Dean Ryan Cup Under 16.5 A Hurling Quarter-Final – Thurles CBS 3-29 Coláiste Cholmáin Fermoy 3-8

Dean Ryan Cup Under 16.5 A Hurling Quarter-Final

Thurles CBS 3-29 Coláiste Cholmáin Fermoy 3-8

Report by Ed Donnelly

Defending champions Coláiste Cholmáin Fermoy bowed out of the Dean Ryan Cup competition at the Quarter-Final stage, losing out to a strong Thurles CBS side at Clonmel Sportsfield on Tuesday.

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On a dry, calm day for hurling, the opening half was very competitive with both schools having their periods of dominance. Jake Carr opened the scoring for Coláiste Cholmáin Fermoy with a pointed free in the opening minute which was quickly cancelled out by a Stephen Ferncombe point a minute later. Leon Doocey put the Fermoy side back in front with a long-range point from play but Thurles were motoring well early on and managed to score five unanswered points in a three-minute blitz to leave the score 0-6 to 0-2 after 10 minutes.

Coláiste Cholmáin Fermoy hit a number of wides in the early stages but soon found their range again with points from Cian Hogan and Jake Carr (free) before Carr took a quick free to Hogan who hit the ball to the net to put the Cork school back in front, 1-4 to 0-6 after 15 minutes. Thurles responded with three points courtesy of Ferncombe (2 frees) and Darren Flood while Shane Cotter and Dylan Collins added points for Fermoy to leave the sides level at 1-6 to 0-9 after 21 minutes.

The game was turned on its head in the 24th minute when Thurles CBS managed to break through for two goals. Firstly, Darren Flood converted a goal chance from close range before Flood set up Stephen Ferncombe for the Tipperary school’s second green flag. Devon Ryan and Jack Lanigan followed up with further points for Thurles with the sole reply coming from Patrick Sheehan with a point from play for Fermoy to leave the half-time score – Thurles CBS 2-11 Coláiste Cholmáin Fermoy 1-7.

The defending champions needed to make a good start to the second half to get back in to the game but instead, it was Thurles CBS who went on a scoring spree. After a Stephen Ferncombe point from play in the opening minute of the second half, Darren Flood hit an unstoppable shot to the top of the net and Thurles were now in total control. By the end of the third quarter, Thurles CBS had scored 1-9 without reply before Jake Carr pointed a free for Fermoy.

With the game now over as a contest, both schools introduced a number of substitutes but the dominance of Thurles continued as they scored at will to race in to a 25-point lead with three minutes remaining. To their credit, Coláiste Cholmáin Fermoy managed to salvage some consolation as firstly Patrick Sheehan and then Dylan Collins raised green flags.

At the full-time whistle, Thurles CBS were 21 points to the good (3-29 to 3-8) and now await the winners of Christian Brothers College, Cork & John The Baptist Community School Hospital on October 18th in the Semi-Final.

Team Scorers –

Thurles CBS: Stephen Ferncombe (1-8, 0-3 frees), Devon Ryan (0-8), Darren Flood (2-2), Jack Lanigan (0-4), Eoin Purcell (0-2), Paddy Creedon (0-2), Ed Connolly (0-1), Chris Monroe (0-1), Jack Leamy (0-1)

Coláiste Cholmáin Fermoy: Dylan Collins (1-1), Cian Hogan (1-1), Patrick Sheehan (1-1), Jake Carr (0-3 frees), Leon Doocey (0-1), Shane Cotter (0-1)

Referee: Paddy Ivors