2022/2023 Frewen Cup (Under 16.5 A Football) Final – Tralee CBS 3-11 St Francis College Rochestown 2-9

Tralee CBS surge to edge Rochestown in Frewen Cup final

Munster PPS U16.5 (Frewen Cup) FC final

Tralee CBS 3-11 St Francis College Rochestown 2-9

Report by Mortimer Murphy for the Irish Examiner newspaper

TRALEE CBS won their first Frewen Cup since 2011 when they fought back to dominate the second period, outscoring Rochestown 1-8 to 0-3 in this free-flowing Munster PPS junipr football final in Banteer on Wednesday.

It was an amazing turnaround by the Green as Rochestown appeared to be in complete control for the opening 25 minutes of this game.

They punished Tralee CBS mistakes at the back and then forced turnovers as the Kerry side struggled to kick any scores. Incredibly Rochestown were 2-5 to 0-2 clear when Sean Coakley converted a close in free in the 23rd minute of the half.

The Rochestown goals came from Cork minor Coakley in the 10th minute and two minute later a defensive error by Tralee allowed his Douglas club colleague Jimmy Harte to net a second goal.

Two points from the excellent Mark O’Brien and two frees from Coakley along with a fine effort from Dara O’Sullivan saw Rocco move nine clear and it looked game over.

But while Tralee CBS had kicked five wides and turned the ball over twice from the 17th to the 26th minute, they got a lifeline five minutes before the break that appeared to deflate Rochestown, who never recovered from the two sucker punches.

The fightback started in the 28th minute when midfielder Maurice Lenihan intercepted a poor kickout to kick a point. This was quickly followed by a sweeping Tralee CBS move that saw Ronan Carroll set up Ryan O’Driscoll to goal.

Then another superb run by Ronan Carroll saw him being pulled back as he shot for a goal and the referee pointed to the spot. Carroll expertly dispatched the spot kick into the bottom corner of the net.

Mark O’Brien converted a last second free for Rochestown and although they retired 2-6 to 2-3 in front at half time, momentum was now firmly with Tralee CBS.

The Kerry side more or less secured the win when Ronan Carroll left a trail of defenders in his wake, before levelling the contest with a superb goal in the 34th minute and three unanswered points from the outstanding Carroll, Gearóid White and danger man Ryan O’Driscoll put Tralee CBS firmly in control midway through the second half.

Rochestown just could not get Sean Coakley enough ball and they only added 0-3 in a 35 minute long second half while Tralee CBS added five points in the final quarter with Hugh Lenihan scoring the pick of them, as the Green regained the Frewen Cup after over a decade.

Scorers for Tralee CBS: R Carroll (2-3, 1-0 pen, 1f), R O’Driscoll (1-2), H Lenihan (0-2), F Ryan, M Lenihan, G White and T Quilter (0-1 each).

Scorers for Rochestown: S Coakley (1-3, 3 frees), M O’Brien (0-4, 3f), J Harte (1-0), D O’Sullivan and P McGrath (0-1 each).

TRALEE CBS: Ó O’Halloran (Ardfert); E Moriarty (Ballymac), R Hickey (Churchill), S Turner (Ballymac); F Ryan (Austin Stacks), S Óg Brosnan (Austin Stacks), E O’Flaherty (Ardfert); K Best (Ardfert), M Lenihan (Churchill); H Lenihan (Churchill), R Carroll (Austin Stacks), P Brosnan (Moyvane); D Corridan (Ardfert), R O’Driscoll (Austin Stacks), G White (John Mitchels).
Subs: S Hickey (Churchill) for D Corridan (Ardfert), M O’Sullivan (Churchill) for S Óg Brosnan (both 39), T Quilter (Churchill) for E O’Flaherty (63).

ST FRANCIS COLLEGE ROCHESTOWN: J Lyons (Nemo Rangers); C Lowney (Tracton), R Sisk (Crosshaven), B Murphy (Carrigaline); D Kelly (St Finbarr’s), L Kelliher (Douglas), K Kavanagh (Douglas); B Twohig (Nemo Rangers), A Moloney ( Ballygarvan); J Harte (Douglas), D Reddington (Douglas), D O’Sullivan (Nemo Rangers); S Coakley (Douglas), M O’Brien (Douglas), P McGrath (Douglas).
Subs: J O’Brien (Douglas) for D Kelly (350, J Mouret (Douglas) for R Sisk (45), E Cummins (Cobh) for D O’Sullivan (52), R O’Riordan (St Michael’s) for J Harte (52), A Sheehy (Nemo Rangers) for A Moloney (52).

Referee: T McGlinchey (Tipperary)