Frewen Cup final: Brilliant Clonakilty fall agonisingly short against St Brendan's

St Brendan’s College Killarney: 3-7 (3-0-7) 

Clonakilty Community College: 0-15 (0-2-11) 

A gallant effort from Clonakilty Community College fell agonisingly short to St Brendan’s College Killarney in the Frewen Cup final at Banteer on Wednesday afternoon.

The West Cork outfit certainly gave it a right go as they trailed by five points at half-time. They possibly could have been closer. Their opposition were more clinical overall with three green flags proving crucial.

Clonakilty were outstanding in the second half. They put together seven points on the trot without reply at the start of the new half to lead by two points.

St Brendan’s ability to get goals at key stages though proved the difference. In saying that, Clonakilty had a chance to win at the death, but Riley O’Donovan’s two-point effort from play dropped short.

The wait for a Cork school to break Kerry's stranglehold on this competition goes on. It’s 2016 since a side from Leeside won the Frewen Cup, which was Coláiste Chríost Rí.

St Brendan’s, managed by Kerry star David Clifford, made all the early running.

They landed a point after three minutes through Darragh Keane, nephew of Cork U20 football manager Ray Keane.

The Kerry outfit then tacked on three unanswered points with Cian Hegarty getting the last of those scores.

Seconds before his white flag, he saw his effort for goal hit the post from close range.

Clonakilty did get their first score after a quarter of the game from a Conrad Murphy point that looked like a two-pointer, but it wasn’t given much to the annoyance of the Clonakilty management.

To compound matters, St Brendan’s were awarded a soft penalty after 19 minutes after Jake Coffey was adjudged to have been fouled.

Keane stepped up to send Clonakilty goalkeeper Rory Twohig the wrong way, 1-4 to 0-1.

A swirling wind was causing havoc for both teams, reflecting in a low-scoring opening 30 minutes.

St Brendan’s kicked two of the next three points before Clonakilty’s netminder Twohig nailed a brilliant two-point free, 1-6 to 0-4 at half-time.

Clonakilty made a fast start to the new half hitting the first three points courtesy of Riley O’Donovan, Tadhg O’Brien and Tom Whooley.

The latter also had a goal opportunity that was deflected away from danger.

Sub Olan White cut the gap to a point even though it looked to have been a two-pointer.

Whooley drew his team level after 39 minutes, 0-9 to 1-6.

Riley O’Donovan put the West Cork outfit ahead for the first time quickly followed by a Whooley free.

With 15 minutes remaining, the momentum was with Clonakilty, but against the run of play, St Brendan’s goaled when Jack Culloty goaled, 2-6 to 0-11.

The sides traded white flags until Keane gave St Brendan's a grip with a great goal, 3-7 to 0-12 after 52 minutes.

Whooley did leave three points between the sides before a Riley O’Donovan two-point free reduced the gap down to one.

Clonakilty were patient in added time in the search of a leveller or even the winner and right at the end, Riley O'Donovan's two-point effort from play dropped short.

St Brendan’s survived to prevail by a point. A mighty effort though from the team from West Cork.

Scorers for St Brendan’s College Killarney: D Keane 2-3 (1-0 pen, 0-1 f), J Culloty 1-1, C O’Donoghue 0-2, C Hegarty 0-1.

Clonakilty Community College: R O’Donovan 0-5 (1 2pt f), T Whooley 0-4 (0-1 f), R Twohig (1 2pt f), C Murphy 0-2 each, T O’Brien, O White 0-1 each.

ST BRENDAN’S COLLEGE KILLARNEY: J Murphy; K Kelly, R Guerin (capt), R O’Brien; C Clifford, C Stack, C Lynch; D Cronin, J Coffey; M Looney, S Scroope, C O’Donoghue; C Hegarty, J Culloty, D Keane.

Subs: T O’Donoghue for K Kelly (44), L O’Mahony for C Hegarty (51), E Hennigan for J Coffey (54), J O’Connor for D Cronin (61, inj).

CLONAKILTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE: R Twohig (Kilmeen); D Donovan (Clonakilty), E Knowles (Clonakilty), P Haughney (St James’); A Hunt (Ibane Gaels), H O’Donovan (Kilmeen), F O’Donovan (Clonakilty); C Murphy (Ibane Gaels, capt), T O’Brien (Kilmeen); D Keohane (St James’), R O’Donovan (Ibane Gaels), C Collins (Ibane Gaels); J Twomey (Ballinascarthy), T Whooley (Clonakilty), C Delis (Clonakilty).

Subs: O White (Clonakilty) for A Hunt, L Rohan (Clonakilty) for D Keohane (both h-t), C Moore (Carbery Rangers) for J Twomey (52).

Referee: Seán Carey (Limerick).