Premier JHC: Catherine's straight through to semi-finals as Tracton miss out

St Catherine’s 0-16

Tracton 0-14

St Catherine’s got the win needed to top Group 2 and progress to the semi-finals of the Co-op SuperStores Premier JHC - with Tracton eliminated in agonising circumstances.

The east Cork side, beaten finalists in 2023 and 2024, went in to Saturday's clash at Páirc Uí Rinn knowing that the avoidance of defeat would guarantee them top spot. In the event, Cloughduv's win over Milford meant that the Ballynoe outfit would have progressed even with a defeat, but the eight-point winning margin in that clash broke Tracton hearts.

Forced into four pre-match changes due to illness within the squad, the Minane Bridge side never led but, equally, always stayed in touch. AS the game moved into injury time, they trailed by just one, 0-15 to 0-14, and missed a chance to tie the game. A defeat by the minimum would have sufficed if Cloughduv had won by seven but an extra point for them, coupled with a monster free by goalkeeper Eoin Davis to secure the St Catherine's victory, decided the outcome.

Had Catherine's failed to move directly to the last four, they would have rued some wayward shooting, not least in the first half, when 12 wides were registered, but they will take solace in the fact that they have four weeks in which to finesse their radar. Centre-back Eoghan O'Riordan was outstanding for the winners, who were also able to call on important contributions in attack from Daniel Mangan and Brian Mulcahy.

While Mangan and Matthew Mulcahy had them on the scoreboard early, eight wides followed before Daire O'Riordan opened the Tracton account. Even so, wing-back Oisín Fitzgerald was to the fore as they built a 0-7 to 0-3 lead - and the former Cork U20 player had one of the game's few goal chances in that period but shot straight at Seán O'Sullivan.

A pair of Cian Quinn frees left Tracton trailing by just two, 0-8 to 0-6, at half-time, and then Graham Webb pointed within 18 seconds of the restart. An equaliser would remain elusive, however, with Catherine's always able to find the score to keep their noses in front - they might have found a goal too but for good Tracton defending, Keith Webb with a good block on a Brian Mulcahy shot before Seán O'Donoghue latched on to the loose ball for a point and 0-13 to 0-9.

Quinn's dead-ball accuracy was an asset to Tracton as Catherine's remained guilty of some loose shooting but at the other end James Neville at full-back did much to ensure that the Ballynoe/Conna side's sheet remained clean. 

After Mangan's fifth made it 0-15 to 0-12 before Paul O'Riordan and Quinn reduced Tracton's deficit to the minimum but Davis had the final say.

Scorers for St Catherine’s: D Mangan 0-5 (0-2f, 0-1 65), B Mulcahy 0-4, D O’Conell, M Mulcahy 0-2 each, E Davis (0-1f), S O’Donoghue, K O’Donoghue 0-1 each.

Tracton: C Quinn 0-7 (0-5f, 0-2 65), M Byrne 0-3, P O’Riordan, D O’Riordan, C Webb, G McGuinness 0-1 each.

ST CATHERINE’S: E Davis; E O’Driscoll, J Neville, P Keane; C Leamy, E O’Riordan, O Fitzgerald; D O’Connell, C Hegarty; D Mangan, K O’Donoghue, B Mulcahy; S O’Donoghue, E Condon, M Mulcahy.

Subs: D Morrison for K O’Donoghue (53), C O’Brien for Condon, J Temple for M Mulcahy (both 55).

TRACTON: S O’Sullivan; D Good, J Lynch, K Webb; J Good, R Sinclair, K Healy; D O’Riordan, G Webb; A Lyons, C McGuinness, C Quinn; M Castleton, C Lowney, M Byrne.

Subs: P O’Riordan for Lyons (half-time), J Kingston for Castleton (36), M O’Sullivan for Byrne (48).

Referee: C Walsh (Ballinora).