Corn Ui Mhuiri Football Quarter-Final – St Brendans 2-18 PS Chorcha Dhuibhne 0-9

St Brendans defeated PS Chorcha Dhuibhne by 2-18 to 0-9 in the Corn Ui Mhuiri Football Quarter-Final on Wednesday at Milltown.

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St Brendan’s turn on the power

Report By Eoghan Cormican for the Irish Examiner newspaper

St Brendan’s, Killarney 2-18 Pobalscoil Chorca Dhuibhne 0-9: A dominant second-half performance from St Brendan’s – in which the favourites outscored their opponents 2-10 to 0-2 – eased the Killarney outfit into the penultimate round of the Corn Uí Mhuirí.

When these two colleges collided at the quarter-final juncture 12 months ago, it was Pobalscoil Chorca Dhuibhne who arrived into Dr Crokes’ field as reigning Corn Uí Mhuirí and Hogan Cup champions. St Brendan’s, the challengers on that occasion, brought to an end the Dingle school’s four-year dominance within Munster with a powerful display and the roles were very much reversed yesterday as Pobalscoil Chorca Dhuibhne came as challengers, hoping to unseat last year’s provincial and All-Ireland champions.

Alas, their challenge ran aground early in the second period. With this quarter-final finely poised at 0-8 to 0-7 at the break, St Brendan’s cut loose upon the restart and hit 1-4 without reply between the 33rd and 40th minute to move 1-13 to 0-8 clear.

Dara Moynihan and Donnchadh O’Sullivan, who terrorised the Dingle defence throughout, established the first bit of daylight when kicking successive points to leave the scoreboard reading 0-11 to 0-8 in their favour. It was the first time more than two points had separated the sides – the teams were level on six occasions during a somewhat stop-start opening.

O’Sullivan would provide the contest’s opening goal on 35 minutes, collecting and finishing Cian Gammell’s through ball. A placed ball effort from the Firies centre-forward and a fantastic score involving the lively Jack Griffin, Ciaran Flynn and finished by corner-back Sean O’Leary followed thereafter to leave Pobalscoil Chorca Dhuibhne in serious bother.

The Dingle outfit had delivered a rousing second-half performance to push St Brendan’s to a point in last October’s Kerry colleges final, but no such resistance was offered here and a Cathal Firtéar free on 43 minutes woule prove their last score of the afternoon. O’Sullivan (0-2, 0-1 free) and Moynihan continued to wreak havoc and the former, along with full-forward Mark O’Shea, was centrally involved in sub Michéal Devlin’s 56th minute goal.

Half-back Jack Griffin was rewarded for his many darting runs with a point late on. He was part of a defence which, having been stretched early on, completely shut up shop upon the change of ends. Most noticeable was the sight of three green shirts on the St Brendan’s 20-metre line each time Chorca Dhuibhne sought to engineer a score.

Ruadhán MacCárthaigh and Mícheál Ó Beoláin had enjoyed plenty of success when attacking down the right; the latter knocked over four first-half frees, while MacCárthaigh notched two fine points from distance. Their failure, however, to raise a gallop in the second-half was to prove their downfall.

Gary McGrath’s students now advance to meet St Flannan’s in the semi-final for a second successive season. Full-forward David Shaw, who missed yesterday’s game due to his presence in Florida at an AFL Academy camp, is expected to be home for the fixture.

Scorers for St Brendan’s, Killarney: D O’Sullivan (1-7, 0-4 frees); D Moynihan (0-5); M Devlin (1-0); S O’Leary, J Griffin, B Courtney (0-1 free), N McCarthy, M O’Shea, M Hartnett (0-1 each).

Scorers for Pobalscoil Chorca Dhuibhne: M Ó Beoláin (0-4, 0-4 frees); R MacCárthaigh (0-2); C Firtéar (0-1 free), L Ó Bambaire, D Uosis (0-1 each).

St Brendan’s, Killarney: R Osborne (Legion); C Callaghan (Firies), C O’Donoghue (Glenflesk), S O’Leary (Kilcummin); J Griffin (Dr Crokes), M Potts (Dr Crokes), E Cosgrave (Firies); B Courtney (Dr Crokes), C Gammell (Legion); D Moynihan (Spa), D O’Sullivan (Firies), N Donoghue (Firies); N McCarthy (Spa), M O’Shea (Dr Crokes), C Flynn (Firies)
Subs: L McMonagle (Dr Crokes) for Cosgrave (47 mins); M Devlin (Legion) for McCarthy (53); M Hartnett (Dr Crokes) for Flynn (56); B Keane (Listry) for Donoghue (56); B Slattery (Legion) for Callaghan, O O’Donoghue ( Glenflesk) for Griffin (both 60).

Pobalscoil Chorca Dhuibhne: E Ó Brosnacháin (Daingean Uí Chúis); G Ó Leidhinn (Abha na Scáil), C Ó Muircheartaigh (Abha na Scáil), F Ó Cuanaigh (An Ghaeltacht); M Ághas (Daingean Uí Chúis), B Ó Conchúir (Daingean ÚI Chúis), F Sauerland (An Ghaeltacht); P Pól Sauerland (An Ghaeltacht), R MacCárthaigh (Daingean Úi Chúis); M Ó Beoláin (Daingean Uí Chúis), C Firtéar (Abha na Scáil), T Ó Dubháin (Daingean Uí Chúis); C Ó Failbhe (Abha na Scáil), L Ó Bambaire (An Ghaeltacht), D Uosis (Daingea Uí Chuis)
Subs: A MacAmhlaoibh (An Ghaeltacht) for Ó Beoláin (47); R Ó Beaglaoich (An Ghaeltacht) for Uosis (53); S Ó Conchúir (An Ghaeltacht) for Ó Failbhe (56)

Referee: E Walsh (Kerry).

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When – Wednesday January 18th at 1:30pm
Where – Milltown
Referee – Eddie Walsh (Kerry)
Next Round – The winners will play the winners of St Flannans and Mercy Mounthawk in the Semi-Final on Saturday February 4th.

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Admission Prices
Adults – €5
Students / OAP’s – €3

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Results to Date

PS Chorcha Dhuibhne
Group D Round 1 – P.S Chorcha Dhuibhne 1-21 P.S Rathmore 3-6
Group D Round 2 – P.S Chorcha Dhuibhne 0-13 St. Fachtnas Skibbereen 0-6
Group D Round 3 – St Flannans 0-9 P.S Chorcha Dhuibhne 0-5

St Brendans
Group C Round 1 – St Brendans Killarney 2-23 I.S. Killorglin 1-7
Group C Round 2 – St Brendans Killarney 1-15 De La Salle College Macroom 1-8
Group C Round 3 – St Brendans Killarney 2-24 Árdscoil Uí Urmaltaigh Bandon 0-8

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Match Preview

The undoubted clash of the Quarter-Round in the Corn Ui Mhuiri Football competition is the meeting of Kerry rivals Pobalscoil Chorcha Dhuibhne and St Brendans. Pobalscoil Chorca Dhuibhne won this title four years in succession from 2012 to 2015 before being dethroned last year when St. Brendans Killarney captured Corn Ui Mhuiri and Hogan Cup honours. The schools met at this stage of the competition last season at Lewis Road where St. Brendans ran out comprehensive winners on a scoreline of 1-14 to 0-4, the goal coming from David Clifford.

Pobalscoil Chorcha Dhuibhne’s quest to return to the top table in this competition began well in the group stages before Christmas courtesy of victories over P.S Rathmore (9 points) and St. Fachtnas Skibbereen (7 points). However, in the final round of the group stages, Pobalscoil Chorcha Dhuibhne lost out by four points to St. Flannans to finish second in Group D. The Dingle school will look to forwards Killian Falvey, Deividas Usosis and Liam Bambury to record the scores to dethrone the defending champions.

St. Brendans on the other hand have been very impressive in the group stages, defeating I.S. Killorglin, De La Salle College Macroom and Árdscoil Uí Urmaltaigh Bandon by a combined 48 points to demonstrate their ambitions to retain their Munster and All-Ireland titles at this grade. Six of last year’s starting line-up are available for selection this season and they have looked a formidable outfit in this year’s competition to date.

Eddie Walsh is the man in the middle for this one on Wednesday next with a 1:30pm throw-in at Milltown.

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Radio Kerry Preview