2021/2022 Dean Ryan Cup U16.5 A Hurling Q-Final – Ardscoil Ris Limerick 1-18 CBC Cork 1-9

Munster GAA Post Primary Schools Dean Ryan Cup Under 16.5 A Hurling Quarter Final

Ardscoil Ris Limerick 1-18 CBC Cork 1-9

By Ed Donnelly

Ardscoil Ris Limerick qualified for the semi-final of the Dean Ryan Cup thanks to a nine point victory over CBC Cork on Friday afternoon at Glen Rovers GAA Grounds in Cork City.

Played in overcast but mild conditions, the opening exchanges were hard fought with plenty of good tackling from both sides as the schools involved tried to gain the ascendency. Darragh Browne opened the scoring with a CBC point from play in the first minute before an equaliser from Marc O’Brien for Ardscoil Ris. Danny Chaplin pointed two frees for Ardscoil before the Limerick side hit a purple patch just before the water break as four points from play in as many minutes by Fionn O’Brien, Diarmuid Stritch, Danny Chaplin and Marc O’Brien ensured Ardscoil Ris led by 0-7 to 0-1.

The water break seemed to come at the right time for CBC Cork who regrouped and went on to dominate the second quarter. Darragh Browne pointed a free in the 21st minute followed a minute later by a Bill McCarthy point from play. At this stage, CBC Cork full-forward Cian Walsh was posing a threat for the Ardscoil Ris defence and this came to fruition when Walsh won a penalty in the 23rd minute. Peter Lehane stepped up to take the penalty and made no mistake to raise a green flag for the Cork school. When Walsh was fouled again two minutes later for another penalty, it was Lehane again who stepped up but this time his shot flew over the bar for a point to bring the sides level at 1-4 to 0-7. Despite chances from both sides in the closing stages of the first half, there would be no further scores and the teams were level at the interval.

CBC Cork took the lead in the first minute of the second half thanks to a point from play by Peter O’Shea. However, that was as good as it got for the Cork school as Ardscoil Ris would soon take over for the remainder of the third quarter. Two points from play by Diarmuid Stritch put the Limerick school back in front before Marc O’Brien struck for a well taken goal to push his side in to a 1-9 to 1-5 lead after 33 minutes.

Ardscoil continued their dominance for the next 10+ minutes, outscoring CBC by 0-5 to 0-1 for the remainder of the third quarter to race in to an eight-point lead, 1-14 to 1-6 heading in to the final quarter.

The last 15 minutes were evenly contested but with CBC requiring goals to get back in to contention, the Ardscoil Ris defence were in no mood to relinquish their advantage. The schools traded points in the final quarter but by the final whistle, there was little doubt as to the winners as Ardscoil Ris had nine points to spare, winning by 1-18 to 1-9 to set up a semi-final meeting with St. Colmans Fermoy.

Ardscoil Ris Limerick: Darragh Jordan; James Finn, Niall Liddane, John O’Keeffe; Jamie Moylan, Sean McMahon (Captain), Fintan Fitzgerald (0-1); Matthew O’Halloran, Darragh Horkan; Sean Duff, Diarmuid Stritch (0-3), Fionn O’Brien (0-3); Eoin Begley (0-1), Danny Chaplin (0-4, 0-3 frees), Marc O’Brien (1-2)
Subs: Sean Arthur (0-2 frees), Darragh Gleeson (0-2), Daire Neville

CBC Cork: Oisin O’Connell; James O’Callaghan-Maher, Ruari Hurley, Daniel Blake; Darragh O’Connor, Michael Foy, Peter O’Shea (0-3); Darragh Browne (Captain, 0-2, 0-1 free), Peter Lehane (1-1 penalties); Sam O’Driscoll, Joe Cronin, Brian O’Sullivan; Joe Hartnett, Cian Walsh, Bill McCarthy (0-2)
Subs: Darragh O’Donovan (0-1), Jack Huggins, Rory Higgins, Diarmuid Wall

Referee: Simon Stokes