Harty Cup postponement may have big impact on sidelines
Munster GAA chiefs hope it will be third time lucky when Christian Brothers College, Cork, and St Flannan’s College, Ennis, meet in Sunday’s Dr. Harty Cup final in Mallow (12pm).
The game has twice been postponed due to weather, with Storm Dennis and Storm Jorge upsetting the fixture planners, players, fans, and backroom teams.
The decider, which was controversially called off 45 minutes before throw-in, a fortnight ago, had been re-fixed for Saturday afternoon, but because of high winds and heavy rain forecast, officials pushed the game back to noon on Sunday.
The refixture may have more impact on the sideline than on the field. Former Clare hurler Brendan Bugler is on board with Davy Fitzgerald, in Wexford, and they play Carlow on Sunday, while current Clare hurlers Tony Kelly and Jack Browne are with the Banner in their Allianz League game against Dublin. All three are involved with St Flannan’s.
Seamus Harnedy is on the CBC management team and the former Cork captain is part of Kieran Kingston’s squad, who are away to Galway.
As well, there could be a fixture clash for St Flannan’s defender Tony Butler. The St Joseph’s Doora Barefield player may have to choose between rugby and hurling, as he is a key presence for Ennis RFC, who are playing an important Munster U18 tie on Sunday.
Regardless of the result, both teams advance to the All-Ireland quarter-finals, which must be played within the next week.
The Dr Harty Cup winners will meet the Leinster runners-up (St Kieran’s College), and the Dr Harty Cup runners-up lock horns with the Connacht runners-up (Presentation College Athenry) and these are to be finalised before March 7.
St Flannan’s College are bidding for their 22nd Munster title in this grade, and CBC their first.
