Coláiste an Spioraid Naoimh beaten in Munster hurling final by goal-hungry Tralee CBS
CJ Barrett, Coláiste An Spioráid Naomh Bishopstown, takes the sliotar ahead of Luke Hanafin, Tralee CBS, in the Corn Thomais Mhic Choilm U19 B Hurling final at Banteer Community Sportsfield. Picture: Jim Coughlan.
What began as a competitive and promising Corn Thomáis Mhic Choilm (U19 B) Hurling Championship final, very quickly turned into a disappointing defeat for Coláiste an Spioraid Naoimh Bishopstown on Friday.
A late blitz in the closing minutes of the first half is what had the Kerry school on their way, and when the Green nailed the third goal on the resumption, CSN’s hopes of a comeback were extinguished.
The opening quarter had been such a tight affair, both teams trading blows and neither side managing consecutive scores until the 12th minute when James Naughton followed an effort from Callum Caplice to put CSN in front, 0-5 to 0-4.
When Eoghan Costello hit back for the Green they would be level for the fifth time, they would be level once more after that before Tralee found their groove.
After the impressive Caplice teed up Daire Lyons for the leveller in the 15th minute, CJ Barrett’s brilliant handpass set David Enright up for a goal chance that had the CSN crowd celebrating as he struck it, only for that effort to snap wide.
Two minutes from when CSN should have gone three up, they instead found themselves four behind.
Eoghan Costello nailed an excellent point after good work from Brody Leen, and then Eoghan O’Flaherty, star centre-back in their Corn Uí Mhuirí semi-final win against Rochestown, who wrestled free from Conor Walsh and one-on-one kicked it to the net in the 20th minute.
The goal was a blow but not fatal for CSN, as midfielders Lyons and Eli McKeown battled hard to keep them in contention, in the final three minutes of the half it all fell apart.
The Green hit 1-4 unanswered, the goal better than the first as Oisin Heaton gave a great pass to Jake Rochford and he let fly across goal to pump the Tralee lead up to 11, 2-13 to 0-8.
Two minutes into the second half it got worse for CSN, a sideline cut from Stephen Shanahan sneaking it’s way in off the far post and into the net. With the difference at 14, there would be no salvaging for CSN, even if they did try.
Tralee’s advantage peaked at 16 points in the 34th minute, but the Bishopstown side would hit six of the next seven points to bring it a more respectable scoreline. However, they needed goals, and with the Tralee defence impenetrable, that wasn’t going to be possible.
Centre-back Mikey Corridon was very impressive, while wing-back Matthew O’Sullivan finished up with four points. Brandon Leen didn’t put a foot wrong either.
S Shanahan 1-2 (1-0 sdl), E Costello 0-5 (0-2 f), E O’Flaherty 1-1, M O’Sullivan 0-4 (0-2 65, 0-1 f), J Rochford 1-0, J Gaynor 0-3, O Heaton, R O’Halloran 0-2 each, R Hurley, L Fitzmaurice 0-1 each.
CJ Barrett 0-6 (0-3 f), J Naughton 0-4 (0-2 f), D Lyons 0-2, S Young, C Caplice, E McKeown, J Drinan, N Crowley 0-1 each.
C Harris; Brandon Leen, J O’Donovan, D Wallace; L Hanafin, M Corridon, M O’Sullivan; Brody Leen, R Hurley; E O’Flaherty, J Rochford, R O’Halloran; E Costello, O Heaton, S Shanahan.
C Hurley for Rochford (HT), J Gaynor for O’Halloran (38), D Flaherty for Hanafin (43), A Relihan for Shanahan (45), L Fitzmaurice for Brody Leen (55).
C O’Donovan (Ballinhassig); S Young (Bishopstown), C Walsh (Ballygarvan), D McGuirk (St Finbarr’s); D Enright (Inniscarra), C Caplice (Bishopstown), A Cuseen (Ballinhassig); D Lyons (Ballinora), E McKeown (St Finbarr’s); CJ Barrett (St Finbarr’s), J Drinan (Ballinora), J Dineen (Inniscarra); B O’Brien (Bishopstown); J Naughton (Douglas), N Crowley (Bishopstown).
K Harrington (Ballinhassig) for O’Brien (HT), S Laverty (Ballinora) for Dineen (51), A Crowley (St Finbarr’s) for Drinan (57), J Lombard (Ballinhassig) for Naughton (62).
J Bugler (Clare)
App?
