St. Brendans, Killarney 2-17 St. Flannans 1-11
St. Brendans Killarney jusified their ratingas favourites for the Munster colleges senior A football championship title (Corn Ui Mhuiri) when they recorded a marited win over St. Flannans at Neville park in Rathkeale on Saturday.
An outstanding performance from midfielder David Shaw \9Dr. Crokes) who missed the side’s quarter final as he was overseas taking part in AFL trials, laid the foundation for this victory by the competition title holders.
Shaw kicked six points from play and had a hand in many of the team’s scpores on a day when their movement proved too much for the Clare side. The winners raised into a three point lead inside the opening five minutes and from here on St. Flannans were chasing the game. It was 1-4 to 0-2 after thirteen minutes after the winners had opened up the St. Flannans defence for Dara Moynihan to score their opening goal.
The goal sparked a strong response from St.Flannans and and after Gearoid Cahill had brought a fine save from the St.Brendan’s goalie Robert Osborne, the Ennis school had a goal from Darragh Duggan who first timed the ball to the corner of the net. An Ian Molloy point followed and suddenly jus a point separated the sides.
That was a good as it got, however and when the half time whistle sounded the winners were five points clear, 1-9 to 1-4. By the mid point of the second half the Kerry side had extended their lead to eight points (1-14 to 1-6). St. Flannans closed the gap to six points on a few occasions in the secondhalf but that was as good as it got and with jus a minute remaining St. Brendans struck for their second goal through substitute Barry Keane.
Best for St. Flannans on the day were Tom O’Brien, Peter Casey, Tom Hannan, Sean Kennedy and Darragh Duggan.
St. Flannans will be hoping for better luck on Wednesday when they face the same opposition in the junior A (Frewan cup) semi-final at Mountcollins.
St. Flannans; Tom O’Brien (Doora-Barefield); Mark Collins (Eire Og), Peter Casey (Clondegad), Darragh O’Shea (Doora-Barefield); Iken Ugqueru (Eire Og), Ross Hayes (Crusheen) Colin McNeilis (Clondegad); Tom Hannan(Doora-Barefield) Ian Molloy (Banner); Cian Donnelly (Clarecastle0 Gearoid Cahill (Corofin), Sean Kennedy (Kilmaley); Gavin Cooney (Eire Og) Darragh Duggan (Doora-Barefield), Eoghan Thynne(Doora-Barefield).
Subs; Conor Brannock (Doora-Barefield) for Kennedy;Kennedy for McNeilis; Philip Talty (Eire Og) for Thynne.
Meanwhile, there was better news for both St. Josephs Spanish Point and Rice College Ennis in their Provincial semi-finals. Spanish Point were 2-8 to 0-11 winners over Causeway Comprehensive school Kerry in the senior C football championship while Rice College Ennis progressed to the final of the B hurling championship (Corn Tomas Choilm w8th a 0-13 to 1-8 victory over Colaiste an Spiorad Naomh from Bishopstown
By Seamus Hayes