Talented trio ensure Tralee retain title

Tralee CBS 2-13 Coláiste Choilm 0-6

Tralee possess a trio of the most gifted young players to burst onto the scene in years in Barry John Keane, Chris Wallace and Barry John Walsh, who unfortunately had to depart the scene with a badly damaged ankle.

Overall, Tralee’s skills were magnificent and it will be interesting to watch their progress in the senior ranks.

Despite the lopsided final score, Coláiste Choilm contributed greatly to what was an excellent match, but they lacked the skills of their opponents and were always chasing the game after John Keane got Tralee’s opening goal in the 27th minute.

The Ballincollig school won the toss and opted to play with the wind and made a telling start, with two points in quick succession by Kealin Hickey.

Tralee recovered well and with Barry John Walsh causing endless problems in attack, they were level after 10 minutes, Walsh scoring twice in a minute.

The difference in class was evident as Tralee began to win possession around the middle through the excellent high fielding of Aidan Breen and Barry John Keane, and two points by Keane gave them the lead.

To their credit, Ballincollig did level the scores after 15 minutes, but Tralee’s goal finally came after Denis O’Neill’s long delivery broke kindly to John Keane, who scored from 12 metres out, giving his side a 1-6 to 0-4 half-time lead.

Had Tralee shown more steadiness in front of goal, the lead could have been doubled, as they kicked eight wides in the first half to one for Coláiste Choilm.

Tralee struck for a second goal a minute after the resumption, when Chris Wallace’s shot slipped through the hands of the goalkeeper, leaving Coláiste Choilm with a mountain to climb.

Only a superb save in the 38th minute by goalkeeper Kevin O’Shea denied Ballincollig’s John Paul Murphy a badly needed goal before Tralee began to play their best football.

Defensively, Gary Rolls, Danny O’Sullivan and Niall O’Shea closed off all avenues and it took Ballincollig until the 44th minute to register their first score since the 14th minute, when John Dineen kicked a point.

It was a token score, however, as this superbly drilled Tralee side kicked over a litany of points to run out comfortable winners of their ninth title.

Scorers for Tralee CBS: BJ Keane 0-4 (0-1 free); C. Wallace 1-1; B. Dillon 0-4; J. Keane 1-0; BJ Walsh 0-2 (0-1 free); P. Cullotty, F. Murphy 0-1 each.

Scorers for Coláiste Choilm: K. Hickey, P. Ryan, J. Dineen 0-2 each.

TRALEE CBS: K. O’Shea; G. Rolls, D. O’Sullivan, N. O’Shea; D. O’Neill, B. Shanahan, Fergal Murphy; A. Breen, D. Dillon; BJ Keane, C. Wallace, J. Keane; BJ Walsh, P. Cullotty, T. McCarthy.

Subs: P. Flynn for Cullotty; R. O’Callaghan for Rolls; Frank Murphy for J. Keane; S. Carroll for BJ Walsh; C. Counihan for Fergal Murphy.

COLÁISTE CHOILM: R. Scally; D. Murphy, T. Coveney, L. Jennings; D. Barry, A. O’Connor, JP Murphy; K. Hickey, R. O’Driscoll; J. Cronin, L. Murphy, J. O’Dowd; P. Ryan, I. Coughlan, J. Dineen.

Subs: G. Moore for Cronin; D. Nolan for Coughlan; K. O’Sullivan for Coveney.

Referee: M. Meade (Limerick).