Tralee braced for tough semi-final test against resilient St Pat’s

IT’S a busy weekend of colleges action with a number of All-Ireland semi-finals in hurling and football down for decision.

In football, Corn Uí Mhuirí champions Tralee CBS journey to Templemore today to face St Pat’s, Navan in the first semi-final (2pm) while St Jarlath’s play Omagh CBS in the other semi-final in Longford (3pm).

Twelve months ago the Leinster side were involved in a great decider against Abbey CBS, which the Down college won after extra time. St Pat’s looked to have lost their Leinster crown this year when they fell six points down to Knockbeg College, but produced a marvellous recovery to win in extra time, with Brian Sheridan and Darragh Smyth to the fore.

Tralee, despite the scoreline (0-13 to 2-6) were worthy winners in Munster and now bid for their first Hogan Cup. But they cannot afford to take the foot off the pedal as they did against Brendan’s in the Corn Uí Mhuirí decider.

Brian Costello, Stephen Browne, Barry Shanahan, Brendan Dillon and BJ Keane will be key for the Green but will be severely tested by Pat’s.

Omagh CBS were surprise winners of the McRory Cup in Ulster, beating St McCartan’s College in a thrilling final by a point. They face one of the great traditional football colleges in St Jarlath’s, who won out in Connacht by two points in the second semi-final.

The Galway side are favourites, backboned by minors from Galway and Mayo. Defensively they are very strong with Mayo duo Caoimhin Carty and Colm Monahan, along with Colin Forde and Justin Burke, the pick of the backs. The Omagh attack will earn their scores off this quartet.

Michael Martin, Brian Moran and Danny Cummins are dangerous forwards for Jarlath’s and it’s hard to see them slipping up against a side that laboured in winning the Ulster title.

In hurling, Gort Community School, prevented from taking part in the Harty Cup by the Connacht Council, clash with Kilkenny CBS in the All-Ireland semi-final in Birr today (2pm).

Kilkenny CBS put the disappointment of losing the Leinster final to neighbours Castlecomer behind them to knock out last year’s beaten All-Ireland finalists St Flannan’s by a point last week and will be confident.

It’s doubtful Gort have players of the calibre of CBS’s David Langton, Richard Doyle and Adrian Stapleton, but it would be foolish to underestimate the Connacht side as they go into this game very fresh while Kilkenny CBS have been through a couple of very hard matches in recent days.