Corn Uí Mhuirí: Coláiste Choilm lose to St Brendan's in opener

St Brendan’s College 6-9

Coláiste Choilm 0-11

Coláiste Choilm fell to defeat in their TUS Corn Uí Mhuirí opener on Wednesday as holders St Brendan’s College pulled clear in the second half.

While the scoreline at the end of the game in Banteer showed a 16-point gap between the sides, that doesn’t do justice to a Coláiste Choilm effort that saw them battle back from four points down to level in the first half. It was only when St Brendan’s of Killarney struck for their third goal just before the three-quarter mark, opening up a six-point lead, that the outcome took on an inevitability as Coláiste Choilm struggled to make inroads against the stiff breeze.

The champions were ruthless in the way they kept going, with two injury-time goals giving a lopsided look to the bottom line. Naturally, it was a disappointing finish for Coláiste Choilm after only scoring a point in the second half but, when the draw was made, the likelihood was that Brendan’s would be topping the group with the Ballincollig school battling St Flannan’s College of Ennis and Mallow’s Patrician Academy for the other qualification spot.

With the considetable elements behind them in the first half, Coláiste Choilm took an early lead with a free from Cork minor hurler David O’Leary but St Brendan’s took control of the early stages after that.

They moved into a 0-3 to 0-1 lead as Calum Cronin, Oisín Fleming and Alex Hennigan all scored points. Josh McCarthy did pull one back for Coláiste Choilm before Timmy Moynihan’s point for Brendan’s was followed by their first goal, Calum Cronin setting up Alex Hennigan.

By the time Hennigan got his second point of the game on 18 minutes, Brendan’s held a 1-5 to 0-4 advantage but Coláiste Choilm responded well. Impressive midfielder Darragh Clifford brought his tally to three points before centre-back Brian Dore pointed.

Johnny Galvin cut the lead to just a point and then, when Danny Miskella won the Brendan’s kickout, Seán O’Neill tied the game, 1-5 to 0-8.

Unfortunately for Coláiste Choilm, they couldn’t find a lead score. Hennigan put Brendan’s back in front with a well-taken mark before he raised another green flag, Cronin again the provider.

Even so, good points from O’Neill and Miskella sent Coláiste Choilm in at half-time trailing by just two points, 2-6 to 0-10.

The scoring rate dropped considerable in the early period of the second half, despite the conditions remaining the same. Brendan’s wasted chances to move further in front, with a Hennigan free the only score of the opening ten minutes, though Coláiste Choilm had to be thankful to goalkeeper Caolán Walsh for a good save to deny Oisín Fleming another Brendan’s goal.

However, on 43 they did find the net again as a loose pass out of defence was intercepted by Pádraig O’Donoghue, who set up Cronin for a super finish. The closest Coláiste Choilm came to a goal was a low show wide by Johnny Galvin but any doubts were put to bed as centre-back Jamie Moynihan had Brendan’s fourth goal on 54 to made it 4-8 to 0-1.

Miskella did end the Coláiste Choilm drought towards the end but Cronin and Luke O’Neill added further Brendan’s goals.

Next up for Coláiste Choilm in football is an all-Cork clash against Patrician Academy, when schools return after the mid-term break, while they meet Limerick’s Ardscoil Rís in the Dr Harty Cup next Wednesday.

Scorers for St Brendan’s College: A Hennigan 2-4 (0-1f, 0-1m), C Cronin 2-1, L O’Neill 1-0, O Fleming, T Moynihan, C Fleming, T O’Gorman 0-1 each.

Coláiste Choilm: D Clifford 0-3, D Miskella, S O’Neill 0-2 each, B Dore, J Galvin (0-1f), D O’Leary (0-1f), J McCarthy 0-1 each.

ST BRENDAN’S COLLEGE: S O’Meara; B O’Sullivan, D Stack, L Daly; L O’Neill, J Moynihan, C Fleming; J O’Sullivan, O O’Neill; J Kelleher, C Cronin, T Moynihan; P O’Donoghue, A Hennigan, O Fleming.

Subs: T O’Gorman for Kelleher (45), A Byrne for Daly (48), R Harnett for O’Donoghue (53), E O’Neill for O O’Neill (55).

COLÁISTE CHOILM: C Walsh (Ballincollig); C Malone (Éire Óg), T McGrath (Valley Rovers), L Harris (Ballincollig); C Clifford (Éire Óg), B Dore (Ballincollig), C O’Connor (Ballincollig); B O’Connell (Ballincollig), D Clifford (Éire Óg); F O’Leary (Éire Óg), D O’Leary (Ballincollig), S O’Neill (Ballincollig); J McCarthy (Éire Óg), J Galvin (Éire Óg), D Miskella (Ballincollig).

Sub: C Aherne (Ballincollig) for McCarthy (57).

Referee: D Hickey (Cork).