2022/2023 TUS Corn Uí Mhuirí (Under 19 A Football) Semi-Final – St. Francis College Rochestown 1-10 CSN Bishopstown 0-7

St. Francis College Rochestown defeated CSN Bishopstown by 1-10 to 0-7 in the TUS Corn Uí Mhuirí (Under 19 A Football) Semi-Final on Saturday January 28th at Mallow.

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Match Highlights

Highlights as @RocoCork see off @CSNCork to book their place in the @MunsterPPS Corn Uí Mhuirí Final! @StreamSportI | @TUS_ie https://t.co/bOWnpi4YEi

— Munster GAA (@MunsterGAA) January 28, 2023

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Comfortable victory sends Rochestown into first Corn Uí Mhuirí final since 2015 https://t.co/Y35fGlJaR3

— Irish Examiner Sport (@ExaminerSport) January 28, 2023

Comfortable victory sends Rochestown into first Corn Uí Mhuirí final since 2015

Corn Uí Mhuirí semi-final: St Francis College, Rochestown 1-10 Coláiste an Spioraid Naoimh, Bishopstown 0-7

Report by Eoghan Cormican for the Irish Examiner newspaper

And so it falls to St Francis College, Rochestown. The last Cork school standing of the five that made the Corn Uí Mhuirí quarter-finals, responsibility for breaking the Kerry stranglehold on this competition sits with them.

Roco’s comfortable victory in this afternoon’s all-Cork semi-final books the city school a first final appearance since 2015. That was also the last time a Cork school reached the decider.

Pobalscoil Chorca Dhuibhne edged the Roco class of 2015, after a replay, meaning you have to go back to Coláiste Chríost Rí in 2011 for the last time a Cork school held aloft the silverware for Munster’s premier schools football competition.

The last 10 editions of the Corn Uí Mhuirí have been shared by three Kerry schools. The challenge for Rochestown is to prevent an 11th consecutive season ending with success for a Kingdom nursery. Their final opponents will be reigning champions St Brendan’s College, Killarney. The final is slated for two weeks from today.

Despite not scoring their first point from play until the 26th minute, St Francis led 0-5 to 0-4 at the interval.

The winners had struggled for so long to plug gaps in a parked and organised Bishopstown defence. At one point midway through the first half, Rochestown midfielder Mark O’Rourke, encircled by a cluster of red shirts 30 metres from the opposition posts, handpassed possession to nobody and the attack broke down. It was just one of many similar examples.

Rob Hanley finally had Rochestown on the mark from play after 26 minutes. The beginning of a mini burst. Next up was Cork U20 hurler Kevin Lyons, his 30th minute point capping an impressive first half shift from the Roco midfielder. Completing the Rochestown three-in-a-row was Evan O’Connor, his point originating from a turnover by Coláiste an Spioraid Naoimh’s Odhran Foley at the other end of the field.

Robert Quirke’s free for Bishopstown in the fourth minute of first half injury time was their first white flag since Gary Holland put them 0-3 to 0-1 in front 10 minutes in.

Rochestown’s lead swelled to four in the fourth minute of the second period, Mark O’Rourke collecting the breaking ball and scrambling it to the net. Corner-back Tim O’Brien split the posts two minutes later, the winners now having outscored their opponents 1-5 to 0-1 from the 10th minute onward.

Four was as close as the Bishopstown students got during a scrappy and stop-start second half. It was in keeping with what was a poor game lacking any semblance of fluidity. And so while delighted to be back in the final, Rochestown won’t need telling that they’ll have to pull a performance from a much higher draw next time out.

Derry Howard could have had a second goal for Rochestown, his effort well kept out by Sean Cronin. Sean Coakley and Evan O’Connor, both frees, completed their tally.

Scorers for St Francis College, Rochestown: S Coakley (0-3, 0-3 frees); M O’Rourke (1-0); E O’Connor (0-1 free), R Hanley (0-2 each); T O’Brien, D Howard (0-1 free), K Lyons (0-1 each).

Coláiste an Spioraid Naoimh, Bishopstown: A O’Sullivan (0-2, 0-1 free); R Quirke (0-1 free), D O’Donovan, G Holland, B Cahill, K McFadden (0-1 each).

ST FRANCIS COLLEGE, ROCHESTOWN: M O’Carroll (St Michael’s); F Leahy (St Michael’s), D Buckley (Douglas), T O’Brien (Nemo Rangers); C O’Neill (Nemo Rangers), L Dwane Fogarty (Douglas), D O’Callaghan (Douglas); K Lyons (Ballygarvan), M O’Rourke (Cobh); R Hanley (Douglas), D Howard (Shamrocks), O McAdoo (St Michael’s); S Coakley (Douglas), B Fraher (Nemo Rangers), E O’Connor (Ballygarvan).
Subs: C O’Keeffe (Douglas) for Fraher (44); B Kelliher (Carrigaline) for O’Rourke (46); T Vaughan (Carrigaline) for Howard (53, inj).

COLÁISTE AN SPIORAID NAOIMH, BISHOPSTOWN: S Cronin (Bishopstown); C Dineen (Inniscarra), J Byrne (Ballinora), M Ahern (St Finbarr’s); D O’Donovan (Bishopstown), M O’Brien (Ballinora), K Murphy (Bishopstown); T O’Keeffe (St Finbarr’s), A Laverty (Ballinora); A O’Sullivan (Ballinhassig), O Foley (Bishopstown), G Holland (Bishopstown); B Cahill (Bishopstown), S Connolly (Inniscarra), R Quirke (Ballinora).
Subs: K McFadden (Bishopstown) for Foley (HT); K Werner (Ballinora) for Cahill (49); M O’Connor (Éire Óg) for Connolly (56); D Byrne (Ballinora) for O’Donovan (61, inj).

Referee: M Murphy (Kerry).

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Ticket Information

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Students / OAPs – €5

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