Corn Uí Mhuirí Football Q-Final – St. Brendan’s, Killarney 2-15 Intermediate School, Killorglin 1-9

Slick St Brendan’s show the stuff of champions

St. Brendan’s, Killarney 2-15 Intermediate School, Killorglin 1-9

by Brendan Larkin for the Irish Examiner newspaper

Thursday, January 27, 2011

CHAMPIONS St. Brendan’s, Killarney had little difficulty beating Intermediate School Killorglin in a disappointing Corn Ui Mhuiri quarter-final at Listry yesterday. Playing superb football, the Sem were never headed after the talented Brian O’Shea kicked them in front with a point in the second minute, and it was very much a case of how much the Killarney school would win by. They laid the foundations for their victory up front where, apart from O’Shea, Conor Keane and Tom Moriarty sparkled. Keane, in particular, gave the ISK defence a torrid time.

County minor Gary O’Leary ruled the roost at midfield, while in defence Colin Tobin and Killian Fitzgerald were never beaten. ISK were a big disappointment. They could never come to grips with the excellent team work of their opponents though they did threaten to make game of it with a Jack O’Connor goal just after half time which cut the deficit to four points. However, they failed to build on it and were a well beaten side at the final whistle. There was a great competitive edge to the clash in the opening minutes but, after the sides exchanged points, there was an air of inevitably about the outcome after Tom Moriarty slipped home Brendan’s opening goal in the 10th minute.

Brendan’s class was evident from early on and playing some delightful football they kicked five points without reply to lead 1-9 to 0-1 after 20 minutes. And it could have been a goal more but for an excellent save by ISK keeper Sean Lillis to deny Pádraig Nagle. Killorglin moved full-forward Gary O’Sullivan to midfield for the remainder of the first-half and he was very influential as they finished the half strongly with a brace of points by Gavin Nolan.

Maintaining their first-half finish, ISK threw down the gauntlet on the change over with a Timmy Walsh point and a cracking goal by Jack O’Connor after a great run. Game on now. However, the champions had the ability to step up a couple of gears when danger threatened and nipped any hint of an ISK recovery with three unanswered points by Brian O’Shea, and a Paul Nagle goal to lead 2-14 to 1-5 at the three quarter-stage.

All credit to the Killorglin school, they kept plugging away and added three points in a row. But they only served to make the final scoreline more respectable.

Scorers for St. Brendan’s: B. O’Shea 0-7 (0-5 frees); T. Moriarty, P. Nagle 1-0 each; C. Keane 0-3; C. Horan, G. O’Leary 0-2 each; K. Murphy 0-1 (free).

ISK: G. Nolan 0-5 (0-4 frees); J. O’Connor 1-0; T, Walsh 0-3 (0-1 free); N. Breen 0-1.

ST. BRENDANS: D. Cronin; M. Egan, D. O’Leary, A. Slattery; J. Devane, C. Tobin, K. Fitzgerald; K. Murphy, G. O’Leary; N. Duggan, P. Nagle, C. Horan; T. Moriarty, B. O’Shea, C. Keane.

Subs: D. O’Donoghue for D. O’Leary (25); K. McCarthy for Duggan (40); D. Stack for Keane (45); J. Aherne for O’Shea (50); M McCarthy for Egan (55).

Intermediate School, Killorglin: S. Lellis; S. O’Sullivan, G. Nagle, K. O’Sullivan; P. Foley, K, Courtney, S. Lehane; J. O’Connor, F. Hallessy; D. O’Sullivan, K. Sheehan, E. O’Sullivan; G. Nolan, G. O’Sullivan, T. Walsh.

Subs: N, Breen for K. O’Sullivan (20); A. Gamble for Sheehan (50); M. McKenna for Foley (50); S. Daly for Nolan (55).

Referee: E. Walsh (Rathmore)