By Tom Clancy in Kilmallock
Blackwater Community School, Lismore celebrated a winning return to the Harty Cup, defeating St. Joseph’s Tulla, in Kilmallock, Limerick.
Once Fintan O’Connor’s exciting youngsters forged ahead with a goal inside sixty seconds, they led all the way to the finish.
Returning to the grade for the first time since 2021, the Lismore side showed plenty of quality during a fast and frantic 60 minutes of hurling. There was plenty to like about their performance, with the goals from Jack Twomey and Stephen Murphy bookending an opening half where they led by as many as eight points.
To their credit, the Clare side didn’t ever throw in the towel. But for a stunning flying Billy Murphy save midway through the second half, the result could have been very different.
The Cois Bhríde clubman somehow deflected a close range volleyed effort from Darragh White over the cross bar, and those two saved points were the difference when the final whistle sounded.
A frantic opening quarter where Lismore showed their best hurling, saw them open up a 1-8 to 0-3 lead. The early goal was quickly added to by points from Ben Cummins (frees), Stephen Murphy and Charlie Lineen.
However, a Tulla fightback was always likely to come and the Blackwater discipline, especially down the spine of their defence, began to cost them. Four frees from Matthew Corbett and points from Aodhán O’Driscoll and Liam Murphy were during a run of 0-6 to no score which made this firmly a contest again.
However, the huge roar from the Déise support just before half time greeted their second goal. A sharp Stephen Murphy didn’t hesitate to pounce on a loss ball and drill to the net to reopen a more comfortable looking advantage.
Despite some protests from Tulla, the Limerick referee, Sean Carey, confirmed the half-time score to be 2-10 to 0-12.
A dogged display in the second half secured the win. It wasn’t nearly as free-flowing as the opening exchanges, but five white flags from Cummins, including four frees, and a point from Murphy were enough to hold off the Clare challenge.
The gap was back to two late on but the stubborn defence, marshalled so well all afternoon by Joseph McDonnell and Brian Bourke, held firm to claim the all-important opening round success.
Charleville CBS in round two and Cashel C.S in round three are the next opposition for Blackwater. Cashel got the better of Charleville in their meeting, also played on Wednesday afternoon.
Scorers for St. Joseph’s Tulla: Matthew Corbett 0-13 (11f, 1 ‘65); Jerry O’Connor 0-3 (2f); Cathal Culloo, Liam Murphy, Aodhán O’Driscoll, Darragh White 0-1 each.
Blackwater Community School, Lismore: Billy Murphy (Cois Bhride); Shane Barry (Lismore), Dara O’Brien (Ballysaggart), Conor Lynch (St. Oliver’s); Brian Bourke (Ballyduff Upper), Joseph McDonnell (Cois Bhríde), Ross Kavanagh (St. Oliver’s); Hugo Quann (Lismore), James Hickey (Modeli; Charlie Lineen (Lismore), Jack Twomey (Cappoquin/Affane), Aidan Murphy (Tallow); Ben Cummins (Lismore), Stephen Murphy (Tallow), Adam Cummins (Lismore)
Sub: Charlie Nicholson (Cappoquin/Affane) for Murphy (46).
St. Joseph’s Tulla: Jack Lovett (Broadford); PJ McCarthy (Clooney-Quin), Fionn O’Gara (Clooney-Quin), Elijah Cooney (Tulla); Noah Corbett (Broadford), Ryan Hayes (Tulla), Dylan Browne (Clooney-Quin); Matthew Corbett (Clooney-Quin), Michael Vaughaun (Broadford); Cathal Leamy (Clooney-Quin); Darragh White (Clooney-Quin), Cathal Culloo (Tulla); Aodhán O’Driscoll (Broadford), Jerry O’Connor (Clooney-Quin), Liam Murphy (O’Clallaghan’s Mills).
Subs: John Moran (Broadford) for Culloo (48); Matthew Nolan for O’Driscoll (58).
Player of the Match: Matthew Corbett (St. Joseph’s Tulla)
Referee: Sean Carey (Ahane, Limerick).
