Walsh shines on home soil for Abbeyfeale
CORN SHEÁIN UI MHURCHU (U19 C)
Coláiste Íde agus Iosef 0-10 Gaelcholaiste Chiarraí 0-9
TWO years ago Coláiste Íde agus Iosef won the Dunloe Shield and the Moynihan Cup in Kerry, retaining the Moynihan a year later.
Gaelcholaiste Chiarraí won the O’Connor Cup. Unsurprisingly, both schools carried that form into Munster to qualify for the Munster C Final, and there was only a kick of a ball between two great teams in the finish.
Gaelcholáiste’s Caolan Ó Conaill, who along with Dominic Ó Fionnegáin and Seán Ó Chonaill, had played in that Dunloe Shield triumph, opened the scoring with a free, but Conor Lane replied in kind after Éanna Ó Conchúir was fouled and lively Dylan Quirke put Abbeyfeale in front.
Good inter-play between Ted Moloney and Tomás Ó hAiniféin set up Eoin Murphy for a point and Eoinie O’Connell added another to make it 0-4 to 0-1. Cillian Ó Treantaigh pulled one back and Marc hIcí added a free before Caolan Ó Conaill levelled matters with a superb score from distance and PJ Mac Curtáin nudged Gaelcholáiste in front by the slimmest of margins.
Half-time Gaelcholáiste Chiarraí 0-4 St. Iosef agus Íde 0-4.
Conor Lane squared things up with a long distance free on the restart. Abbeyfeale goalkeeper Conor Casey saved his sides’ bacon with a stupendous save to deny Graham Mac Sithigh a goal and was then relieved to see PJ Mac Curtain’s pile-driver go over rather than under the post.
Good inter-play between Ted Moloney and Eoinie O’Connell saw Dylan Quirke pick off a point and he quickly added another after good work by Conor Lane. 0-8 to 0-7 in favour of the Limerickn school, but that lead didn’t last long as Gaelcholaiste sub Seán Ó Conchúir picked off two great points.
Dylan Quirke took his personal tally to 0-4 with another good score. Abbeyfeale played a trump card at that stage, bringing on Kerry Under 20 star Paul Walsh, and the Brosna sharpshooter was quickly on the scoreboard after Conor Lane won a free. He added another from
play, a real beauty from a tight angle that hit the inside of the post and went over.
Gaelcholáiste pressed relentlessly, but were stymied time and again by some absolutely brilliant defending. They did manage to pull one back late on through a Marc hIcí free, but it was too late to turn the tide and the clock ran out on their efforts.
The Corn Sheáin Uí Mhurchú is the first ever Munster Cup to reside at the Abbeyfeale school since its amalgamation in 2011. Going on this display, it certainly won’t be their last; while a disappointed Gaelcholáiste certainly have to talent and drive to reach this stage again.
COLÁISTE ÍDE AGUS IOSEF, Abbeyfeale: Conor Casey, Adam Fitzgerald, Liam Collins, Jamie Quirke, Donnacha Maher, Sean Kilbridge, Jamie O’Sullivan, Ted Moloney, Conor Lane (0-2, 2f), Dylan Quirke (0-4), Eoinie O’Connell, Olan Quigley, Eoin Murphy, Sam Quigley, Ethan Sweeney Subs: Paul Walsh 0-2, 1f for E O’Connell, 42, Jason Murphy for E Sweeney, 47, Marc Nolan for O Quigley, 58
GAELCHOLAISTE CHIARRAÍ: Gavin Ó Dúda, Ruadhraí Mac Amhlaoibh, Tadhg Mac Ginneá, Jimi Ó Suilleabháin, Éanna Ó Conchúír, Aodhán Ó Seanacháin, Dominic Ó Fionnagáin, Caolan Ó Conaill (0-2, 1f), Tomás Ó hAiniféin, Graham Mac Sithigh, Maitiú de Búrca, Evan Mac Carthaigh; PJ Mac Curtáin (0-2), Cillian Ó Treantaigh (0-1), Jeaic de Búrca Subs: Marc Ó hIcí 0-2, 2f for M de Búrca, 22, Seán Ó Conchúir 0-2 for J de Búrca, 39, Pádraig Breatnach for R Mac Amhlaoibh, 46, Paddy Breathnach for PC Mac Curtáin, 47, Kieran Ó Conchúir for G Mac Sithigh, 47