Dean Ryan Cup Under 16.5 A Hurling Quarter-Final – Midleton CBS 1-22 Ardscoil Ris Limerick 0-15

Dean Ryan Cup Under 16.5 A Hurling Quarter-Final

Midleton CBS 1-22 Ardscoil Ris Limerick 0-15

Report by Ed Donnelly

Midleton CBS recorded their second victory in this year’s Dean Ryan Cup to qualify for the semi-finals by virtue of a ten-point win over Ardscoil Ris Limerick at Golden on Wednesday.

This game started with a bang as the schools shared four points in the opening three minutes of play, Sean Walsh (free) and Kyle Quinn Waites for Midleton and Cathal O’Neill (free) and Keith Dempsey for Ardscoil. Midleton then hit a purple patch, scoring four unanswered points from the 4th to 10th minute to race in to a 0-6 to 0-2 lead.

Not to be outdone, Ardscoil Ris then had their period of dominance with Cathal O’Neill (free) and Barry O’Connor (3) scoring points to bring the sides level after 15 minutes to 0-6 apiece. O’Connor’s first point was an excellent goal chance with Alex Quirke diving full length to deflect the rasping shot over the bar.

Click to view photos from the game

Having worked hard to get back in to the game, Ardscoil Ris then began to struggle during the second quarter as Midleton began to dominate. The Cork school recorded points by Cathal Hickey and Sean Walsh (2 frees) before Ciaran Joyce raised a green flag to put Midleton back in control after 20 minutes, 1-9 to 0-6.

Ardscoil Ris did improve their general play for the last 10 minutes of the opening half and while they outscored Midleton by 0-3 to 0-1 in this period (Cathal O’Neill with all three points), the Limerick school did hit seven first half wides which was somewhat responsible for their four-point deficit at the interval, 1-10 to 0-9.

Midleton made the better start to the second half with Ciaran Joyce, Cathal Hickey, James Mulcahy and Sean Walsh (2 frees) extending their scoreline to 1-15 by the 37th minute with a Cathal O’Neill pointed free the solitary reply for Ardscoil Ris.

The Limerick school made a mini-revival by adding three points but were struggling to make any impact from open play as Cathal O’Neill’s free-taking seemed to be their only source for scores. As the game entered the final quarter, Ardscoil Ris trailed by 1-16 to 0-13 and looked to score the goal which may have brought them back in to the game.

Instead, it was Midleton CBS who re-established their dominance, outscoring their opponents by 0-6 to 0-2 in the final 15 minutes. The game was over as a contest long before the end and despite their best attempts, Ardscoil Ris were unable to break through for a goal and at the final whistle, Midleton CBS were winners by ten points, 1-22 to 0-15.

Midleton CBS will now play St. Flannan’s Ennis in the Dean Ryan Cup Semi-Final in two weeks time.

Midleton CBS: Alex Quirke; Eanna Motherway, Jack Fitzgerald, Leo Hennessy; Ryan McCarthy, Ritchie Landers (0-1), Noel Cahill; Samuel Quirke, Olan Broderick; Ciaran Joyce (1-3), Cathal Hickey (0-4), James Mulcahy (0-1); Sean Walsh (0-10, 0-8 frees), Kyle Quinn Waites (0-3), Eoghan Martin
Subs: John Carroll, Ethan Daly Harkin

Ardscoil Ris: Cillian O’Brien; Leon Kelly, Alex Frost, Shane Hannon; Storm Deveney, Mike Keane, John Moloney; Keith Dempsey (0-1), Adam Murrihy; Mark O’Connor, Cathal O’Neill (0-11, 0-9 frees), Barry O’Connor (0-3); Diarmuid Hartnett Browne, Luke Healy, Aidan O’Connor

Referee: Tom Loughnane