Thurles CBS (Tipperary) 2-12

St Francis College, Rochestown (Cork) 1-12

Jackie Cahill reports from the Dr Harty Cup final in Mallow

THURLES CBS CAPTURED the coveted Dr. Harty Cup for an eighth time in Mallow this afternoon.

The Tipperary outfit shattered the dual-double dreams of St Francis College, Rochestown, the Corn Uí Mhuirí finalists who were appearing in their very first Harty decider.

Despite playing against the breeze in the second half, Rochestown still managed to rally from four points down at half time to draw level by the 44th minute.

And with eleven minutes remaining, Rochestown were a point clear when their leading scorer, Ciaran Cormack, landed a free to establish a 1-12 to 2-8 lead.

But Thurles, inspired by midfielder Billy McCarthy, were strong down the home straight and the Thurles Sarsfields dynamo landed two crucial points to put the winners a point ahead again.

Kevin Duggan and Michael Connors added further scores for Thurles, as they finished the game with four unanswered points in a contest that had been level on five occasions.

Thurles lost Niall Heffernan to a second yellow card at the death, but the 2009 champions held on bridge a six-year gap.

First-half goals from Kevin Duggan and McCarthy were crucial to this latest Harty success for Thurles, who led by 2-7 to 1-6 at the midway point.

After Cormack scorched through for a sensational tenth-minute goal for Rochestown, Duggan netted in the 16th minute before McCarthy struck on the stroke of half time.

Shane Kingston was excellent in that first half for Rochestown, collecting three points from play, but the Douglas starlet had a good goal chance saved by William Tierney with 13 minutes left, at a time when Rochestown were a point down.

Robbie Long, lively throughout, could have netted for Thurles five minutes before the break, but his shot drew a fine save from Andrew Cullinane, before Long followed up to point the rebound.

Scorers for Thurles CBS: Billy McCarthy 1-2, Kevin Duggan 1-1, Niall Heffernan 0-4f, Robbie Long 0-2, Paul Kennedy, Ronan Teehan and Michael Connors 0-1 each.

Scorers for Rochestown: Ciaran Cormack 1-6 (0-5f), Shane Kingston 0-4, Sean Powter and Daniel Meaney 0-1 each.

THURLES CBS

1. William Tierney (Thurles Sarsfields)

2. Dillon Quirke (Clonoulty-Rossmore)
3. Enda Heffernan (Clonoulty-Rossmore)
4. Jack Derby (Thurles Sarsfields)

17. Tom Hayes (Moycarkey-Borris)
6. Jack Skehan (Holycross-Ballycahill)
7. Christopher McCullagh (Moycarkey-Borris)

8. Billy McCarthy (Thurles Sarsfields)
9. Cathal Moloney (Thurles Sarsfields)

10. Niall Heffernan (Moycarkey-Borris)
11. Kevin Duggan (Galmoy)
18. Paul Kennedy (Drom & Inch)

13. Jack Butler (Upperchurch-Drombane)
14. Ronan Teehan (Gortnahoe-Glengoole, captain)
15. Robbie Long (Drom & Inch)

Subs
12. Michael Connors (Drom & Inch) for Butler (54)
19. Rory Purcell (Thurles Sarsfields) for Moloney (56)

ST FRANCIS COLLEGE, ROCHESTOWN

1. Andrew Cullinane (Douglas)

2. Donnchadh Murphy (Douglas)
6. John Cashman (Blackrock)
4. Nathan Walsh (Douglas)

5. Darragh Kelliher (Cobh)
3. David Griffin (Carrigaline, captain)
7. Cathal Sheehan (Douglas)

8. Eoghan O’Brien (Douglas)
9. John O’Sullivan (Blackrock)

10. Ciaran Cormack (Blackrock)
11. Diarmaid O’Mahony (Douglas)
12. Shane Kingston (Douglas)

13. Daniel Meaney (Blackrock)
14. Sean Powter (Douglas)
15. Liam O’Sullivan (Blackrock)

Subs
23. Kevin O’Donovan (Nemo Rangers) for Sheehan (30)
17. Matthew McAuliffe (Douglas) for Liam O’Sullivan (33)
22. James Holland (Douglas) for O’Mahony (37)
24. Liam Dineen (Douglas) for O’Brien (60)

Referee: Damien Fox (Clare)

- This article was originally published on 21 February at 4pm

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