Limerick's John the Baptist produce stunning comeback to qualify for Harty Cup knockout stages

JOHN THE BAPTIST Community School, Hospital are into the knockout stages of the Harty Cup following a dramatic 2-22 to 4-16 draw with Carrick on Suir CBS in Fethard this Wednesday afternoon.

Trailling by 11 points at half time, Hospital were a different animal in the final quarter and outscored their opponents by 1-8 to 0-1 in the closing stages to earn the draw that sees them top the group. The result also sees fellow Limerick school Castletroy College advance to the knockout stages.

The scores were level twice on the opening eight minutes but a brighter Carrick side took control with ace marksman Niall O'Brien deadly from placed balls throughout.

Three from him and one from play courtesy of Gearoid Power had Carrick 0-6 to 0-2 ahead when their keeper Shane Cronin denied Griffin McCarthy with an excellent low save.

Owen Meany sent over the resultant '65 but Power, Stefan Tobin and David Comerford kept the scoreboard ticking over for a now dominant Carrick outfit.

The lead was at eight points heading into the final minutes of the half and two goals before the break saw them in a great position. Firstly, O'Brien was on hand to flick to the net after Hospital keeper Lorcan Costelloe spilled Andrew Phelan's shot.

Then, Eoin Hogan fired a beauty into the top corner after good work from Power and Comerford to see his side to a 2-13 to 0-8 half time advantage.

Hospital needed a response and opened the second half with scores from Charlie Cronin, Meany and Hugh Murnane to cut Carrick's lead to eight.

However, Carrick then hit the net for a third time after Hogan found the net for a second time. Hospital responded almost immediately through a Hugh Flanagan goal.

Carrick looked to have gotten into a great position on 49 minutes when O'Brien got his second three-pointer of the game but it was soon cancelled out by Murnane after he was set up by Flanagan.

Hospital sent over the next five points with Meany landing two and Cronin providing three as they started to take a firm grip of the contest.

James O'Neill was denied by another wonder save from Cronin, who managed to flick his low shot over the bar, but Diarmuid levellled the scores on the 60 minute mark with a fine score that saw it at 2-21 to 4-15.

O'Brien sent over a sensational touchline free and looked to have won it for Carrick, only for Murnane to respond for Hospital to see the game finish all square.

SCORERS - JOHN THE BAPIST CS, HOSPITAL: Owen Meany 0-7 (0-5 frees, 0-2 '65s), Hugh Murnane 1-2, Charlie Cronin 0-5, Hugh Flanagan 1-1 (0-1 free), Diarmuid Hurley 0-3, Barry Callinan 0-2, Michael Leo and James O'Neill 0-1 each.

SCORERS - CARRICK-ON-SUIR CBS: Niall O'Brien 2-7 (0-7 frees), Eoin Hogan 2-0, Stefan Tobin and Gearoid Power 0-3 each, Cody Phelan, David Comerford and Sean Foley 0-1 each.

JOHN THE BAPTIST CS, HOSPITAL: Lorcan Costelloe (Hospital-Herbertstown); Niall McNamara (Pallasgreen), Shane Treacy (Staker Wallace), Niall Connaughton (Caherline); Declan Heavey (Garryspillane), Sean Casey (Bruff), Fionnan Leahy (Knockainey); Owen Meany (Bruff), Michael Leo (Knockainey); Griffin McCaffrey (Hospital-Herbertstown), Hugh Flanagan (Garryspillane); Barry Callinan (Bruff), Diarmuid Hurley (Hospital-Herbertstown), Charlie Cronin (Bruff), Hugh Murnane (Caherline).

SUBS: James O'Neill (Bruff) for Callinan (54 mins).

CARRICK-ON-SUIR CBS: Shane Cronin (Carrick Davins); Ben Moriarty (Piltown), Eoin Reid (Piltown), Andrew Phelan (Piltown), Conor Shankey (Portlaw), Aaron O'Halloran (Carrick Swan), Dylan Barry (Carrick Swan); David Comerford (St Mollerans), Darragh Dunne (Carrick Swan), Stefan Tobin (Carrick Swan), Sean Foley (Carrick Swan) Gearoid Power (Clonea); Niall O'Brien (Piltown), Eoin Hogan (Piltown), Cody Phelan (St Mollerans).

SUBS: James O'Meara (Grangemockler) for Moriarty (20 mins), Darragh Doyle (Windgap) for Dunne (50 mins), Noah O'Shea for Hogan (61 mins, inj).

REFEREE: Tom Loughnane (Gortnahoe-Glengoole).