Mount St Michael hit Midleton CBS for three goals in entertaining football final

Mount St Michael, Rosscarbery 3-11 Midleton CBS 0-9 

MOUNT St Michael upped the gears in the second half at MTU Cork to capture the Cork Colleges Senior B Football title.

After defeat on the Munster stage, the Rosscarbery school ended the season on a high, playing a fine brand of football, with a strong presence at midfield and a good spread of scorers. Ahead 1-6 to 0-6 at half-time and turning around to play against wind, a Peader O'Rourke goal after 40 minutes gave them a commanding 2-8 to 0-8 advantage before Conor Twomey sent John Keating through to seal the deal entering the last quarter.

John Keating pounced for two goals, O'Rourke, younger brother of Cork senior John, chipped in with 1-3, while Ciarán Santry and Ben Linehan nabbed a couple of points from play each as well. 

Wing-back Owen Tobin was a standout too, marauding up field throughout. Seamus O'Mahony, Michael Maguire and Oisin O'Sullivan processed a lot of ball in the middle third, while keeper Daragh Twomey pulled off an excellent save to deny Scott Whyte in the first half.

Midleton CBS stopper Cian O'Shea also had to be alert to prevent two goals in a frantic first 10 minutes, which saw them go 0-4 to 0-1 up. Cork U20 hurler Ciarmhac Smyth was prominent, along with hard-running midfielder David Joseph, with Fintan Cody, Daniel Murnane (a Cork minor hurler this season) and Eoin Motherway dangerous in attack.

Rosscarbery settled and pressed high on Midleton's kick-outs, nabbing 1-4 without reply, through Maguire, a Santry free, two Linehan points, and then the opening goal, Denis White teeing up Keating to finish from close range.

The East Cork side answered with a lovely Motherway score and another from Cody on the loop, with Tobin striking for Ross in between. 

That gave the underdogs a chance in the second half, given the strength of the breeze, but Mike Keohane and James O'Sullivan's charges had other ideas. Midleton were forced to chase goals late on, with the Mount St Michael full-back line standing firm.

Scorers for Mount St Michael: J Keating 2-0, P O’Rourke 1-3, C Santry, B Linehan (0-1 f) 0-3 each, M Maguire, O Tobin 0-1 each.

Midleton CBS: F Cody 0-5 (0-3 f), D Murnane 0-3, E Motherway 0-1.

MOUNT ST MICHAEL: D Twomey (Carbery Rangers); L Tobin (Kilmacabea), N Keane (Carbery Rangers), C O’Regan (Clann na Gael); E O’Donovan (Kilmacabea), S O’Mahony (Carbery Rangers), O Tobin (Kilmacabea); O O’Sullivan (Kilmeen), M Maguire (Carbery Rangers); C Twomey (do), P O’Rourke (do), D White (St James); B Linehan (Carbery Rangers), C Santry (do), J Keating (Kilmacabea).

Subs: C O’Sullivan (Kilmeen) and C Cuinnea (Carbery Rangers) for Linehan and Keating (59).

MIDLETON CBS: C O’Shea (Aghada); J Kelleher (Lisgoold), J Colbert (Aghada), J Corkery (do); C Smyth (Midleton), D Collins (Aghada), Darragh McCarthy (Midleton); G Walsh Wallace (Killeagh), D Joseph (Carrigtwohill); L McGrath (Midleton), F Cody (Aghada), D Murnane (Carrigtwohill); R Murphy (Aghada), S Whyte (do), E Motherway (do).

Subs: S O’Callaghan (Aghada) for Whyte (40), S O’Shea (Aghada) for Kelleher (50), L Criven (Carrigtwohill) for Murnane (55).

Referee: N O’Mahony (Newcestown).