Harty Cup Final,We call it !!!.

St. Flannan’s College v St. Joseph’s CBS Nenagh

The Dr Harty Cup Final does not always give you the matchup you want.
This year, it absolutely has.

After months of group-stage attrition, knockout pressure, comebacks, goal rushes, late frees, injuries, and momentum swings, the two best teams in the competition are left standing. They finished level in Group 1. They drew when they met. They arrive with contrasting strengths, contrasting scoring profiles, and contrasting routes to the final.

On Saturday afternoon in Ennis, one of them will lift the TUS Corn an Artaigh.

This is the definitive preview.

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Match Details

Competition: TUS Corn an Artaigh, Dr Harty Cup Final
Date: Saturday, 31 January 2026
Time: 1.00pm
Venue: Zimmer Biomet Páirc Chíosóg, Ennis

Tickets : https://www.universe.com/events/munster-gaa-pps-tus-corn-an-artaigh-final-st-flannans-ennis-v-nenagh-cbs-tickets-T7CJD9

Referee: Thomas Walsh, Port Láirge
Extra time if required, result on the day
Live coverage: Clubber

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How Group 1 Set the Tone for the Final

Group 1 was immediately labelled the group of death, and it lived up to it.

It contained four schools with serious recent pedigree, including multiple former champions. By the end of it, two teams emerged unbeaten, level on points, and level on head-to-head.

Group 1 Final Table

Nenagh finished top but then didnt finish top. Flannan’s finished second and then finished top.
Neither lost. Neither dominated the other.

That balance is why this final feels inevitable.

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The Match That Defines Everything

Group 1, Round 1

Nenagh CBS 1-21, St Flannan’s College 2-18

If you only watch one game before this final, it is this one.

It gave us the entire script.

Nenagh’s first-half authority

Nenagh were outstanding early.

They scored their first nine shots, controlled territory, and built their platform through energy, pace, and clean delivery. The half-forward line was electric, with Eoghan Doughan central, supported by Paul Cahalan and Patrick Hackett.

By half-time, Nenagh led 1-13 to 0-6.

That margin was not an accident.
Flannan’s were wasteful, hitting nine wides in the opening half compared to Nenagh’s two. Nenagh were sharper, more clinical, and more aggressive around breaks.

The opening goal, finished by Doughan after forcing a turnover on Leon Talty’s puck-out, summed it up. Pressure, turnover, punishment.

The turning point

The match changed at half-time.

Doughan retired with a hamstring complaint, and Flannan’s came out with renewed intensity. The work-rate lifted, ball use improved, and the Clare side began to get runners into dangerous scoring positions.

Two goals flipped the contest.

• John Barry struck first after good link play
• Thomas O’Connor scrambled home the second

Suddenly, Nenagh were behind, having been ten clear earlier in the game.

The rescue act

Nenagh steadied themselves. They did not collapse.

Patrick Ryan took over free-taking duties and kept the scoreboard moving. Nenagh hit five second-half points to regain control.

But Flannan’s were not finished.

In stoppage time, they landed three late points, including key scores from Harry Doherty, to salvage a draw.

Final score, 1-21 to 2-18.

It was a game of wild swings, and it told us two critical things that have echoed all season.

Nenagh can dominate games in bursts.
Flannan’s can survive, absorb pressure, and strike when it matters most.

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Nenagh CBS, The Road to the Final

Nenagh’s campaign has been defined by attacking firepower, goal threat, and late-game composure.

They have scored more than any other team left in the competition, and their scoring profile is built around creating and converting goal chances.

Group Stage

Nenagh CBS 4-18 Árdscoil Rís 1-19

This was a must-win game, and Nenagh treated it as such.

After learning lessons from letting Flannan’s back into the opening match, Nenagh were sharper in closing this one out. Árdscoil Rís mounted a second-half challenge, cutting an eight-point deficit to three, but Nenagh responded with goals.

• Patrick Ryan hit 2-01
• Paul Cahalan added 1-04
• Doughan finished with 0-12, ten from placed balls

Crucially, Nenagh’s long puck-outs, particularly from Paddy McCormack, were repeatedly turned into goal chances. It was a blueprint that would reappear later in the campaign.

Nenagh CBS 7-18 Cashel CS 0-08

Score difference mattered, and Nenagh went hunting goals from the first whistle.

They delivered five in the opening half alone. Eoghan Doughan and Paul Cahalan again drove the attack, while Patrick Hackett’s work-rate disrupted Cashel’s delivery and forced turnovers.

This was the ruthless side of Nenagh, clinical, focused, and relentless.

Knockout Phase

Quarter-final

Nenagh CBS 3-19 Midleton CBS 2-14

This was one of Nenagh’s most complete performances.

They never loosened their grip. From the opening quarter, Midleton were under pressure, struggling to exit their own half.

• Doughan finished with 1-14, five from play
• Nenagh’s half-forward line pinned Midleton deep
• Shane Cleary dominated at centre-back

Midleton landed two goals, but they never truly threatened to turn the game. Nenagh’s ability to respond immediately after setbacks was a hallmark of their season.

Semi-final

Nenagh CBS 1-18 Thurles CBS 0-20

This was the test.

A sell-out crowd, two recent champions, and never more than three points between the sides. Extra time loomed until the final moments.

Nenagh had to win this the hard way.

They did it with composure.

With the clock deep into injury time, a foul on Patrick Hackett presented one final chance. Doughan stepped up and converted.

That score sent Nenagh to the final and underlined something important.

When matches tighten, Nenagh can still land the killer blow.

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St Flannan’s College, The Road to the Final

If Nenagh’s story is about attacking volume and goals, Flannan’s story is about resilience, momentum, and turning games late.

They have been behind in multiple knockout matches. They are still here.

Group Stage

St Flannan’s 4-26 Cashel CS 1-12

This match showcased Flannan’s attacking ceiling.

Harry Doherty was the headline, finishing with 2-07, but the supporting cast impressed just as much.

• Isaac Hassett dictated play as a link man
• Darragh McNamara intercepted puck-outs and finished clinically
• Eoin O’Connor added pace and power inside

It was a reminder that Flannan’s are not reliant on one scorer.

St Flannan’s 1-19 Árdscoil Rís 0-18

This was grit, not glamour.

The key moment came late, when Harry Doherty struck a decisive goal to edge Flannan’s through. They had led for long stretches, but Árdscoil Rís refused to go away.

This was a pressure win, the kind that builds belief.

Knockout Phase

Quarter-final

St Flannan’s 2-20 Our Lady’s Templemore 1-19

This was arguably the making of Flannan’s campaign.

They trailed by six points at half-time. Templemore had momentum and control.

Then Flannan’s struck.

• Darragh McNamara finished 1-04
• Thomas O’Connor, introduced at half-time, changed the dynamic
• Graham Ball hit 0-05 from play

Two goals swung the contest, and Flannan’s took control of the final quarter. It was a textbook example of how quickly they can flip a game.

Semi-final

St Flannan’s 2-19 St Joseph’s Tulla 3-11

This was chaos, and Flannan’s thrived in it.

They trailed again, five points down as late as the two-thirds mark. Tulla had belief and momentum.

Then came the decisive spell.

A 2-06 unanswered run completely turned the match.

• McNamara pounced for a goal
• O’Connor rifled another
• Doherty, Ball, Finneran, and the bench added crucial points

The telling stat was brutal.
2-07 to 1-00 in the final 30 minutes.

That is conditioning, composure, and belief.

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The Numbers That Matter

From a Nenagh CBS perspective, the numbers underline exactly why they are back in another Harty Cup final. They are the stand-out attacking side in the competition, leading all schools for total scoring and goals, while still ranking in the top 2 defensive units in terms of average conceded. Their ability to post big tallies without sacrificing defensive structure is what separates Nenagh from the pack.

For St Flannan’s College, the data tells a slightly different but equally compelling story. They sit right on Nenagh’s shoulder in attack in third place,just 1.4 points per game behind, while also boasting the 4th best defence just 0.8 behind Nenagh. Flannan’s may not hit the same explosive goal numbers as Nenagh, but their balance, resilience, and ability to grind out results keeps them firmly in this final on merit.

In short, this final pitches the competition’s most ruthless attack and the second best defence against the third best attack and fourth best defence, with very little separating them on raw numbers alone.

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Top Scorers Overall, Pre-Final

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Top Scorers From Play, Pre-Final.

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Nenagh CBS Top 5, from play

• Eoghan Doughan: 3-17, total 26
• Paul Cahalan: 3-10, total 19
• Eanna Tucker: 2-05, total 11
• Patrick Ryan: 3-01, total 10
• Billy O’Brien: 2-03, total 9

St Flannan’s Top 5, from play

• Harry Doherty: 3-11, total 20
• Darragh McNamara: 3-09, total 18
• Eoin O’Connor: 1-10, total 13
• Patrick Finneran: 0-12, total 12
• Graham Ball: 0-10, total 10

Nenagh’s scoring is more concentrated at the top, Doughan accounts for 44.1% of Nenagh’s total, the top 3 account for 67.8%.

Flannan’s spread it a bit more, Doherty is 33.9% of Flannan’s total, top 3 are 58.3%.

Both Teams have had 14 Scorers in the 5 Games they have played.

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Tactical Battlegrounds

1. Early dominance versus late surges

Nenagh have repeatedly started fast.
Flannan’s have repeatedly finished stronger.

If Nenagh build a cushion and convert it into goals, they control the narrative.
If Flannan’s stay within touching distance, they have proven they can flip games late.

2. The goal count

This is the defining question.

Nenagh average over 3 goals per game.
Flannan’s concede slightly above one goal per game.

Something has to give.

3. The final quarter

Both teams have won knockout matches in the last ten minutes.

Nenagh did it with an injury-time free in a one-score semi-final.
Flannan’s did it with a devastating scoring run against Tulla.

Whichever side handles fatigue, pressure, and decision-making better will lift the cup.

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Where It Will Be Won

If Nenagh win

• By turning puck-out dominance into goal chances
• By forcing Flannan’s defenders to make repeated emergency decisions
• By keeping the scoreboard moving even when Flannan’s push back

If Flannan’s win

• By limiting Nenagh to one goal or fewer
• By dragging the match into a rhythm of repeat play scores
• By unleashing their surge between the 45th and 60th minute

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Where It Could Be Lost

Nenagh’s danger

Letting Flannan’s hang around.
The Clare team thrives when written off mid-game.

Flannan’s danger

Conceding early goals.
Chasing Nenagh with a goal deficit is a different challenge entirely,stop the Tipp men from raising green flags.

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Final Prediction

This is as tight as a Harty Cup Final gets.

Both teams are unbeaten.
Both have survived pressure.
Both have match-winners.

The deciding factor, based on the full season profile, is goal output.

Nenagh have found goals against every level of opposition, and they have shown they can win when it goes right to the wire.

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Predicted score:

St Joseph’s CBS Nenagh 2-20, St Flannan’s College 1-19

Predicted TUS Corn an Artaigh Champions:

St Joseph’s CBS Nenagh

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Caveats

If Flannan’s hold Nenagh to one goal, this flips.
If Nenagh get two, the cup is heading to North Tipp.

That is how fine the margins are.

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