Corn Uí Mhuirí: Clonakilty ready to go for crunch quarter-final tie with Clonmel

Clonakilty Community College manager Micheál O’Sullivan believes his team are ready for their Corn Uí Mhuirí quarter-final.

The West Cork side face High School Clonmel this afternoon in Páirc Uí Rinn with throw-in at 1.30pm.

O’Sullivan’s charges won their three group games against St Brendan’s College Killarney, Skibbereen Community School and Coláiste Choilm Ballincollig.

On top of that, Clonakilty then won the Simcox Cup for the first time. They haven’t played competitively in a few weeks as the action returns after the Christmas break.

“It has been good in fairness, there’s great enthusiasm amongst the players,” the Carbery Rangers clubman says on the preparation ahead of the knockout encounter.

“We were lucky over Christmas that the weather wasn’t too bad and pitches were available to us. We have put in a nice bit of work and we feel that we have prepared as best as possible going into this game. It’s a big one and it’s something that we have all been looking forward to for a few weeks.

“The lads want to do well in this competition. We won the Simcox Cup and we were back training the following week. They wanted to keep the momentum going.” 

O’Sullivan certainly isn’t underestimating the challenge of High School Clonmel in what is expected to be a close affair.

“We just have to take it one step at a time,” the former Cork minor football boss said.

“High School Clonmel are a very good side. They came out of a difficult group to get to this stage. They are littered with Tipperary U20s and Tipperary minors. They will be a big test for us and we will have to be on our game in order to be competitive.

“Clonmel did lose to Rochestown in the group phase, but they were up seven points at one juncture. They have very good people involved and are well coached. It will be a tough game and it will probably go down to the wire.” 

Clonakilty Community College started their Corn Uí Mhuirí campaign last October with an eye-catching victory over a strong St Brendan’s College Killarney outfit. The West Cork team have shown since that win wasn’t just a flash in the pan.

“We can’t ask for much more from the players to be honest only to keep doing what they have been doing. We are constantly looking for improvements if we possibly can, but we have a lot of lads involved with various Cork squads. We are hoping to have everyone available for this Clonmel match.

“There have been plenty of Cork schools that have reached the quarter-final stage in recent years. It’s only when you win semi-finals that you will get noticed.

“We want to go as far as we possibly can in the Corn Uí Mhuirí this season, but we certainly aren’t looking beyond this upcoming game.”