Cashel CS manager Brendan Ryan pictured with joint captains Ben Currivan and Ronan Connolly.
By Cian O’Connell
These are heady hurling days for Cashel Community School. Manager Brendan Ryan is relishing the fact that important Harty and Croke Cup matches are on the agenda.
For long enough Cashel simply wanted to operate at this level. That was the objective. So to finally win a first ever Harty title and now face the aristocratic St Kieran’s College in an All-Ireland Semi-Final is ‘bonus territory’ according to Ryan.
Inevitably Kieran’s, the 23 times winners, will bring a potent team laced with hurlers already making an impact at adult level to St Brendan’s Park for an eagerly anticipated encounter.
“We know Kieran's are a savage outfit, they are incredible,” Ryan says. “In the Leinster final against Offaly Schools they were down some of their best men. Two of them were back for the All-Ireland quarter-final against Loughrea. They are a serious team.
“Four of their starting team started in the 2020 All-Ireland minor final which is incredible, a different two played in the All-Ireland Club final for Ballyhale Shamrocks.
“Killian Doyle actually, his mother is a Tipperary woman, he played against Tipperary in the National Hurling League two weeks ago. They are serious opposition, but it is great to be there taking on St Kieran's College - seeing how we can go.”
Cashel CS have travelled quite a distance. Clubs in the area are benefitting from a collaborative approach with emerging players starring in the Harty arena.
“We have lads from eight clubs, but two of those eight clubs only have a panel member each,” Ryan explains. “So the starting team is pulled from six clubs. Of that six only one of them are in the Dan Breen - the top tier in Tipperary.
“One of them are in the second tier - Premier Intermediate - Cashel King Cormacs. The rest of them are Intermediate or Junior clubs.
Jake Morris, Tipperary, and Killian Doyle, Kilkenny, pictured during the February 12 Allianz Hurling League encounter at UPMC Nowlan Park. Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
“In fairness to the clubs they have really got behind this in the last five, six or seven years. They have really got behind it, they see the benefits of their lads playing at a decent schools level. I'd have to say the clubs have been a great support this year and for the last number of years too.”
Ryan is delighted that Cashel CS have flourished in the 2022/23 senior schools campaign. Sheer hard graft is being rewarded. “Seven years of teams have played a part in getting us out of the B, we spent four years trying to get out of the B,” he says.
“Then when we got out of the B, Covid hit. There was no hurling for a year. Last year's group started it off in the Harty on the back of those other teams. This year's team has taken it on another level.
“We would be struggling at B in most of the grades. Most of this team would have got to a Munster B U15 semi-final. We are not pulling up any trees down the ages, this team didn't at underage either. They have just come together in fifth and sixth year, they are a good crop.”
Exactly when did Ryan sense that something special was stirring? “I suppose last year as a young Harty team when we were just back up in the Harty,” Ryan replies.
“We got to the quarter-final after beating Templemore and Flannan's. We had nine or 10 lads who were only fifth years so we knew at that stage that this year we could have a decent team if we got it right.
“When the draw was made for the Harty we were in the group of death with Ardscoil and Flannan's again. Nothing was straightforward.”
Momentum was generated and confidence acquired from advancing in such a demanding group. “We wanted to get back to a quarter-final where we lost last year,” Ryan says.
Cashel CS joint captains Ben Currivan and Ronan Connolly.
“We were well beaten by a good Thurles team in a quarter-final. We were well short of what was needed. When we got back to it this year against CBC we were a year older.
“Nine or 10 of them had played in last year's quarter-final, they were a year older. They were now sixth years, who physically were maybe a bit better equipped to survive at Harty compared to last year's team.”
Cashel’s impressive development was evident in an all Tipperary Munster decider against Thurles CBS at FBD Semple Stadium in front of 7, 283 spectators.
“At the end of the day the fact that they won it made the day special,” Ryan responds when asked about the experience of being involved in such a high stakes match.
“If we had lost we wouldn't have been looking back on the day or the occasion with any great memories.
“If we were told at the start of the year that we'd get to the Harty final we'd have loved it, but when you are there you want to perform. If you perform you want to try to get over the line - we just barely did. As well as how we played we only survived by a point.”
Still it was enough to secure silverware and an historic success. Another challenge is now being embraced. “It is fantastic, we have never experienced this before so it is just great,” Ryan acknowledges.
“Overall it is calm enough, they were doing pre exams the week after the Harty so it was actually quite calm in the school. It is great and exciting now to be leading up to an All-Ireland semi-final.
“If we were playing two weeks after the Harty final we'd have struggled with injuries. We had a few injuries and knocks so the month was grand. We were able to take a small break, then build it back up.”
The planning and plotting continues.
