Goals help seal Russell Cup title for Tralee CBS
A COMPETITION tinged with sadness this year following the tragic death of Pobalscoil Corcha Dhuibhne’s Aodhán Ó Conchúir back in February, ended with an interesting decider in Tralee last Wednesday as Tralee CBS hit four goals in seeing off St Brendans College Killarney by four points.
Tralee CBS mentor Sean Óg Ó Ciardubháin reflected on a timely success for the school after some recent defeats in major Finals.
“After the school losing the last two Corn Uí Mhuirís this is a nice boost and we hope we can build on this with the U-16 ½ in mind for next year. Beforehand we felt we needed a lead of about 10 points when we had the breeze in the first-half so Jordan’s (Kissane) two goals in the last 10 minutes were crucial in giving us a decent advantage at the break. On reflection it probably was that period between the 20th-40th minute where we won it when we got the four goals and it allowed us to withstand the comeback by the Sem near the end,” the Cordal man said.
Erin Moloney opened the game’s scoring for The Sem in the fifth minute but CBS led by 0-5 to 0-1 after the first quarter when Cian McMahon brought The Sem back into contention with the game’s first goal in the 16th minute. Jordan Kissane came into his own before the break, however, in scoring 2-1 to add to two earlier points in proceedings. It gave the Green a lead of 2-7 to 1-2 at the break as a Cian Foley free was the only other score the Sem could muster before half-time was called.
Sem goalkeeper Aaron O’Sullivan had to stop the Green’s Maurice O’Connell getting a third goal for the Tralee side before the break. However it was a sign of things to come as firstly Tadhg Reen in the 34th minute and Thomas O’Donnell in the 40th minute raised green flags to put their side 4-8 to 1-3 to the good and well on their way to a second Russell Cup in four years for the School.
The Sem kept going however with the elements more of a factor coming towards the end. Midfielder Liam Randles found the back of the net in the 47th minute as part of a run of 1-3 for himself as a fourth point from Foley and others from Darragh Fleming and William Shine had the margin down to four points in injury time.
Kissane’s final point as part of his personal total of 2-4 in the 50th minute was the insurance score ultimately however in shielding the Green enough from the Sem’s late charge. A fine effort it was with a run and finish from his own ‘45’ but Ó Ciardubháin agreed that the memory of Aodhán Ó Conchúir is the most important thing from the 2018 staging. “It’s a death that affected the whole county and you have to give Pobalscoil credit for playing on afterwards given what happened. Aodhán’s cousin Luke Chester was on the sideline with us today helping us out so we’re delighted for him in particular to be a part of this win.”
TRALEE CBS: Ben Quilter (Austin Stacks); Ruairí O’Connell (do), David Moriarty (Currow), Liam Óg Kingston (Na Gaeil); Jack Moriarty (Currow), Cian Kearney (Churchill), Jerome Daly (Kerins O’Rahillys); Armin Heinrich (Austin Stacks, 0-1f), Thomas O’Donnell (Castlegregory, 1-0); Denis Brosnan (Ballymacelligott), Maurice O’Connell (Castlegregory, 0-1), Jack Savage (Kerins O’Rahillys, 0-2); Enis Reka (do), Jordan Kissane (Austin Stacks, 2-4), Tadhg Reen (Na Gaeil, 1-1). Subs: Ciaran Commane (Finuge) for Brosnan, Sean McGrath (St Senans) for Savage, Ryan Guerin (do) for Daly.
ST BRENDANS COLLEGE: Aaron O’Sullivan (Legion); Cian Murphy (Kilcummin), Killian O’Sullivan (Glenflesk), Jack Lynch (Dr Crokes); Thomas Clifford (Firies), Jamie Alade (Legion), Erin Moloney (Dr Crokes, 0-1); Liam Randles (Dr Crokes, 1-3), William Shine (Legion, 0-1); Darragh Fleming (do, 0-1), Cian Foley (Kilcummin, 0-4, 3f), Harry Byrnes (Dr Crokes); Ethan O’Neill (Legion), Cian McMahon (Dr Crokes, 1-1), Adam O’Sullivan (Kilcummin). Subs: Dara O’Callaghan (Kilcummin) for Murphy, Kieran Pierce (Legion) for K O’Sullivan, Jack Clifford (Fossa) for O’Neill, Michael Mullane (Glenflesk) for Fleming, Colm Kelliher (Kilcummin) for Lynch.