletroy across the hour.
Ardscoil Rís were leading 1-20 to 1-14 with a quarter of an hour remaining, but their opponents weren’t going anywhere. Ardscoil needed a goal.
The timing couldn’t have been better, with Collins surging forward down the flank. Three Castletroy defenders converged to stop him, but he got the handpass away to Eoin Begley.
With space to shoot, the corner-forward unleashed a strike. Conor Bowles got there in time to block it, but the deflected ball fell straight to Kearney, and he made no mistake.
John O’Connor and Collins added two more for Ardscoil, moving the 2018 champions 11 points clear with eight to go. It was a big ask of Castletroy, but that wouldn’t stop them from trying.
Limerick U20 and Monaleen senior hurling star Matthew Fitzgerald picked out Cillian Clifford, and his close-range strike flew into the back of the net for a second Castletroy goal. White flags from Dara Moloughney and Robert O’Farrell followed – but Castletroy had two minutes of normal time to overcome a six-point deficit.
Instead, Ardscoil finished with class. Four shots, four scores. Three from Kearney yet again, while Limerick minor wing-back Eoin Brosnan sent over the other from distance, and it finished 2-26 to 2-16.
Though they finished second best in the end, Castletroy put up a big fight. They led three times inside the first 20 minutes, the first when Fitzgerald hit two to put them 0-3 to 0-1 ahead after nine minutes.
But within two minutes Ardscoil had turned that into a one-point advantage, with Eoin Begley on target twice, Kearney once.
Again, Castletroy responded. Kildimo-Pallaskenry senior O’Farrell set up Conor Ryan for goal and while his effort was saved, O’Farrell was there to knock home the rebound, 1-3 to 0-4.
But once more, it took two minutes for Ardscoil to level it – with Kearney pointing from a free before Brosnan’s clever handpass sent Collins charging down the flank. He shook off his man before cutting in and striking over.
The resulting puckout saw 15-year-old junior cert student Ian O’Brien notch his first of three scores – putting Ardscoil back in front, 0-7 to 1-3.
For the third and final time, Castletroy fought back to retake the lead, with Peter Scully scoring once and Cillian Clifford twice. A mistake from Ardscoil gifted O’Farrell a scoring opportunity and it was only going one way.
That put Castletroy 1-7 to 0-8 ahead with 18 minutes elapsed.
But Ardscoil’s response was clinical, as last year’s beaten finalists reeled off seven strikes, returning seven points, moving them 0-15 to 1-7 clear with 27 on the clock.
Castletroy cut the gap to three before Ardscoil hit their first goal – with Collins setting up Begley for a tidy finish. The half concluded with Ardscoil 1-15 to 1-10 to the good.
Though Castletroy did regroup and cut the gap back down to two points, they were unable to draw level.
The concession of cheap frees made life all too easy for their opponents, who pulled clear in the final quarter to win by 10.
Scorers for Ardscoil Rís: P Kearney (1-14, 0-9 frees), E Begley (1-2), M Collins (0-4), I O’Brien (0-3), S Arthur, J O’Connor, E Brosnan (0-1 each).
Scorers for Castletroy College: R O’Farrell (1-7, 0-6 frees), C Clifford (1-2), M Fitzgerald (0-4), C Ryan, P Scully, D Moloughney (0-1 each).
ARDSCOIL RÍS: D Jordan (Na Piarsaigh); E Ryan (South Liberties), S Morrissey (c) (Dromin Athlacca), A Fitzsimmons (Na Piarsaigh); E Brosnan (Na Piarsaigh), D Gleeson (Adare), J Cosgrave (Ahane); C Ryan (Ahane), R Benson (Na Piarsaigh); S Arthur (Newmarket-on-Fergus), O Byrne (Crecora Manister), M Collins (Clonlara); E Begley (Clonlara), I O’Brien (Cratloe), P Kearney (Adare).
Subs: C Ryan (Adare) for Benson (38), J O’Keeffe (Murroe Boher) for Arthur (47), J O’Connor (Ahane) for Byrne (50), C Murphy (Sixmilebridge) for Begley (53), J O’Halloran (Sixmilebridge) for Gleeson (54).
CASTLETROY COLLEGE: E Murrihy (Ahane); L Ferland (Monaleen), D Blackwell (Ahane), C Bowles (Monaleen); C Galvin (Monaleen), C Scully (c) (Monaleen), M Southern (Monaleen); M Fitzgerald (Monaleen), J Rennisson (Ahane); H McDermot (Monaleen), R O’Farrell (Kildimo-Pallaskenry), P Scully (Monaleen); C Ryan (Monaleen), B Griffin (Monaleen), C Clifford (Monaleen).
Subs: D Moloughney (Ahane) for Griffin (53), JJ O’Halloran (Monaleen) for McDermott (60).
Referee: Tom McGlinchey (Newport, Tipperary).