Harty Cup: Fermoy withstand late Tulla fightback to ensure progress

Wed, 15 Nov, 2023 - 13:34

Eoghan Cormican, UL North Campus

St Colman’s, Fermoy 2-19 St Joseph’s, Tulla 2-16

St Colman’s Fermoy stood firm against a late Tulla push to advance to the Harty Cup preliminary quarter-finals.

Fermoy led this winner-take-all clash by five entering second half injury-time.

Tulla, though, threw the outcome back into doubt when Matthew Corbett converted a 62nd minute penalty.

The 2022 champions went in chase of a third and winning goal. Their search came up empty-handed. Ciarán O’Leary landed the clinching white flag for the Cork school.

Fermoy trailed in this Group 2 fixture for a combined total of five minutes. That period arrived as the third quarter wrapped up and the fourth quarter moved in.

A Matthew Corbett free on 42 minutes - one of eight he converted - brought the Clare side within two. In the ensuing play, a Sam Cooper delivery was whipped to the net by Liam Murphy. Tulla 1-13 to 1-12 in front.

Liam Óg Hegarty levelled for Femoy. Their opponents would twice more resume the lead in the subsequent minutes.

ONWARDS AND UPWARDS: St. Colman's College, Fermoy, supporters can look forward to another Harty Cup day out. Pic: Denis Minihane.

What swung momentum and the scoreboard advantage back in Fermoy direction was Louie Roche’s 49th-minute goal. 2-14 to 1-15 now read the scoreline.

Tulla failed to restore parity from there to the finish.

Keeping Fermoy on the inside rail were Hegarty - he finished with 0-7 beside his name - and Fionn Lardner. Liam Foley, who clipped four from play in total, was another key second contributor for the winners.

Ciarán O’Leary provided the game’s opening goal on eight minutes. It helped Fermoy to a 1-9 to 0-10 interval lead. They advance second in the group behind Thurles CBS. For Tulla, their Harty interest is at an end.

Scorers for St Colman’s, Fermoy: L Óg Hegarty (0-7, 0-4 frees, 0-1 ‘65); C O’Leary (1-2); L Roche (1-1); L Foley (0-4); S O’Donoghue (0-2); F Lardner, T McGrath, D Hickey (0-1 each).

Scorers for St Joseph’s, Tulla: M Corbett (1-10, 0-8 frees, 1-0 pen); L Murphy (1-1); E Mulcahy (0-2); S Boyce, B Kelleher, D Fox (0-1 each).

St Colman’s Fermoy: T Corcoran (Ballyduff Upper); D O’Brien (Fermoy), D Cashman (Bride Rovers), A Hickey (Ballyduff Upper); O Fitzgerald (St Catherine’s), J O’Brien (Fermoy), B McGrath (Fermoy); L Óg Hegarty (Kilworth), S O’Donoghue (St Catherine’s); L Foley (Watergrasshill), D Hickey (Ballyduff Upper), L Roche (Bride Rovers); T McGrath (Harbour Rovers), F Lardner (Fermoy), C O’Leary (Watergrasshill).

Subs: L Cronin (Fermoy) for Hegarty (temporary, 25-28).

St Joseph’s Tulla: O McGann (Feakle); C McNamara (O'Callaghans Mills), S Kilker (Clooney-Quin), F O'Gara (Clooney-Quin); R McMahon (Tulla), D Fitzgerald (Sixmilebridge), R Hayes (Tulla); M Corbett (Clooney-Quin), D White (Clooney-Quin); E Mulcahy (Tulla), S Cooper (Broadford), B Kelleher (Tulla); L Murphy (O'Callaghans Mills), D Fox (Clooney-Quin), S Boyce (O’Callaghans Mills).

Subs: J Slattery (Broadford) for R McMahon (50); M Vaughan (Broadford) for Kilker (55).

Referee: É Stapleton (Limerick).