Playing into the teeth of a stiff breeze Our Lady’s started bright and forged an early two-point advantage thanks to a Kevin Maher 65’ and fine efforts from range from John Campion and Tony Cahill. Wing back, Stephen Casey opened Flannan’s account with his first of three first half points before Flannan’s restored parity in the ninth minute with further efforts from Diarmuid Cahill and a Cian Galvin free, 0-3 apiece.

Employing a sweeper and crowding the middle third, Flannan’s edged clear with three placed balls on the bounce, two from the stick of Galvin and a close-range free from Asley Brohan.

Credit to Our Lady’s they finally came to grips with the tight nature of the game and with John Campion at midfield hurling up a storm they refused to allow Flannan’s build on their three-point advantage. Indeed, Flannan’s half-back line dominated the opening quarter with Cian Galvin reveling in the sweeper role.

Peter Power arced over the point in the half on 21 minutes for Flannan’s to maintain their three-point advantage, 0-8 to 0-5, before a JD Devanney free left two between the sides. However, four wides on the trot from scorable positions hampered the Templemore school’s efforts to get back on terms.

Templemore hit the front eight on the cusp of half-time though thanks to a missile of a goal from JD Devanney and with Stephen Casey and John Campion trading points in injury time it was the 2018 champions who took a slender 1-7 to 0-9 to the dressing room.

Flannan’s missed the chance to level minutes into the second half with Cian Galvin pulling a scorable free to the left. Our Lady’s quickly doubled their interval lead in with a 37th minute JD Devanney free. Ashley Brohan (free) narrowed the gap once more before Flannan’s finally edged upsides with a rousing Oisin O’Donnell point.

Our Lady’s edged two clear once more but Flannan’s were back on terms again with a 50th minute Brohan free. With the game so finely balanced Flannan’s edged two clear with Cian Galvin and Ashley Brohan both on target. Our Lady’s pushed hard in added time to level but a missed JD free and another dropped short scuppered their efforts. Devanney (free) cut the gap to just a solitary point with a 64th minute free but a late, late Cian Galvin pointed free from long-range copper-fastened Flannan's spot in this year’s Harty Cup decider.

Man of the Match: Cian Galvin.

Scorers:

St. Flannan’s: C. Galvin 0-6 (0-4f); S. Casey 0-3; A. Brohan 0-5 (0-2f); O. O’Donnell, K. O’Connor, D. Cahill and P. Power 0-1 each.

Our Lady’s Templemore: j. Devanney 1-6 (0-6f); K. Maher 0-3 (0-2f, 0-1 65’); J. Campion 0-2; T. Cahill 0-2.

Teams:

St. Flannan’s Ennis: C. Broderick, M. Reidy, D. Healy, N. Walsh; S. Casey, C. Galvin, T. Butler; C. Hegarty, J. Collins; A. Brohan, O. O’Donnell, K. O’Connor; C. Cassidy, D. Cahill, P. Power.

Sub: J. Doherty for Cassidy (45 mins)

Our Lady’s Templemore: P. Hassett, S. Lowe, L. Roche, H. Fogarty; J. Corcoran, K. Maher, C. O’Dwyer; C. Cadell, J. Campion; C. ,McCormack, K. Ryan, E. Ryan; J. Devanney, T. Cahill, P. Kinnane.

Subs: B. Stapleton for McCormack (43 mins); D. Kennedy for Cadell (45 mins); M. Ryan for Corcoran (56 mins)

Referee: J. Murphy (Limerick)