Harty Cup,Pre Semi-Finals,Power Ranking
The group stage is finished, the quarter-finals have cut it down again, and now we are staring at a last four that reads like a best-of list, Thurles CBS v Nenagh CBS, St Flannan’s v Tulla, two semi-finals loaded with scorers, structure, and serious edge.
This is the point where reputations mean nothing and every wide has a weight. Here are the updated Power Rankings, 16 to 1.
16) Cashel Community School
Cashel finish bottom on results and on spread. Over three games they were outscored heavily and never got a foothold against the Group 1 heavyweights. Senan Mackey, Shane Cooney, plus bench points from James Finn and Andrew Toomey, were honest bright spots, but the defensive stress was constant and the scoreboard damage piled up.
Why 16: lowest return, biggest gap to the field, and no momentum carried out of the group.
Best School Attack
| Rank | School | Games | Goals-Points | Total | Per game |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nenagh CBS | 4 | 15-76 | 121 | 30.25 |
| 2 | Thurles CBS | 4 | 8-92 | 116 | 29.00 |
| 3 | St Flannan’s | 4 | 9-83 | 110 | 27.50 |
| 4 | Árdscoil Rís | 3 | 3-60 | 69 | 23.00 |
| 5 | St Joseph’s Tulla | 4 | 3-79 | 88 | 22.00 |
| 6 | Our Lady’s Templemore | 4 | 7-67 | 88 | 22.00 |
| 7 | Gaelcholáiste Mhuire | 3 | 4-52 | 64 | 21.33 |
| 8 | St Colman’s Fermoy | 3 | 5-49 | 64 | 21.33 |
| 9 | CBS High School Clonmel | 3 | 3-54 | 63 | 21.00 |
| 10 | Midleton CBS | 4 | 7-62 | 83 | 20.75 |
| 11 | CBC Cork | 3 | 3-52 | 61 | 20.33 |
| 12 | De La Salle Waterford | 4 | 1-77 | 80 | 20.00 |
| 13 | Blackwater CS Lismore | 4 | 5-57 | 72 | 18.00 |
| 14 | Scoil na Tríonóide Naofa, Doon | 3 | 5-37 | 52 | 17.33 |
| 15 | John the Baptist CS, Hospital | 3 | 2-41 | 47 | 15.67 |
| 16 | Cashel Community School | 3 | 3-35 | 44 | 14.67 |
15) Scoil na Tríonóide Naofa, Doon
Doon had genuine punch, and more goal threat than most sides in the bottom half, but they shipped too much and couldn’t turn effort into points. Diarmuid Crowe kept them ticking, 1-05 in the Thurles game and a big frees contribution across the group, while Conor Kenny and George Maher both hit green flags. The issue was the swing games, Blackwater and Thurles were simply too strong.
Why 15: plenty of honest hurling, but the numbers never shifted in their favour.
14) CBS High School Clonmel
Clonmel were competitive in stretches, and their scoring weapons are real. Aaron Cagney finished the campaign on 0-39 overall, a massive tally in any context, and Conal Morrisson and Mikey McGuire gave them bite, McGuire showing serious goal instinct. But when games tightened, they couldn’t close the door, and they conceded too many big swings.Still,they have an 19A Munster Football Semi-Final v Pres Milltown from Kerry to look forward.
Why 14: big individual outputs, not enough team control.
13) Christian Brothers College, Cork
CBC were better than “0 from 3” suggests. They ran Templemore close, went toe to toe with the Mon, and started well against Tulla. Eoghan O’Shea was a standout, 1-25 overall, and 1-14 from play is elite production. Darragh Rowley brought early goal threat, but once elimination was confirmed, their edge understandably dipped.
Why 13: competitive baseline, no result, and too many small losing margins.
12) John the Baptist CS, Hospital
Hospital had one defining positive, they found a match-winner in Tiernan Ryan. He finished on 1-20 overall (23 points), and in the Blackwater shootout he hit 0-09 while carrying a huge share of their total. The win over Doon showed what they can be when their intensity is right, but the ceiling was exposed against the top two in Group 3.
Why 12: one win and a star scorer, but not enough scoring spread.
11) Árdscoil Rís, Limerick
Ardscoil were one of the most awkward teams to play, competitive every day out, and their scoring difference was tight for a third-place side. Jack Cosgrove (notably 0-15 from play) and Alex Kearns on frees kept them alive, John O’Connor added punch, but the late Harry Doherty goal for Flannan’s was the season-ending moment.A case of what might have been for one of the early favourites.
Why 11: competitive profile, but a brutal group and only one win.
10) St Colman’s College, Fermoy
The best side not to reach the quarter-finals. Cormac Barry was one of the stories of the group stage, 0-26 overall, with huge placed-ball volume, and Colman’s left with a positive scoring profile over three games. They did everything except get the break they needed elsewhere.
Why 10: strong enough to make January, just didn’t get the pathway.
Best School Attack’s
| Rank | School | Games | Total conceded | Goals conceded | Av conceded per game |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Thurles CBS | 4 | 61 | 3 | 15.25 |
| 2 | St Joseph’s Secondary School, Tulla | 4 | 70 | 5 | 17.50 |
| 3 | Nenagh CBS | 4 | 74 | 5 | 18.50 |
| 4 | St Flannan’s College, Ennis | 4 | 78 | 3 | 19.50 |
| 5 | Midleton CBS | 4 | 79 | 3 | 19.75 |
| 6 | De La Salle College, Waterford | 4 | 81 | 8 | 20.25 |
| 7 | John the Baptist CS, Hospital | 3 | 61 | 3 | 20.33 |
| 8 | Blackwater CS, Lismore | 4 | 82 | 3 | 20.50 |
| 9 | St Colman’s College, Fermoy | 3 | 62 | 1 | 20.67 |
| 10 | Gaelcholáiste Mhuire an Mhainistir Thuaidh | 3 | 64 | 3 | 21.33 |
| 11 | Our Lady’s Secondary School, Templemore | 4 | 88 | 4 | 22.00 |
| 12 | Árdscoil Rís, Limerick | 3 | 73 | 7 | 24.33 |
| 13 | CBS High School, Clonmel | 3 | 79 | 7 | 26.33 |
| 14 | Christian Brothers College, Cork | 3 | 79 | 6 | 26.33 |
| 15 | Scoil na Tríonóide Naofa, Doon | 3 | 84 | 9 | 28.00 |
| 16 | Cashel Community School | 3 | 106 | 13 | 35.33 |
9) Gaelcholáiste Mhuire an Mhainistir Thuaidh
The Mon were minutes away, and the collapse late against Templemore will sting. They had real quality, Craig Ó Súilleabháin and Gabhán Ó Ceallacháin drove the attack, and Lúcás Ó Muirthile gave goal threat. They are ninth because the performance level was quarter-final standard, but the margin for error is savage in this grade.
Why 9: “good enough”, but punished by the finest of fine lines.
8) Blackwater CS, Lismore
Blackwater are the highest-ranked side to go out at the quarter-final stage because their attack can break any team on a given day. Ben Cummins finishes on 2-38 overall, with 1-10 from play, and the supporting cast, Charlie Nicholson, Leo Mulhall, Adam Cummins, Hugo Quann, all chipped in over the campaign.
Their quarter-final loss to Tulla, 0-18 to 0-14, came down to tiny margins, missed frees at key moments, and Tulla’s close-out.
Why 8: dangerous forward unit, but edged by a more composed late-game team.
7) Our Lady’s Secondary School, Templemore
Templemore exit after a belter, 2-20 to 1-19 against Flannan’s, and there’s no shame in that. They have high-end forwards, Jack Bevans ends on 1-34 overall, and his placed-ball output kept them alive in every tight finish. Padraic O’Shea (overall damage, plus 2-08 from play) was a constant threat, and the injured Shay Gleeson gives them serious leadership through the middle.
But the one number that hurts is the concession rate, they finished on an 88 total score conceded across four games, and against Flannan’s, that second-half punch told.
Why 7: loads of scoring, but too leaky when it mattered most. Squad Depth v Flannans also told.
6) Midleton CBS
Midleton were unbeaten in the group, won it, and then got pulled into Nenagh’s vice-grip in the quarter-final, 3-19 to 2-14. They have quality all over, Fionn Daly on 1-26 overall, Cormac Deane with real goal impact, Sam Ring driving threat, and even Tom C Walsh contributed from range in the group phase.
But Nenagh exposed the one danger sign, if Midleton start slowly, they can be pinned, and the first quarter in Bansha decided the tie.
Why 6: group winners, but quarter-final control against a heavyweight wasn’t there.
5) De La Salle College, Waterford
De La Salle are fifth because they took the holders to a winter scrap and were still one score away late on, before James Butler landed the killer second goal, Thurles 2-13 De La Salle 0-16.
The spine of Conor Power at 6, Shane Power (including 0-14 from play in the numbers), and the craft of Jamie Shanahan on frees gave them enough to win the match, but the conversion didn’t match the platform. 19 wides and multiple missed frees is too heavy a load against a champion side that concedes so little.
Why 5: excellent performance level, undone by the hardest metric of all, finishing.
4) St Joseph’s Secondary School, Tulla
Tulla are in a semi-final again, but the quarter-final win over Blackwater, 0-18 to 0-14, showed they can win when it’s ugly and tight. That matters now, because January is never pretty.
Their entire profile revolves around Matthew Corbett, who is currently the most prolific scorer left in the competition, 0-44 overall, and in the QF he hit 0-10, 0-9 from placed balls, then closed the door late with more pressure frees. James O’Donnell (0-4), Jerry O’Connor (0-3), and the half-time impact of Nicky Belenko were also decisive.
On the other end, Patrick Murphy’s first-half save was a season-saver moment, and their defensive numbers are strong, 70 conceded in four games (17.50 per game).
Why 4: battle-tested, elite free-taker, strong defence, but they have less goal volume than the other three semi-finalists.
3) St Flannan’s College, Ennis
Flannan’s feel like a proper January team again, and the quarter-final comeback against Templemore underlined it. Down six at half-time, they found two massive goals, Darragh McNamara and super sub Thomas O’Connor, to win 2-20 to 1-19.
They have multiple scorers from play, which is the key at semi-final level. Harry Doherty is on 3-27 overall, and he’s also one of the top “from play” threats, 3-09 from play. McNamara sits right behind him on impact, 2-08 from play in the data, and Graham Ball (0-5 from play in the QF) gives them that constant release valve when the game is stuck.
Their attack total is huge, 110 scored (27.50 per game), but they’ve conceded a bit more than Thurles and Tulla, 78 conceded (19.50 per game), and that’s the difference between third and first.
Why 3: loads of hurlers, loads of scores, but slightly more open than the top two.
2) Nenagh CBS
Nenagh are the most explosive team left, and the data screams it. They have the best attack in the competition now, 121 scored, 30.25 per game, and they’ve struck 15 goals in four outings. That is ferocious.
The quarter-final win over Midleton, 3-19 to 2-14, was control from the opening quarter to the closing stretch. Eoghan Doughan is leading the entire competition, 4-39 overall, and his “from play” line is outrageous too, 3-12 from play. He’s not just a free-taker, he’s a game-driver.
Around him, Paul Cahalan brings knockout goals, 3-09 from play, Patrick Ryan has 3-01 from play, and Billy O’Brien and Austin Duff have shown they can punish any loose puck-out. Shane Cleary at centre-back,he’s the sort of player who wins semi-finals.
Why 2: best attack, most goals, and the standout scorer, but they now meet the best defence in the semi-final.
Top Scorer from Play Table
| Rank | Player | School | Score (from play) | Total (from play) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eoghan Doughan | Nenagh CBS | 3-12 | 21 |
| 2 | Paul Cahalan | Nenagh CBS | 3-09 | 18 |
| 3 | Harry Doherty | St. Flannans | 3-09 | 18 |
| 4 | Eoghan O’Shea | CBC Cork | 1-14 | 17 |
| 5 | James Butler | Thurles CBS | 3-07 | 16 |
| 6 | Tiarnán Ryan | Thurles CBS | 0-15 | 15 |
| 7 | Jack Cosgrove | Ardscoil Ris | 0-15 | 15 |
| 8 | Darragh McNamara | St. Flannans | 2-08 | 14 |
| 9 | Shane Power | De La Salle | 0-14 | 14 |
| 10 | Fionn Daly | Midleton CBS | 1-11 | 14 |
| 11 | Padraic O’Shea | Templemore | 2-08 | 14 |
| 12 | Matthew Corbett | Tulla | 0-14 | 14 |
| 13 | Dan Coffey | Templemore | 1-10 | 13 |
| 14 | Conal Morrisson | Clonmel CBS | 0-13 | 13 |
| 15 | James O’Donnell | Tulla | 0-12 | 12 |
| 16 | Cormac Deane | Midleton CBS | 1-09 | 12 |
| 17 | Euan Murray | Thurles CBS | 0-12 | 12 |
| 18 | Craig O’Suilleabhain | Gaelcholaiste Mhuire | 0-12 | 12 |
| 19 | Ben Cummins | Blackwater CS | 1-10 | 13 |
| 20 | Sam Ring | Midleton CBS | 1-07 | 10 |
| 21 | Patrick Ryan | Nenagh CBS | 3-01 | 10 |
| 22 | Shay Gleeson | Templemore | 0-10 | 10 |
| 23 | Eoin Burke | De La Salle | 0-10 | 10 |
| 24 | James Ryan | Templemore | 0-09 | 9 |
| 25 | Jack Bevans | Templemore | 0-09 | 9 |
| 26 | Andrew Power | De La Salle | 0-09 | 9 |
| 27 | Michael Vaughan | Tulla | 1-05 | 8 |
| 28 | Leo Mulhall | Blackwater CS | 0-08 | 8 |
| 29 | Ollie Fives | De La Salle | 0-08 | 8 |
| 30 | Cormac Barry | St Colmans | 0-08 | 8 |
| 31 | Tiernan Ryan | John the Baptist | 0-08 | 8 |
| 32 | Cian Morrissey | Ardscoil Ris | 0-08 | 8 |
| 33 | Gavhan O’Ceallachain | Gaelcholaiste Mhuire | 0-07 | 7 |
| 34 | Jamie Shanahan | De La Salle | 0-07 | 7 |
| 35 | Charlie Nicholson | Blackwater CS | 0-07 | 7 |
| 36 | Eoin O’Connor | St. Flannans | 0-07 | 7 |
| 37 | Tony Ryan | Thurles CBS | 0-06 | 6 |
| 38 | Cian Broderick | Templemore | 0-06 | 6 |
1) Thurles CBS
Until someone takes it off them, Thurles are still the standard. Their profile is champion-level balance, they score heavily and they concede almost nothing. After four games they’ve posted 116 scored (29.00 per game) and conceded 61 (15.25 per game), that’s the best defence in the competition by a distance, and it’s why they’re still number one.
The quarter-final win over De La Salle, 2-13 to 0-16, was classic Thurles. They didn’t sparkle, they didn’t need to, they stayed alive in the trench, then hit with ruthlessness through James Butler, 2-01 on the day, two massive goals.
They are not reliant on one man either. Cillian Minogue sits at 0-22 overall, Tiarnán Ryan has 0-17 overall and 0-15 from play, and Euan Murray was a colossus at midfield in that QF, while Ryne Bargary anchored the spare-man role. They have answers all over the field, and they have the one thing nobody else has consistently shown, a habit of closing.
Why 1: best defence, elite scoring rate, holders, and they proved again they can win without needing the perfect day.
Top Scorer Total Table
| Rank | Player | School | Score | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eoghan Doughan | Nenagh CBS | 4-39 | 51 |
| 2 | Ben Cummins | Blackwater CS | 2-38 | 44 |
| 3 | Matthew Corbett | Tulla | 0-44 | 44 |
| 4 | Jack Bevans | Our Lady's T'more | 1-34 | 37 |
| 5 | Harry Doherty | St. Flannans | 3-27 | 36 |
| 6 | Cillian Minogue | Thurles CBS | 0-26 | 26 |
| 7 | Fionn Daly | Midleton CBS | 1-22 | 25 |
| 8 | Paul Cahalan | Nenagh CBS | 3-16 | 25 |
| 9 | Shane Power | De La Salle | 0-23 | 23 |
| 10 | Eoin Burke | De La Salle | 0-22 | 22 |
| 11 | James Butler | Thurles CBS | 2-15 | 21 |
| 12 | Padraic O'Shea | Our Lady's T'more | 2-14 | 20 |
| 13 | Sam Ring | Midleton CBS | 2-11 | 17 |
| 14 | Tiarnán Ryan | Thurles CBS | 0-17 | 17 |
| 15 | Craig O'Suilleabhain | The Mon | 1-12 | 15 |
| 16 | Darragh McNamara | St. Flannans | 1-11 | 14 |
| 17 | James O'Donnell | Tulla | 1-10 | 13 |
| 18 | Tony Ryan | Thurles CBS | 0-13 | 13 |
| 19 | Charlie Nicholson | Blackwater CS | 0-13 | 13 |
| 20 | Eoghan O'Shea | CBC Cork | 1-09 | 12 |
| 21 | Michael Vaughan | Tulla | 1-08 | 11 |
| 22 | Jack Walsh | Thurles CBS | 0-11 | 11 |
| 23 | Aidan Duff | Nenagh CBS | 1-07 | 10 |
| 24 | Andrew Power | De La Salle | 0-10 | 10 |
| 25 | Cormac Deane | Midleton CBS | 2-04 | 10 |
| 26 | Thomas O'Connor | St. Flannans | 1-06 | 9 |
| 27 | Billy O'Brien | Nenagh CBS | 1-05 | 8 |
| 28 | Philip O'Dwyer | Our Lady's T'more | 0-08 | 8 |
| 29 | Damian Keane | De La Salle | 1-04 | 7 |
| 30 | Graham Ball | St. Flannans | 0-07 | 7 |
| 31 | James Cullinan | St. Flannans | 0-07 | 7 |
| 32 | Ronan Ralph | St. Flannans | 0-07 | 7 |
| 33 | Cian Broderick | Our Lady's T'more | 0-07 | 7 |
| 34 | Leo Mulhall | Blackwater CS | 0-07 | 7 |
Semi-final fixtures, Saturday January 17th, 12:30
- Nenagh CBS v Thurles CBS, Templederry
- St Flannan’s Ennis v St Joseph’s Tulla, Zimmer Biomet Páirc Chíosóg