Kerry schools bid to keep Corn Ui Mhuiri at home

WHILE the Schools and Colleges football and hurling season has been underway for a few weeks already, the main interest from a Kerry point of view throws in next Wednesday with the start of the Munster Colleges ‘A’ SFC, known to all as the Corn Ui Mhuirí.

This year the competition will have a different feel to it in a number of ways. First, there will be no Colaiste na Sceilge in the A grade this year as the 2009 Hogan Cup champions from Cahersiveen have reverted to the ‘B’ grade Corn Ui Nuanáin. There they will be joined by Kerry schools St Michaels Listowel, Tarbert Comprehensive, St Patricks Castleisland, PS Sliabh Luachra Rathmore, PS Inbhear Sceine Kenmare and Milltown Presentation in the 19-team competition.

The changes to the Minor grade at inter-county level will also give this competition a different feel. With the Corn Ui Mhuirí being an U-18½ grade and the inter-county minor now for under-17s the Frewen Cup will now be a better barometer for upcoming minors.

If anything players who excel at Corn Ui Mhuirí would be more of a prospect for the new U-20 inter-county competition over the summer months.

Be that as it may, the draw this year has thrown up the interesting pairing of the county’s two All-Ireland Schools champions from last season being in Group C namely St Brendans College Killarney (Hogan Cup) and Pobalscoil Corcha Dhuibhne (U-16½).

ST BRENDANS KILLARNEY

St Brendans have undergone a big change in personnel with only four of last year’s side which started the Final still present namely All-Ireland Minor winner Cian Gammell, Lorcán McMonagle, Barry Keane and Josh Flynn. Some of the new faces for the Sem in this year’s side include both Paul and Cian O’Shea, Darragh Lyne along with Mark Fitzgerald as it looks a difficult ask in advance for the Killarney School to replicate the success of the last two campaigns.

PS CHORCA DHUIBHNE

Pobalscoil Chorca Dhuibhne meanwhile have Eamon Fitzmaurice back over their senior side for the first time since he won the Hogan Cup with the School back in 2014. In essence it is the side who won the All-Ireland U-16½ title last year with Kerry Minor panellist Cathal Ferriter, Niall Ó Géibheannaigh, Thomas Ó Dubháin and Luke Ó Conaill also included. All-Ireland Minor winning goalkeeper Deividas Uosis featured outfield for the school in their Paul McGirr Cup win back in March while Franz Sauerland played at midfield for the Kerry U-17s with Colm Ó Muircheartaigh, Cillian Ó Failbhe, Ruaidhrí Ó Beaglaoich and Dylan Ó Géibheannaigh likely to be key figures for the West Kerry school in their campaign this year.

High School Clonmel complete Group C with The Sem playing Clonmel first, Pobalscoil then playing the Tipperary school before the two Kerry sides meet in the last round. Both schools have had only one game in the O’Sullivan Cup thus far so enter a small bit cold.

TRALEE CBS

Tralee CBS were last year’s runners-up at Corn Uí Mhuirí level and they are in the other three team Group in the competition, Group D, where they will take on both St Fachtna’s Skibbereen and Bandon. The Green went down to St Brendans in last season’s decider with the effects of a three game saga with Colaiste Chriost Rí in the semi-finals eventually catching up with them.

Marc Ó Sé, Mike Tim and Nealie O’Sullivan are over the side again with Kerry U-17 Michael Kelliher, Jason Mortimer, Jack Myers, Sean Hamilton, David Fitzmaurice, Ciaran Murray, Sean Quilter, Josh O’Keeffe and Daire Keane some of the players to look out for amongst their squad for this campaign. Of course three team groups can provide both advantages and disadvantages depending on how the first game goes for each side especially.

MERCY MOUNTHAWK TRALEE

Mercy Mounthawk Tralee are again managed by Aidan O’Shea with Luke Mulligan of St Pats Blennerville joining the management team. It’s a very young panel by Mounthawk this year as Kerry U-17s Fergal Barry and Donagh McMahon are their more well-known names alongside goalkeeper Brian O’Regan and Shane Walsh. With 22 of the panel under age next year it’s more of a twoyear cycle Mounthawk appear to be working under this campaign, and it is a tough group featuring St Flannans, Ennis (beaten by The Sem in the semi-finals of the last two campaigns) St Francis College, Rochestown and Intermediate School, Killorglin.

IS KILLORGLIN

ISK gave Tralee CBS a stern test in last year’s quarter-finals but find themselves with a big turnover once more as Kerry U-17 Dara Casey, Ciaran Kennedy, Ian McGuillicuddy, Conor Murphy, Dara O’Connor and Eoin O’Sullivan will be some of the ones to watch out for. Kerry U-20 selector Micheal O’Shea of Castlegregory continues in charge of the Mid Kerry School as they hope to reach the knockout stages again this year.

The other Group in the pre-Christmas phase, Group B, is an all Cork group comprising Chriost Rí, De La Salle Macroom, Ballincollig and Clonakilty meaning seven of the 14 teams taking part this year are from the Rebel county.

The top two from each group will advance to the quarter-finals after Christmas but what will be slightly different about the knockout stages this year is that there will be no repeat of the three game saga like there was between Tralee CBS and Chriost Rí back in February.

While replays will still be permitted after a drawn first encounter, the replay would have to be decided on the day with two further five minute periods following the initial first periods of extra-time and then a ‘free-kick competition’ deciding the eventual winner from there I it is still level.

No doubt something that is needed to allow for other fixtures not to be held up because of such a scenario, and it will be interesting to see if such a need for ‘free-kicks’ comes to past in this season’s event.

One Kerry school is guaranteed to be in the last eight with the way the pairings have worked out. Whether it proves to be PCD or The Sem remains to be seen but with only one non-Kerry winner in the last 11 years - Chriost Rí in 2011 the record books favour another Kerry success in advance even if the smart money in advance might be on someone taking The Sem’s mantle as top dogs.