Corn Uí Mhuirí Senior A Football Semi-final – P.S. Corcha Dhuibhne 0-14 Tralee CBS 0-9

Awesome Ó Sé leads Chorca Dhuibhne

Pobalscoil Chorca Dhuibhne 0-14 Tralee CBS 0-09

by Murt Murphy for the Irish Examiner newspaper

Last year’s defeated finalists Pobalscoil Chorca Dhuibhne deservedly beat a brave Tralee CBS side in a keenly contested Corn Uí Mhuirí semi-final at the Dr Crokes Grounds, Killarney yesterday. PS Chorca Dhuibhne dominated for long periods thanks to the inspirational play of Padraig Ó Se (son of Kerry legend Páidí) at centre-back, Barra Ó Suilleabhain and Eanna Ó Conchuir at midfield and the strong running of Dara Ó Sé on the forty.

PS Chorca Dhuibhne raced into a 0-4 to 0-0 lead inside the opening 11 minutes, thanks to points from Barra Ó Suilleabhain, Micheal Ó Flannura, Tomas Ó Caomhanaigh (free) and wing back Padraig Ó Dubhain. The West Kerry side were denied a goal in the 14th minute when Eanna Reidy turned a Tom Kavanagh piledriver around the post for a ‘45’.

Tralee CBS eventually got going in the 15th minute with a fine point from wing back Tom McLoughlin. Tralee then hit three unanswered points from Jack Savage (2) and one from Greg Horan to close the gap to a single point, but late points from Barra Ó Suilleabhain and Dara Ó Sé saw PS Chorca Dhuibhne lead 0-6 to 0-4 at the interval. The sides were level on 0-7 apiece by the 40th minute as Tralee CBS, largely due to the efforts of Tom McLoughlin, Sean Moloney, Jack Savage and Greg Horan.

Padraig Ó Se’s shackling of Tralee’s dangerman Niall Sheehy proved crucial as the game progressed. Chorca Dhuibhne suddenly stepped it up a notch and two superb points from their Frewen Cup star Brian Ó Raoill in the 41st and 42nd minutes, settled his side. Driven on by the imperious Ó Se, Chorca Dhuibhne finished the stronger with four Dara Ó Sé frees and now they face De La Salle, Macroom on March 4 in Fitzgerald Stadium.

Scorers for Pobalscoil Chorca Dhuibhne: D Ó Sé 0-6 (0-4 frees), B Ó Suilleabhain and B Ó Raoill 0-2 each, T Ó Caomhanaigh 0-1 free, P Ó Dubhain, J Ó Suilleabhain and M Ó Flannura 0-1 each.

Tralee CBS scorers: J Savage 0-3 (0-2 frees), S Moloney 0-2, T McLoughlin, G Horan, N Sheehy, and R Quill 0-1 each.

Pobalscoil Chorca Dhuibhne: G Ó Currain; P Ó Conchuir, C Ó Luing, T Ó Suilleabhain; P Ó Dubhain, P Ó Sé, M Ó Flatharta; B Ó Suilleabhain, E Ó Conchuir; B Ó Raoill, Dara Ó Se, J Ó Suilleabhain; S Ó hUallacháin, T Ó Caomhanaigh, M Ó Flannura.

Subs: P Breathnach for B Ó Suilleabhain (inj 40), M Ó Ciobhain for P Ó Dubhain (53) , C Ó Bambaire for S Ó hUallacháin (56) E Ó Muircheartaigh for B Ó Raoill (60).

Tralee CBS: E Reidy; M Donnelly, S O’Connor, T Begley; T McLoughlin, D Moynihan, J Moran; G Horan, M Wrenn; J Savage, N Sheehy, S Moloney; C Jordan, D Carroll, R Quill.

Subs: E Mac Allen for J Moran (45), A Kastrati for R Quill (54)

Referee: Eddie Walsh (Rathmore)