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Sports

St Flannan’s Seek Redemption Against Defending Champions Nenagh CBS

Published

2 months ago

on

Familiar Ground, Fresh Stakes as St Flannan’s and Nenagh CBS Renew Harty Rivalry

There is something fitting about the road that has led St Flannan’s College back to the TUS Dr Harty Cup final. For the second season running, their campaign has been defined by drawn group games, Tipperary opposition and a final-day rematch that feels as much about growth as it does silverware.

Last year, a group-stage stalemate with Thurles CBS was followed by heartbreak in the decider. This time, Flannan’s opened their campaign with a draw against Tipperary opposition once more and now face another familiar foe, Nenagh CBS, in Saturday’s final at Zimmer Biomet Páirc Chíosóg (1pm).

The prize is significant on both sides. Nenagh are bidding to keep Tipperary’s grip on the competition intact and deliver a fourth consecutive Harty Cup title to the Premier County. Flannan’s, meanwhile, are chasing their first crown since 2020 and a 23rd title overall, armed with the lessons of last year’s defeat rather than weighed down by it.

That experience is embodied by joint-captain Harry Doherty. Last season’s top scorer has once again been central to Flannan’s run, amassing 3-34 in this year’s competition, and believes the pain of losing to Thurles has hardened the Ennis side rather than scarred them.

Last year, he admits, the occasion itself took its toll. This time, the mindset is different.

The Clarecastle forward points to the team’s composure under pressure as evidence of that growth. Flannan’s have trailed heavily in several key games this season – by ten points against Nenagh in October, seven against Our Lady’s, Templemore, and five against St Joseph’s, Tulla – yet they arrive at the final unbeaten.

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Rather than panic, they have trusted their systems and each other.

That collective resilience will be tested to its limit by a Nenagh CBS side steeped in experience and belief. The North Tipperary school lifted their breakthrough Harty Cup at this same venue in 2024 and return with a core group that knows exactly what the occasion demands.

Eoghan Doughan, now captain, has been outstanding throughout the campaign, contributing 4-39 en route to the final. Alongside him, Austin Duff remains a major threat, while the influence of last year’s winning captain, Darragh McCarthy, continues to loom large despite his move into Donach O’Donnell’s backroom team.

For Nenagh, continuity has been a strength rather than a comfort blanket. Several members of the current panel were part of that 2024 triumph, and O’Donnell believes the balance between experience and depth is stronger again this year.

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The manager highlights the competition for places across a 43-man panel, with extensive game time shared throughout the campaign. It is a luxury that allows Nenagh to tailor their bench to different challenges – a factor that proved decisive when they dethroned reigning champions Thurles CBS in a sold-out semi-final in Templederry.

Flannan’s manager Brendan Bugler has been aware of the quality in his group for some time. Long before this run, he saw signs of something special when the year-group was split into two teams for the Clare schools competition, both of which ended up meeting in the county final after beating all other opposition.

That potential has now translated onto the Munster stage, but Bugler is clear-eyed about the task facing his side.

Nenagh, he notes, boast a significant number of players already exposed to adult hurling at club level – experience that can accelerate development and sharpen decision-making under pressure. Flannan’s have fewer players with that background, making Saturday their most demanding test yet.

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To lift the cup, Bugler believes nothing less than a full, relentless performance will suffice.

All the ingredients are in place for a compelling final: recent history, contrasting journeys, proven scorers, and two squads that know each other inside out. Familiarity, however, rarely dulls a rivalry at this level. If anything, it sharpens it.

On Saturday afternoon in Ennis, one side will add another chapter to their growing legacy. The other will finally turn hard-earned lessons into silverware.

TUS Dr Harty Cup Final

St Flannan’s College, Ennis v Nenagh CBS

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📍 Zimmer Biomet Páirc Chíosóg

🕐 Saturday, January 31st – 1pm


LiveScores Now Available at IrishScores.com

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Sports

Kaulig Racing CEO Chris Rice breaks silence on Daniel Dye’s suspension

Published

7 minutes ago

on

19 March 2026

By

Kaulig Racing CEO Chris Rice addressed the Daniel Dye situation, days after the young driver was indefinitely suspended by both the team and NASCAR. Following Dye’s controversial comments, Rice urged him to learn from the mistake and move forward.

The situation stemmed from a Whatnot livestream in which Dye spoke about Team Penske IndyCar driver David Malukas, while opening card packs. During the stream, the RAM Truck Series driver used an inappropriate tone to mock Malukas, prompting disciplinary action.

NASCAR penalized him under Section 4.3.C, while Kaulig Racing immediately followed suit. The incident triggered mandatory sensitivity training for Daniel Dye before any potential return. Chris Rice publicly acknowledged both the personal and professional dimensions of the situation.

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“First and foremost, Randy (his father, Randy Dye), Daniel, those guys are family to us. And very unfortunate situation that arose this week that we got aware of. There’re protocols and different things that has to happen in NASCAR. We’re in a sport today that we’ve a lot of people that watch us. We’ve a lot of partners that are involved and when that happens, it’s a lot of people you’ve to talk to and figure out what we need to do to move forward.”

Chris Rice pointed to a broader responsibility tied to the sport’s visibility and commercial structure, where teams must balance internal relationships with external expectations. However, he wanted to look ahead.

“One thing about this is that we always learn from our mistakes, including me. I made many, many mistakes over my life, and I probably have not done making mistakes. And we just (get) stronger when we get to the other side of it. So that is the main thing that we have to look at… You look at the NASCAR community and everybody else that we just not, there’s a lot of eyes and ears on us now. A lot of TV cameras, a lot of cameras all around us and we have to really pay attention to what’s going on.”

Daniel Dye, 22, started the 2026 NASCAR Truck Series season with three mid-pack finishes and was 13th in the standings. He made a few starts in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series before the incident halted his campaign.

Kaulig Racing names AJ Allmendinger as replacement for Daniel Dye at Darlington

Kaulig Racing has already confirmed its short-term solution for the No. 10 RAM Truck. They announced earlier in the week:

“AJ Allmendinger will drive the Kaulig Racing No. 10 Truck Friday at Darlington Raceway.”

AJ Allmendinger competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series for Kaulig Racing and now steps into the Truck Series role. He has prior experience across all three national divisions, with his most recent Truck outing coming in 2021. He now pulls double duty at the 1.366-mile track.

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