Corn Uí Mhuirí quarter-final: Gallant Clonakilty defeated by holders St Brendan's

St Brendan’s College Killarney: 2-18 

Clonakilty Community College: 1-11 

HOLDERS St Brendan’s College Killarney were too good for a gallant Clonakilty Community College outfit in the Corn Uí Mhuirí quarter-final at a rain-soaked Banteer on Tuesday afternoon.

The Kerry side are chasing a third title on the bounce and they will take some beating. Clonakilty couldn’t be faulted for their endeavours, they certainly gave it everything for large parts of the contest, but ultimately they came up against a well-oiled machine.

It was a rapid start with the teams swapping the first four points inside three minutes. Darragh Gough and an Olan O’Donovan mark with the white flags for Clonakilty.

St Brendan’s tacked on two quick points before an O’Donovan free cut the gap down to a point in what was a breathtaking start. A Gough free in front of goal drew parity after 10 minutes, 0-4 each.

St Brendan’s took a stranglehold when they scored 1-2 without reply through the impressive midfielder Jamie Moynihan, 1-6 to 0-4 after 17 minutes.

The sides once more swapped the next four points as the Kerry outfit led 1-8 to 0-6 with five minutes to the break. St Brendan’s raised three consecutive white flags before Gough pointed on the stroke of the half-time whistle, with St Brendan’s in a commanding position, 1-11 to 0-7 at the interval.

Clonakilty had most of the possession early in the new half without much reward. They were punished by conceding three points in two minutes. The West Cork side did register a score five minutes into the second-half through an O’Donovan point, but it could have easily been a goal, 1-14 to 0-8.

Pádraig O’Donoghue kicked a beauty of a point for the defending champions before Clonakilty did get their goal after 39 minutes, O'Donovan with a tidy finish after being set up by Oisín Harrington.

A Timothy Cullinane free and a Gough effort reduced the margin down to just five points. The teams swapped white flags, but unfortunately Clonakilty were unable to reel the opposition in. St Brendan’s landed two points on the trot before they goaled two minutes into injury-time courtesy of Alex Hennigan to run out winners by ten points.

St Brendan’s will meet fellow Kerry side Mercy Mounthawk Tralee in the semi-final. Disappointment for Clonakilty as they exit at the quarter-final stage for the second consecutive season, but they can look back on the campaign where they have done themselves proud.

Scorers for St Brendan’s College Killarney: J Moynihan 1-6, A Hennigan 1-5 (0-2 f), P O’Donoghue 0-3, R Hartnett, C Cronin (f), O Fleming, M Lynch 0-1 each.

Clonakilty Community College: O O’Donovan 1-4 (0-1 f, 0-1 m), D Gough 0-5 (0-1 f), T Cullinane (f), D Harrington 0-1 each.

ST BRENDAN’S COLLEGE KILLARNEY: S O’Meara; L Daly, D Stack, M Lynch (capt); L O’Neill, K O’Shea, A Byrne; J Moynihan, O O’Neill; J Kelleher, C Cronin, O Fleming; P O’Donoghue, A Hennigan, R Harnett.

Subs: T O’Gorman for J Kelleher (44), J McCarthy for R Harnett (50), J Bowler for O Fleming, B O’Connor for O O’Neill (both 54), A Cronin for P O’Donoghue (56).

CLONAKILTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE: D Walsh (Clonakilty); O Blackburn (Clonakilty), S O’Regan (Clonakilty), K Hennessy (Ibane Gaels); D Moloney (Ibane Gaels), E Cullinane (St Mary’s), D Harrington (Clonakilty); C Twohig (Kilmeen), D Kenneally (Clonakilty); L Murphy (Ibane Gaels), T Cullinane (Owen Gaels), O Harrington (Kilmeen); D Gough (Clonakilty, capt), O O’Donovan (Ibane Gaels), S Whelton (St James’).

Subs: M Murphy (Clonakilty) for S Whelton (h-t).

Referee: Denis Hickey (Millstreet).