Corn Uí Mhuirí: Battling Rochestown secure semi-final berth
Pádraig McGrath scored both goals for St Francis College, Rochestown as they beat IS Killorglin. File picture: David Keane
They had to go 25 minutes without a score in the second half at Mallow on Wednesday, but St Francis College of Rochestown more than earned their TUS Corn Uí Mhuirí semi-final spot.
When Cathal Lowney pointed for the Cork side early in the second half, it put them 1-10 to 0-2 ahead of IS Killorglin but, against a brazing wind, they found themselves on the back foot for much of the rest of the game.
Where the first half had been about building a lead, this was about containment and, though five scores were allowed to Killorglin’s danger-men Adam O’Neill and Tomás Joy (one two-pointer for the latter), a momentum-shifting goal was never allowed to materalise. Despite the absence of Liam Kelleher, the Roco defence stayed strong and the gap wasn’t allowed to fall below five points, 1-10 to 0-8, with Joe Mouret and Diarmuid O’Donoghue impressive before the game was made safe in injury time.
A good counter-attack ended with sub Odhran O’Donovan doing well to create an opening for fellow replacement Philip Heavey and at the death Callum Griffin capped a good display in defence with the clinching point. They will now face Tralee CBS in the last four.
Early on, it looked like Killorglin, playing into the strong wind, might frustrate Rochestown as a pair of Adam O’Neill points gave them an early cushion. The Kerry side held possession well and when Rochestown did manage to gain ground, their shooting was wayward – five early wides were kicked.
However, one of those was a half-chance of a goal from Jack O’Brien, who shot into the side-netting – when a green flag did arrive on the quarter-hour mark, the hard-working wing-forward played a key role.
After a turnover, it was O’Brien’s booming pass from deep that found Pádraig McGrath deep in Killorglin territory. While he couldn’t hold on to the ball, he showed good ground football skills and side-footed a shot past Adam Radny for a lead score.
Slowly, they began to convert their possession into scores, with a free from captain Dara O’Sullivan followed by a beauty from O’Brien. There might even have been another goal as McGrath’s delivery bounced dangerously in the goalmouth but Killorglin centre-back David Butler dealt with the danger.
Even so, Rochestown - whose manager Liam Sheehan once played for Killorglin in a Corn final - were on a roll. With Diarmuid O’Donoghue excellent in defence, they kept the forward press going and a nice Mark O’Brien point was followed by three two-pointers as half-time approached.
When Killorglin were punished for a three-up transgression, O’Sullivan landed a free from outside the arc; a similar offence moments later led to a slightly more difficult kick and it couldn’t be punished, but there was still time for more.
Mark O’Brien’s beauty, set up by McGrath, made it 1-7 to 0-2 and O’Sullivan ensured they retired with a ten-point advantage as he raised the orange flag again from a dead ball.
Five minutes into the restart, Ronan Sweeney was the creator as Lowney got forward from the full-back line to slot over.
The clock showed 35 minutes and would have moved into the red by the time Rochestown added to their tally – they ensured that a cushion always remained, though.
D O’Sullivan 0-5 (2 2ptf, 0-1 f), P McGrath, P Heavey 1-0 each, M O’Brien 0-3 (1 2pt), J O’Brien, C Lowney, C Griffin 0-1 each.
A O’Neill 0-5 (0-2 f), T Joy 0-3 (1 2pt, 0-1 f).
J O’Flaherty (Douglas); C Griffin (Passage), C Lowney (Tracton), D O’Donoghue (Douglas); J Mouret (Douglas), D McClafferty (St Michael’s), E Cummins (Cobh); L Collins (Ballygarvan), D O’Connor (Douglas); R Sweeney (Douglas), M O’Brien (Douglas), J O’Brien (Douglas); D O’Sullivan (Nemo Rangers), B Corkery Delaney (Carrigaline), P McGrath (Douglas).
O O’Donovan (Passage) for Corkery Delaney (51), P Heavey (Passage) for Sweeney (54), S O’Flynn (Douglas) for McClafferty (58), J Gordon (Douglas) for Collins (60+1).
A Radny; D Kelly, S Griffin, C Birmingham; J Jones, D Butler, D Flynn; F Kennedy, T O’Sullivan; M Culhane, A O’Neill, C Evans; T Joy, C Griffin, O O’Sullivan.
C Foley for Culhane (36).
J Murphy (Limerick).
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