Ardscoil Rís have too much for Castletroy College in opening round of Harty Cup

ARDSCOIL Rís produced a clinical second half performance to defeat Castletroy Colloge in the opening of the Dr Harty Cup Cup.

In the Munster post-primary schools senior ‘A’ hurling championship it finished Ardscoil Rís 2-26, Castletroy College 2-16.

Patrick Kearney guided Ardscoil Rís to a win over local rivals Castletroy Colloge. Kearney scored 1-14 in Claughaun on Wednesday afternoon. Ian O'Brien and Michael Collins were others to impress for Niall Crowe's side. 

Castletroy's Matthew Fitzgerald and Rob O'Farrell both lined for Monaleen and Kildimo-Pallaskenry in the Limerick senior hurling champiosnhip. 

Patrick Kearney got the scoring underway through a placed ball after four minutes. Monaleen clubmen Matthew Fitzgerald and Conor Ryan hit back to put Castletroy College 0-2 to 0-1 ahead. 

Limerick U20 star Matthew Fitzgerald found some space in the middle third and Fitzgerald landed his second point of the afternoon to extend to his side's lead. 

Last year's Harty Cup finalists didn't panic. Patrick Kearney and two efforts courtesy from Eoin Begley gave Ardscoil Rís some breathing space but not for long.

Castletroy College kept battling away and Kildimo-Pallaskenry sharpshooter Rob O'Farrell sent a delivery into the Castletroy inside line. The Ardscoil Rís defence stood tall but O'Farrell pulled on the loose ball inside the square to raise the first green flag of the afternoon. 

Scores from Michael Collins, junior cert student Ian O'Brien and Patrick Kearney pushed Ardscoil Rís 1-3 to 0-8 in front after the first quarter. The game continued to eb and flow between the sides. 

READ MORE: Four goals power John the Baptist Hospital to a Harty Cup victory over Rice College

The underdogs showed tremendous character in a three minute spell. Peter Scully, Cillian Clifford and Rob O'Farrell hit four points in a row. 

In the remaining 12 minutes of the first half, Niall Crowe's side began to show their quality and composure in front of goals. Ardscoil Rís outscored their opponents 1-7 to 0-3. Kearney continued to torment the Castletroy defence notching over 0-4 in that period. On 28 minutes, lively corner forward Eoin Begley slotted the sliotar into the back of the net. Ardscoil Rís led 1-15 to 1-8. 

Two placed balls from Rob O'Farrell right before the break kept Castletroy within touching distance at the interval as they trailed 1-15 to 1-10. 

Muris Gilbourne's charges made advantage of the breeze in the opening seven minutes of the second half. O'Farrell and Fitzgerald were to the fore for their school. Fitzgerald landed three long range efforts and O'Farrell nailed a free from distance to make 1-16 to 1-14 on 37 minutes. 

Supporters were treated to an attacking masterclass from Adare youngster Patrick Kearney. Every time Kearney got on the ball he made something happen for his side. Kearney and Michael Collins combined in attack to put the five time Harty Cup champions in a commanding position. 

On 47 minutes, the decisive score arrived when Kearney took on the Castletroy defence and the Limerick minor hurler drilled his shot past Eoin Murrihy. Ardscoil Rís led 2-20 to 1-14. 

Substitute John O'Connor and Michael Collins put their team into a 11-point lead. The game was starting to get away from Castletroy Colloge and they needed a response. Matthew Fitzgerald played a clever pass to his clubmmate Cillian Clifford who rattled the sliotar into the back of the net. 

Dara Muloughney and Kearney traded scores as the full time whistle approached. Kearney and wing back Eoin Brosnan finished off the scoring in Claughaun on Wednesday afternoon to get Ardscoil Rís up and running in this year's Harty Cup. 

Ardscoil Rís: Patrick Kearney 1-14, (0-9 frees), Michael Collins 0-4, Ian O'Brien 0-3, Eoin Begley 1-2, Eoin Brosnan, Shane Arthur and John O'Connor 0-1 each. Castletroy Colloge: Rob O'Farrell 1-7, (0-6 frees), Matthew Fitzgerald 0-4, (1 free), Cillian Clifford 1-2, Conor Ryan, Dara Muloughney and Peter Scully 0-1 each

Ardscoil Rís: Darragh Jordan (Na Piarsaigh); Evan Ryan (South Liberties), Sean Morrissey (Dromin Athlacca), Adam Fitzsimons (Na Piarsaigh); Eoin Brosnan (Na Piarsaigh), Darragh Glesson (Adare), Jack Cosgrove (Ahane); Conor Ryan (Ahane), Ronan Benson (Na Piarsaigh); Michael Collins (Clonlara), Oisin O’Byrne (Crecora Mainster), Sean Arthur (Newmarket On Fergus)); Eoin Begley (Clonlara), Ian O'Brien (Cratloe), Patrick Kearney (Adare). SUBS: Conor Ryan (Adare) for Benson (37 minutes), John O'Keefe (Murroe-Boher) for Arthur (47 minutes), John O'Connor (Ahane) for O'Byrne (50 minutes), Cillian Murphy for Begley (53 minutes), Jack O'Halloran (Sixmilebridge) for Glesson (54 minutes).

Castletroy Colloge: Eoin Murrihy (Ahane); Louis Ferland (Monaleen), Denis Blackwell (Ahane), Conor Bowles (Monaleen); Conor Gavin (Monaleen), Cian Scully (Monaleen, Captain), Marcus Southern (Monaleen); Matthew Fitzgerald (Monaleen), James Rennisson (Ahane); Harry McDermott (Monaleen), Robert O'Farrell (Kildimo-Pallaskenry), Peter Scully (Monaleen); Conor Ryan (Monaleen), Barry Griffin, Cillian Clifford (Monaleen). SUBS: Dara Muloughney (Ahane) for Griffin (53 minutes), John John O'Halloran for McDermott (60 minutes).

REFEREE Tom McGlinchey (Newport)