Fresh from reaching the Corn Uí Mhuirí final, Tralee CBS turned up to Banteer 4G on Friday afternoon and tore Coláiste an Spioraid Naoimh Bishopstown apart to land the Corn Thomáis Mhic Choilm (U19 B) Hurling Championship title.
But the opening exchanges suggested differently. CSN brought energy, trading scores and refusing to yield an inch in a tight opening quarter.
James Naughton’s point, quickly followed by Callum Caplice, nudged the Bishopstown school in front on 12 minutes, 0-5 to 0-4. When Eoghan Costello replied to level matters for the fifth time, there was a sense that the battle may go on.
But after Caplice slipped Daire Lyons through for another equaliser, CSN thought they had seized the initiative moments later. CJ Barrett’s clever handpass released David Enright, the CSN crowd raising their vocies, only for the shot to drift agonisingly wide. Within two minutes, that missed chance had been ruthlessly punished.
Eoghan Costello nailed an excellent point after good work from Brody Leen, and then Eoin O’Flaherty, star centre-back in their Corn Uí Mhuirí semi-final win against Rochestown, wrestled free from Conor Walsh and one-on-one kicked it to the net in the 20th minute to give Tralee control.
The Green hit 1-4 unanswered in the closing minutes, the goal arriving as Oisin Heaton gave a great pass to Jake Rochford and he let fly across goal to pump the Tralee lead to 11, 2-13 to 0-8.
Two minutes into the second half it got worse for CSN, a sideline cut from Stephen Shanahan sneaking it’s way in off the far post and into the net. With the difference at 14, there would be no salvaging for CSN, even if they did try.
Tralee’s advantage peaked at 16 points in the 34th minute, but the Bishopstown side would hit six of the next seven points to bring it a more respectable scoreline. . Goals, though, were required, and Tralee’s defence offered no such invitations.
Mikey Corridon was imperious at centre-back, Matthew O’Sullivan chipped in with four points from wing-back, and Brandon Leen was faultless throughout.
A double now looks oh so probable for the Green.
S Shanahan 1-2 (1-0 sdl), E Costello 0-5 (0-2 f), E O’Flaherty 1-1, M O’Sullivan 0-4 (0-2 65, 0-1 f), J Rochford 1-0, J Gaynor 0-3, O Heaton, R O’Halloran 0-2 each, R Hurley, L Fitzmaurice 0-1 each.
CJ Barrett 0-6 (0-3 f), J Naughton 0-4 (0-2 f), D Lyons 0-2, S Young, C Caplice, E McKeown, J Drinan, N Crowley 0-1 each.
C Harris (Tralee Parnells); Brandon Leen (Ballyheigue), J O’Donovan (Crotta O’Neills), D Wallace (St Brendan’s); L Hanafin (Tralee Parnells), M Corridon (St Brendan’s), M O’Sullivan (Ballyheigue); Brody Leen (St Brendan’s), R Hurley (Crotta O’Neills); E O’Flaherty (St Brendan’s), J Rochford (Ballyduff), R O’Halloran (Ballyheigue); E Costello (Tralee Parnells), O Heaton (Crotta O’Neills), S Shanahan (Crotta O’Neills).
C Hurley (Crotta O’Neills) for Rochford (HT), J Gaynor (Ballyheigue) for O’Halloran (38), D Flaherty (St Brendan’s) for Hanafin (43), A Relihan (Crotta O’Neills) for Shanahan (45), L Fitzmaurice (Abbeydorney) for Brody Leen (55).
C O’Donovan (Ballinhassig); S Young (Bishopstown), C Walsh (Ballygarvan), D McGuirk (St Finbarr’s); D Enright (Inniscarra), C Caplice (Bishopstown), A Cuseen (Ballinhassig); D Lyons (Ballinora), E McKeown (St Finbarr’s); CJ Barrett (St Finbarr’s) J Drinan (Ballinora), J Dineen (Inniscarra); B O’Brien (Bishopstown); J Naughton (Douglas), N Crowley (Bishopstown).
K Harrington (Ballinhassig) for O’Brien (HT), S Laverty (Ballinora) for Dineen (51), A Crowley (St Finbarr’s) for Drinan (57), J Lombard (Ballinhassig) for Naughton (60+2).
J Bugler (Clare)
