16 to 1: The Definitive Harty Cup Power Rankings After Round 3.

The dust has barely settled on a ferocious Round 3, and the Harty Cup has split cleanly in two, eight schools marching on and eight cast aside. Margins were shredded, reputations were rewritten, and a couple of giants were sent packing. With the quarter final draw now fixed for January, the field has tightened, the stakes have risen and every flaw is about to be punished. Here is the full picture, from 16 to 1, exactly as it stands.

16. Cashel Community School ⬇️ 2

Group 1, 4th place, P3 W0 D0 L3, For 44, Against 106, score difference -62

Cashel’s campaign never really caught fire and Round 3 underlined the gap that emerged between them and the top three in Group 1. A 7-18 to 0-8 loss to Nenagh CBS on the UL North Campus left them outscored by 62 points across the three rounds.

There were honest showings from the likes of Senan Mackey and Shane Cooney, and in Round 3 Mackey chipped in with 0-3 from placed balls while James Finn and Andrew Toomey added points off the bench, but the pressure was relentless. Defensively they struggled to live with the movement and physicality of Ardscoil Rís, St Flannan’s and Nenagh in a Group of Death.

Cashel exit with no wins, heavy reverses in all three games and the lowest scoring return in the competition. On that basis they ended up the bottom of the rankings.

---

---

15. Scoil na Tríonóide Naofa, Doon ⬆️1

Group 3, 4th place, P3 W0 D0 L3, For 57, Against 76, score difference -17

Doon’s effort was never in doubt, but the numbers are stark. Three defeats, 57 scored, 76 conceded, and two big beatings from the eventual group winners.

They opened with a 3-17 to 1-14 loss to Blackwater, rallied to push John the Baptist CS hard in Round 2 before going down 2-14 to 1-9, and then ran into a ruthless Thurles CBS side in Round 3. That final outing finished 4-16 to 3-13, with Diarmuid Crowe again leading the way on 1-5 from frees, while Conor Kenny and George Maher both raised green flags.

Crowe’s placed-ball accuracy and the work of Ciarán Gantley and Eamon Richardson give them something to build on, but in a group with Thurles and an emerging Blackwater, Doon were always chasing. They finish15th.

---

14. CBS High School Clonmel ⬆️1

Group 2, 4th place, P3 W0 D0 L3, For 45, Against 51, score difference -6

Clonmel as 2024 Munster B Champions, can probably feel a little aggrieved to be 0 from 3. In Round 1 they pushed De La Salle to 1-24 to 2-19, and in Round 2 they were right in the contest before Midleton pulled away to win 3-15 to 0-20.

Round 3, however, was a bridge too far. St Colman’s, still with an outside chance of qualifying, tore into them and ran out 3-19 to 1-15 winners. Aaron Cagney finished with 0-8 from frees, Cian Morrisson hit 0-5 and Mikey McGuire struck 1-0, but the Cork side’s power told.

Clonmel leave the competition with no points, a minus 6 scoring difference and three games where they found it hard to shut teams down at key moments. The scoring threat is there through Cagney and Morrisson, so they avoid the bottom two, but they remain in the lower tier.Better days ahead.

---

13. Christian Brothers College, Cork ⬇️3

Group 4, 4th place, P3 W0 D0 L3, For 61, Against 79, score difference -18

CBC never quite got the bounce this group demanded. They lost narrowly to Templemore in Round 1, 2-19 to 0-20, then traded blows with Gaelcholáiste Mhuire AG in Round 2 before losing another tight one, 2-21 to 2-19.

By Round 3, they were already eliminated when they faced Tulla in Kilmallock and that context showed. They started well with a Darragh Rowley goal on three minutes and led 1-2 to 0-1, but St Joseph’s took over and eventually coasted to a 2-21 to 1-13 win. Eoghan O’Shea still clipped 0-6, Rowley finished 1-0, Cian Lawton added 0-3 and Michael T Brosnan, Michael Quill, Mark O’Mahony and Senan Hurley chipped in.

CBC exit with three competitive performances, a respectable scoring difference compared to other bottom sides, and a Dean Ryan Cup final to come. The lack of a result, though, sees them drop three places.

---

12. John the Baptist CS, Hospital ⬇️1

Group 3, 3rd place, P3 W1 D0 L2, For 47, Against 61, score difference –14

Hospital’s season finally caught fire in Round 2 when they beat Doon 2-14 to 1-9, with Tiernan Ryan hitting 1-5 and the Hanly brothers prominent. Round 3 in Castlelyons was billed as a straight shootout for second place, but Blackwater’s power told and JTB fell 2-19 to 0-12.

Even in that defeat, Ryan was superb again, finishing with 0-9, five frees and a 65, and earlier in the campaign he had 0-7 against Blackwater and 0-6 against Thurles. Across the three rounds he has 1-20 on the board, the bulk of Hospital’s scoring.

They end with one win, two defeats, and a negative scoring difference, but that victory over Doon and the individual brilliance of Ryan nudges them up one spot ahead of CBC and the other winless sides.

---

11. Árdscoil Rís, Limerick ⬇️9

Group 1, 3rd place, P3 W1 D0 L2, For 69, Against 73, score difference -4

Ardscoil began with a 2-23 to 2-15 win over Cashel and were competitive in Round 2 against Nenagh before losing 4-18 to 1-19, Jack Cosgrove and John O’Keeffe leading the scoring. They went to Clarecastle for Round 3 knowing only a win over St Flannan’s would keep them alive.

They pushed their neighbours all the way. Trailing by five entering the final quarter, they produced a revival led by John O’Connor and free-taker Alex Kearns, cutting the gap to two, 0-19 to 0-17, before an injury-time hammer blow, a Harry Doherty goal, sealed a 1-19 to 0-18 Flannan’s win and Ardscoil’s exit.

Kearns finished with 0-6 from frees, Cosgrove and O’Connor hit 0-3 each, and Cian Ryan again chipped in from the half-back line, but ultimately one win from three leaves them short. In a brutal group, Ardscoil were competitive in every outing, yet the cold facts of results and scoring difference see them slip just outside the top ten and what might have been for a talented crew.

---

10. St Colman’s College, Fermoy ⬆️2

Group 2, 3rd place, P3 W1 D1 L1, For 64, Against 62, score difference +2

Colman’s walk away as probably the strongest side not to make the quarter-finals. They drew with Midleton in Round 1, 0-19 each, and in Round 2 pushed De La Salle before fading late.

In Round 3 in Bansha, already knowing they needed a win and for Midleton to slip, they did their own job in style, beating Clonmel 3-19 to 1-15. Cormac Barry was outstanding, hitting 0-12, 0-11 from frees and a 65, with Ruairc Donovan and Denis Fitzgerald both raising green flags. Barry had already struck 0-10 in Round 1, so his total tally across the group is at least 0-22, with more from the DLS game.

Colman’s finish with three points, a positive scoring difference and a statement win. They move into the top ten and on another day, this form would be enough to be planning for January.

---

9. Gaelcholáiste Mhuire an Mhainistir Thuaidh ⬇️5

Group 4, 3rd place, P3 W1 D1 L1, For 64, Against 64, score difference 0

The Mon were seven or eight minutes from the quarter-finals. They had drawn with Tulla in Round 1, 1-16 to 0-19, and delivered a huge Round 2 performance to beat CBC 2-21 to 2-19 in a high-tempo Cork derby.

In Round 3 in Fethard Town Park, they faced Our Lady’s Templemore knowing a draw would see them through. They produced a massive comeback, turning a 1-9 to 0-7 interval deficit into a 1-15 to 1-13 lead by the 56th minute, with Craig Ó Súilleabháin and Gabhán Ó Ceallacháin again central. Ó Súilleabháin’s free made it 1-15 to 1-13, but they did not score again and Templemore’s late surge, crowned by a Cian Broderick point, saw them lose 1-17 to 1-15 and slip out on head-to-head and scoring difference.

Over three rounds Ó Ceallacháin and Ó Súilleabháin have carried much of the scoring load, mixing frees, 65s and long-range efforts, and Lúcás Ó Muirthile’s goal threat was obvious. However, the hard reality is one win, one draw, one loss, and out. They drop from the top three but remain clearly the pick of the eliminated teams.

---

---

The Top Eight and headed for a January 7th Quarter Final.

8. Blackwater CS, Lismore ⬆️5

Group 3, 2nd place, P3 W2 D0 L1, For 58, Against 64, score difference -6

Blackwater’s group campaign has been a rollercoaster, but they are still standing and into the knockouts. Round 1 brought a 3-17 to 1-14 win over Doon, powered by Ben Cummins. Round 2 was a harsh lesson, a 2-29 to 0-7 defeat to Thurles CBS that badly dented their scoring difference.

In Castlelyons in Round 3, with the season on the line against John the Baptist, they produced their most complete performance. The 2-19 to 0-12 win secured second place in Group 3 and a quarter-final against Clonmel in Fethard. Cummins was phenomenal, hitting 1-14, 0-7 frees and two 65s, following on from 1-11 in Round 1 and 0-4 in Round 2. That gives him a combined return of 2-29 across the group phase, 35 points in old money.

With Leo Mulhall chipping in 1-1, Hugo Quann, Adam Cummins, Darra O’Brien and Seán Óg Costín all on the board, Blackwater have shown they can post big totals when their forward unit flows. The heavy loss to Thurles keeps them in eighth, but as a second seed with serious firepower they are a very dangerous quarter-final opponent.

---

7. Our Lady’s Secondary School, Templemore ⬆️2

Group 4, 2nd place, P3 W2 D0 L1, For 66, Against 62, score difference +4

Templemore’s form line is complicated, but they are exactly where they wanted to be, in the last eight. They opened with a 2-19 to 0-20 win over CBC, Jack Bevans leading the scoring, then were turned over by Tulla in Round 2, 1-21 to 3-12, when their defensive shape was picked apart at times by Matthew Corbett and Michael Vaughan.

That left Wednesday’s meeting with The Mon in Fethard as a straight shoot-out. Templemore raced into a 1-9 to 0-7 half-time lead thanks to a Seán Walsh goal and some outrageous points from Dan Coffey and James Ryan, but Gaelcholáiste Mhuire stormed back to go two clear with four minutes left.

The response was the mark of a seasoned side. Bevans, unerring from placed balls all afternoon, finished with 0-10 from frees, while Philip O’Dwyer and Cian Broderick hit the late points that turned 1-13 to 1-15 into a 1-17 to 1-15 win. Centre back Shay Gleeson was immense, driving ball after ball into the danger zone.

Two wins, one defeat, a small positive scoring difference and huge mental resilience, Templemore are only up 2 in the rankings because others were faultless, but they carry serious momentum into January.

---

6. De La Salle College, Waterford ⬇️1

Group 2, 2nd place, P3 W2 D0 L1, For 64, Against 62, score difference +2

De La Salle qualified with a round to spare and that may have coloured the Round 3 meeting with Midleton. They beat Clonmel 1-24 to 2-19 in Round 1, Jamie Shanahan hitting 1-08, and followed it up with a controlled 0-25 to 2-11 win over St Colman’s in Round 2, Eoin Burke shooting 0-09 and Shane Power adding 0-06.

In Fethard against Midleton, already secure in the knockouts, they ran into a side playing for top spot and paid for a wayward afternoon in front of goal, finishing with 19 wides. Burke still clipped 0-06, 0-04 from frees, and Shane Power, Ollie Fives, Cian O’Callaghan, Mikey Moloney and Jack Walsh all registered, but the final scoreline of 2-14 to 0-12 reflected Midleton’s control.

Even with that defeat, DLS finish with a +2 scoring difference and two strong wins in the bank. They slide down from the very top tier because others went three from three, but they remain a classic January team, hard to beat on heavy ground with multiple scoring options.

---

5. St Joseph’s Secondary School, Tulla ⬆️3

Group 4, 1st place, P3 W2 D1 L0, For 70, Against 56, score difference +14

Tulla have quietly put together one of the most impressive group campaigns of any school. They started with a 1-16 to 0-19 draw against The Mon, where Matthew Corbett hit 0-14, including 12 frees and a 65, and followed that with a huge Round 2 result, a 1-21 to 3-12 win over Our Lady’s Templemore.

In that Templemore game Corbett added 0-09 and was the outstanding link man on the field, while captain Michael Vaughan hit 1-02, including the leadership score that sealed the result late on.

Round 3 in Kilmallock was a potential banana skin, because CBC were already out and playing with freedom. Tulla trailed early after conceding a Darragh Rowley goal but steadied themselves and over the last quarter outscored CBC by 1-07 to 0-03 to win 2-21 to 1-13. Corbett finished with 0-11, four from play this time, Vaughan again chipped in 1-2 and James O’Donnell struck 1-02 of his own.

Across three rounds Corbett has now scored 0-34 in total, 0-14, 0-9 and 0-11, and Tulla are unbeaten with a +14 scoring difference. Top of a very tight group, they move into the top five and nobody will want to see their name in the quarter-final draw.

---

---

4. St Flannan’s College, Ennis ⬆️2

Group 1, 2nd place, P3 W2 D1 L0, For 84, Against 57, score difference +27

The 2024 finalists are right back where they expect to be. After a Round 1 draw with Nenagh, 2-18 to 1-21, they produced a statement in Round 2, beating Cashel 3-26 to 1-11 with Harry Doherty scoring 2-07 and Eoin O’Connor, Graham Ball and Patrick Finneran all prominent.

Round 3 in Clarecastle had the feel of a knockout game. Win and they were through, lose and Ardscoil would likely edge them. Flannan’s led from the fifth minute to the finish but could never fully shake the Limerick city school. Two points was the margin entering injury time, 0-19 to 0-17, when Doherty rose again, fielded a Leon Talty puckout on the right, cut inside and buried a goal to the left corner. Final score, 1-19 to 0-18, group top spot gone to Nenagh on scoring difference, but qualification secured.

Doherty finished that game with 1-06, 0-04 frees and a 65, having already posted 0-08 in Round 1 and 2-7 in Round 2. That gives him a combined return of 3-21 for the group. With Finneran, the Ball brothers and Ronan Ralph all contributing regular scores, Flannan’s look every inch a team that can go one better than last year.

---

3. Midleton CBS ⬆️3

Group 2, 1st place, P3 W2 D1 L0, For 63, Against 51, score difference +12

Midleton’s upward curve continued through all three rounds and their Round 3 win over De La Salle pushes them into the top three. They started with a 0-19 each draw against St Colman’s, where Fionn Daly hit 0-09 and Cormac Deane led the line, and in Round 2 they came through a serious test against Clonmel, winning 3-15 to 0-20 after two second-half goals from Deane and a 1-01 cameo from Jude Devoy off the bench.

In Fethard against De La Salle, with top spot on the line and a gale at their backs in the first half, they produced a controlled performance. Goalkeeper Tom C Walsh landed three points, including two from play, Senan Carroll and Tom A Walsh drove the half-back and midfield lines forward, and Sam Ring’s deft touch for the first-half goal turned a solid lead into a commanding one.

By the time Daly dispatched a late penalty, he was up to 1-06, 0-04 from frees, adding to his earlier tallies of 0-09 and 0-07. That leaves him on 1-22 over the group phase. With Cian Stack, Evan Connolly and Deane all scoring regularly, Midleton combine a strong spine with a spread of threats. Three games unbeaten, a +12 scoring difference and ahead of DLS, they are worthy group winners and serious contenders.

---

---

2. Nenagh CBS ⬆️1

Group 1, 1st place, P3 W2 D1 L0, For 93, Against 54, score difference +39

Nenagh arrived into Round 3 knowing that scoring difference could decide top spot. They had drawn with St Flannan’s, 1-21 to 2-18, and beaten Ardscoil Rís 4-18 to 1-19 in Round 2, with Eoghan Doughan hitting 0-12 and Patrick Ryan and Paul Cahalan both finding the net.

On Wednesday in UL they went goal hunting from the first whistle against Cashel and delivered. Goals from Cahalan and Hugo Healy on five and six minutes set the tone. Doughan then rattled in two majors of his own on 13 and 23 minutes, with Patrick Hackett doing much of the graft for the second, and Nenagh led by 19 at the break.

The second half was won by 2-10 to 0-04, Emmet Jones and Hackett raising further green flags before Doughan set up Ryan for the seventh goal in stoppage time. Final score, 7-18 to 0-08, and Nenagh pipped Flannan’s for top spot.

Doughan’s numbers are enormous. Across the three rounds he has scored 3-25 in total, 1-05 in Round 1, 0-12 in Round 2 and 2-08 on Wednesday, with a mix of frees, a 65 and big plays from open play. Cahalan is on 3-06 across Rounds 2 and 3, Ryan has chipped in 3-01, and the supporting cast of Jones, Healy, Eimhin Tucker and others have all scored.

Nenagh have the most explosive attack in the competition, 93 points worth of scores and a +39 differential. They stay second, but the margin between them and the top spot is wafer thin.

---

1. Thurles CBS ➖

Group 3, 1st place, P3 W3 D0 L0, For 97, Against 44, score difference +53

The holders remain the standard. Three wins from three, two of them heavy, and a champion’s knack for putting teams away without fuss.

Round 1 brought a 0-24 to 0-15 win over John the Baptist CS, Cillian Minogue hitting 0-10 and Tiernán Ryan and Tony Ryan busy around him. Round 2 was a 2-29 to 0-07 dismantling of Blackwater in which Minogue added another 0-06, mostly from frees, and Jack Cahill and Chris Dunne shared goals and points in a dominant display.

In Round 3 in UL against Doon, with top spot already secure, they might have eased off. Instead they played with the same tempo and work-rate that has defined their campaign. The final score of 4-26 to 3-13 only hints at their control. James Butler hit 1-05, Leelan Donoghue scored 1-04, Tomás Ryan 1-02, Larry Collins added a fourth goal, Cahill shot 0-05 from frees and Eoghan Hickey chipped in 0-05, two from placed balls.

Across three rounds Thurles have averaged just over 32 points per game while conceding 15 on average, the best defensive record in the competition alongside the most complete balance from 1 to 15. Minogue, Cahill and Hickey have shared the frees, Butler and Donoghue bring goals, and the likes of Ryne Bargary, Dáire Ryan and Sean Griffin have anchored a mean back line.

They remain top of the rankings, top of Group 3, and still, until someone proves otherwise, the gold standard of Harty Cup schools hurling.

---

---

Want to win the New 2026 Tippeary Jersey, Click HERE