LIMERICK’S ARDSCOIL RÍS, Clare’s St Joseph’s Tulla and Tipperary’s Thurles CBS booked their places in the semi-finals of the Dr Harty Cup this afternoon, as the knockout stages action in the premier Munster colleges hurling competition commenced.

The last of the quarter-finals will take place next Wednesday between De La Salle Waterford and Nenagh CBS as today’s outcomes saw Cork pair CBC and Midleton CBS bow out, along with Cashel CS.

Ardscoil Rís 1-14

Midleton CBS 0-12

Ardscoil Rís secured their passage to the semi-finals of the Dr Harty Cup at Mallow this afternoon, a powerful scoring spree in the first-half paving the way for their ultimate success against Midleton CBS.

Centre-forward Niall O’Farrell finished with 0-10 to his credit, his striking from placed balls was a constant source of scores for the winners, while it was Oisin O’Farrell’s goal in the 13th minute that proved valuable as he raised the only green flag of the game.

Midfield duo JJ Carey and Rian O’Byrne, along with wing-forward Shane O’Brien, also sparkled and gave Ardscoil a strong foothold in the middle third.

Ardscoil Rís had Munster minor winners at their disposal as well with Vince Harrington and Shane O’Brien both successful with Limerick in 2020. Their management team was packed with experience in Niall Moran, Paul Flanagan and Cormac O’Donovan, a trio who have sampled the inter-county playing game.

Midleton CBS paraded four Cork All-Ireland minor winners from last year in Padraig O’Sullivan, Timmy Wilk, Diarmuid Healy and Jack Leahy. They were also anchored by the defensive presence of Ciarmhac Smyth, a county senior champion with Midleton in 2021.

The teams were well-matched in the early exchanges but the momentum flipped in favour of Ardscoil Rís when O’Farrell flicked to the net a delivery from the impressive O’Brien. That helped them go in front 1-4 to 0-4 at the water break and then they outscored Midleton by 0-5 to 0-2 in the second quarter. Niall O’Farrell lead the scoring charge with six first-half points while O’Byrne notched a brace.

Midleton CBS player Jack Leahy (file photo). Ken Sutton / INPHO Ken Sutton / INPHO / INPHO

Jack Leahy was Midleton’s main early scoring source with four points. Both teams came close elsewhere to hitting the net in the first quarter with Ardscoil goalkeeper Seimi Gully denying Wilk and Midleton’s Paudie O’Sullivan stopping an effort from Dylan Lynch.

Ardscoil struck the opening two points of the second half courtesy of O’Farrell frees but despite facing an eight-point deficit Midleton produced their best passages of play thereafter. Healy was outstanding in attack and finished with 0-4 from play while Leahy amassed 0-7 overall. Smyth, George Walsh-Wallace and Tadhg O’Leary-Hayes were in commanding form in defence as Midleton CBS cut the gap to four points on two different junctures in the final quarter.

But Ardscoil kept them at bay and didn’t ship the goal that would have placed them in a precarious position. O’Brien and O’Farrell bagged the insurance scores to ensure the Limerick-based outfit will contest the semi-finals.

Scorers for Ardscoil Rís: Niall O’Farrell 0-10 (0-6f, 0-2 ’65), Oisin O’Farrell 1-1, Rian O’Byrne 0-2, Shane O’Brien 0-1.

Scorers for Midleton CBS: Jack Leahy 0-7 (0-6f), Diarmuid Healy 0-4, Daniel Murnane 0-1.

Ardscoil Rís

1. Seimi Gully (Clonlara – Clare)

2. Evan O’Leary (Ahane), 3. John Fitzgerald (Na Piarsaigh)

6. Cian Scully (Dromin Athlacca-Banogue) 

7. Michael Gavin (Ballybrown), 4. Brian O’Keeffe (Murroe-Boher), 5. Vince Harrington (Na Piarsaigh)

8. JJ Carey (Na Piarsaigh), 9. Rian O’Byrne (Crecora-Manister)

10. Shane O’Brien (Kilmallock), 11. Niall O’Farrell (Broadford – Clare), 12. Jack Golden (Monaleen)

13. Dylan Lynch (Na Piarsaigh), 14. Oisin O’Farrell (Askeaton), 15. David Kennedy (Sixmilebridge – Clare)

Subs

18. Diarmuid Stritch (Clonlara – Clare) for Lynch (39)

20. Patrick O’Neill (Na Piarsaigh) for Golden (39) 

19. Fintan Fitzgerald (Mungret St Paul’s) for O’Byrne (55)

Midleton CBS

1. Paudie O’Sullivan (Fr O’Neills)

2. Donagh Collins (Aghada), 4. Adam Rooney (Carrigtwohill), 3. George Walsh-Wallace (Killeagh)

 6. Ciarmhac Smyth (Midleton)

7. Daniel Murnane (Carrigtwohill), 8. Darragh Joyce (Castlemartyr), 5. Tadhg O’Leary-Hayes (Midleton)

10. Jamie Fogarty (Killeagh – captain), 13. Tiernan Roche (Midleton)

12. Diarmuid Healy (Lisgoold), 14. Jack Leahy (Dungourney), 9. Timmy Wilk (Cobh)

11. David Joseph (Carrigtwohill), 15. Colm Leahy (Killeagh)

Subs

23. Darragh McCarthy (Midleton) for Roche (41)

25. Michael Wall (Fr O’Neills) for Joseph (46)

18. Alex Moloney (Midleton) for Joyce (inj) (59)

Referee: Fergal Horgan (Tipperary)

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Today’s other quarter-final ties saw Clare’s St Joseph’s from Tulla produce a late scoring burst to defeat CBC Cork by 1-17 to 1-15 in Kilmallock.

It was a momentous win for St Joseph’s as they reached the semi-finals for the first time, Dara Ryan’s late goal was crucial as they came from six points down at the second-half water break to win by two. Sean Withycombe hit 0-14 for the winners, while Eoin O’Leary (0-11) and Daire Burke (1-2) were the key scorers for CBC Cork.

Thurles CBS ran out comfortable victors against Cashel CS, 3-16 to 0-13, in the all-Tipperary tie in Boherlahan.

In today’s GAA club action there were provincial title wins for Kilkenny’s Mooncoin, Mayo’s Kilmeena and Derry’s Banagher.

Mooncoin defeated Offaly’s Shamrocks by 4-13 to 0-15 to win the Leinster junior hurling final, Kilmeena overcame Sligo’s St Patrick’s by 1-18 to 0-5 to secure success in the Connacht junior football decider and Banagher saw off Fermanagh’s Lisbellaw by 2-11 to 0-12 in the Ulster intermediate hurling final.