Green seal final from
CORN UÍ MHUIRÍ SEMI-FINAL
Tralee CBS 2-19 Scoil Phobail Sliabh Luachra 1-17
A CONTEST of fluctuating fortunes was decided by a final flourish from Tralee CBS in extra-time thereby ensuring that they negotiated the semi final hurdle in this year’s Corn Uí Mhuirí in the Fitzgerald Stadium last Saturday afternoon.
In the overall analysis they just about deserved to succeed and at the end of the first half of normal time, leading by eight points, they looked to be suitably equipped to complete the task. However, a second half resurgence from Scoil Phobail almost brought about a win against the odds, and certainly The Green were just about hanging on at the end of a pretty pulsating sixty minutes of play.
Rathmore’s brave effort ultimately took its toll and it was the CBS who were better equipped in terms of their greater level of physicality and fitness and allied to more strength in depth off the benchand a significant spread of individual players, who made telling impacts in the latter stages of the contest, they started and finished the two periods of extra time much stronger.
However, they had to dig deep to get the better of a Rathmore combination whose efforts, most especially in the second half of normal time was heart warming in the extreme. Ultimately they fell short, but they contributed to a pretty absorbing contest, and maybe their lack of experience at this level cost them in the end.
At the outset Rathmore were marginally the better side, but really both sides struggled to create any clear cut scoring chances and, indeed, it was impressive substitute Tommy Bowler who converted the first score from play in the thirteenth minute after which The Green enjoyed just a one point lead 0-3 0-2 at the end of the opening quarter.
With Fergal O’Brien and Seán Quilter influential in attack the CBS enjoyed a productive period, and extended their lead to 0-7 to 0-3 by the 23rd minute. A splendid finish at the end of a surging run by Fergal O’Brien produced the first goal of the game in the 24th minute, but five minutes later a costly turnover by The Green afforded Cathal Ryan the opportunity to finish neatly low to the CBS net which reduced the deficit to four points, 1-8 to 1-4, coming up to the half time break.
But after Seán Quilter with a free had extended that lead to five points, goal poacher supreme Cian Purcell maintained his record of scoring a goal in every round of the competition when he netted a fine individual effort from close range. It stretched The Green’s advantage to 2-9 to 1-4 at the interval, but with the advantage of the breeze to follow Rathmore’s chances couldn’t entirely be discounted at this juncture.
Two fine scores from Conor Hayes ensured that the Tralee school maintained a comfortable lead 2-11 to 1-8 coming up to the end of the third quarter, but with Quilter being sin-binned in the 43rd minute Rathmore exerted a grip in all sectors and with Tommy Bowler kicking another fine score and Michael McSweeney registering two more in quick succession, Rathmore with pointed frees from James Darmody and Cathal Ryan had reduced the deficit to a single point 2-11 to 1-13 by the 50th minute.
With Paul O’Leary Alan Dineen and Dan Murphy providing the momentum for them Rathmore looked to be poised to complete a famous victory. A pointed free in the final minute from goalkeeper
Ian O’Connor levelled matters, 1-14 to 2-11, and with six minutes of added time being played neither side were able to profit from a number of chances which presented themselves at opposite ends.
Two points from James Darmody within four minutes of the restart briefly afforded Rathmore the lead 1-16 to 2-12, but after Seán Quilter had levelled matters with a magnificent effort under pressure from way out on the sideline Conor Hayes imposed his considerable presence on proceedings bringing his own personal tally to five points which ensured that the CBS led by a goal, 2-16 to 1-16, at the end of the first period of play.
A superb score from distance from Dan Murphy kept Rathmore’s challenge intact, but the win was sealed with scores from substitute Conor Myers and full back Luke Chester.
Certainly the impetus provided by both Padraig White and Joe Lenihan throughout all of extra time provided the platform for the Tralee side’s success, and, while Seán Quilter, Conor Hayes, and Fergal O’Brien were the scoring aces in attack, such as Niall Fitzmaurice and Eoghan Carroll were cornerstones in The Green’s defensive structure.
Playing to their full potential for the duration they seem to have