Corn Uí Mhuirí: Rochestown overcome the elements and Coachford to book quarter-final spot

St Francis College Rochestown 2-14 Coachford College 0-3 

IN the battle of the Colleges, it was St Francis College Rochestown that got the better of Coachford College in the Corn Uí Mhuirí preliminary quarter-final tie at Bishopstown on Wednesday afternoon.

In this all-Cork derby, it was very much a one-sided contest, with Rochestown much the slicker outfit against a Coachford team who just didn’t reach the same levels as previous games.

In difficult conditions with heavy rain and driving wind throughout the encounter, it was Rochestown who started the better as they kicked the first two points inside the first 10 minutes through Tomás Vaughan, one of which was a mark from a difficult angle.

It was all Rochestown as they tacked on four unanswered points. Eoin O’Flynn’s point from an acute angle despite under pressure from the defenders was the pick of the scores.

Coachford, who are in the prestigious competition for the first time this season, got their first score after 20 minutes through a fine Seán O’Hanlon effort, outside of the boot, super score.

Rochestown hit two of the next three points as they led 0-8 to 0-2 after 27 minutes. Rob Hanley and a Vaughan free gave Rochestown a 0-10 to 0-2 advantage at the break.

The one way traffic continued into the second-half, with the city outfit raising a white flag a minute into the new half through an O’Flynn free. Rochestown created a goal opportunity four minutes into the new half, Chris O’Keeffe playing in Vaughan, a combination that worked well over the hour, but the latter’s effort was straight at Coachford goalkeeper Dylan Kearney.

Vaughan and Ronan Dooley added points for the winners before the game was put to bed 20 minutes from time when Vaughan billowed the back of the net from close-range, 1-13 to 0-2. Aaron O’Sullivan converted a free for Coachford after 43 minutes, which would be their final score of the match.

Rochestown sub Mark O’Brien bisected the posts and the city side scored their second goal approaching injury time when Hanley finished superbly to the net, an excellent team move. Coachford did battle right to the very end as they looked for consolation scores but nothing came to fruition.

Rochestown, who lost last season’s final, advance to the quarter-finals which will take place in the middle of January.

Coachford will be naturally disappointed but they can look back on this season’s competition as a positive one.

Scorers for St Francis College Rochestown: T Vaughan 1-6 (0-2 f, 0-2 m), R Hanley 1-1, E O’Flynn 0-3 (0-2 f), C O’Keeffe, D McCarthy, R Dooley, M O’Brien 0-1 each.

Coachford College: A O’Sullivan 0-2 f, S O’Hanlon 0-1.

ST FRANCIS COLLEGE ROCHESTOWN: Joe Lyons (Nemo Rangers); S O’Rourke (Douglas), T O’Brien (Nemo Rangers), O Haynes Barry (Douglas); C O’Neill (Nemo Rangers), J Burke (Douglas), N O’Shea (Nemo Rangers); C O’Keeffe (Douglas), D Reddington (Douglas); C Yelland (Nemo Rangers), R Hanley (Douglas), D McCarthy (Douglas); E O’Flynn (Douglas), T Vaughan (Carrigaline), R Dooley (Douglas).

Subs: M O’Brien (Douglas) for R Dooley, P McGrath (Douglas) for E O’Flynn (both 52), R Sisk (Crosshaven) for S O’Rourke, Joe Lyons (Douglas) for C Yelland (both 54), S Denn (Nemo Rangers) for R Hanley (59).

COACHFORD COLLEGE: D Kearney (Donoughmore); T O’Reilly (Inniscarra), T Lyons (Inniscarra), Oisín O’Connell (Aghabullogue); K O’Connell (Donoughmore), R Delaney (Canovee), M O’Leary (Kilmurry); C Gillespie (Aghabullogue), S O’Hanlon (Donoughmore); G Coleman (Canovee), M Murphy (Inniscarra), Odhran O’Connell (Aghabullogue); D McDonnell (Donoughmore), A O’Sullivan (Aghabullogue), D Dineen (Inniscarra).

Subs: O McDonald (Kilmurry) for T O’Reilly (14, inj), E McNamara (Donoughmore) for M O’Leary (h-t), C Thompson (Aghabullogue) for K O’Connell (39), C O’Driscoll (Canovee) for G Coleman (48).

Referee: Brian Barrett (Douglas).