St Brendan’s out to end their 14-year drought

ST BRENDAN’S, Killarney aim to atone for last year’s final defeat against Tralee CBS in tomorrow’s Corn Uí Mhuirí decider at Fitzgerald Stadium (2.30pm).

Twelve months ago Tralee finished winners by the narrowest of margins in a game Brendan’s could have won but didn’t deserve to.

This time the balance of power has shifted slightly in favour of St Brendan’s and with a 14-year gap to bridge, they will fancy their chances.

Barry O’Shea has fond memories of his days as a boarder in the Sem, and credits the school for what he achieved with Kerry before a knee injury brought his career to a premature end.

O’Shea has the distinction of being the last St Brendan’s captain to lift the Corn Uí Mhuirí and vividly recalls that day in Askeaton. Following victory in the Corn Uí Mhuirí in 1994, O’Shea went on to win a minor All-Ireland medal with Kerry, two under-21 medals in 1995 and 1996 and the ultimate — a seniors medal in 1997.

“Strange how things go. I was the only St Brendan’s player on that minor winning team, while the Green had five. The 1994 Sem team had no real stars. We were a team of honest, hard grafters and you tend to get more out of such a squad,” said the Tralee-based AIB bank official.

“That day in Askeaton was atrocious with high wind and rain, and looking back on it now, the game should never have been played. I’ve been carrying that win around on my back for far too long now and I need to pass the mantle on to someone else.

“We had beaten Tralee in the semi-final by six points which is always a good thing, but St Flannans made it very difficult for us in the final. We scored two rather soft goals which gave us an eventual two-point winning margin.

“Boarding with lads of your own age creates a bond that lasts a lifetime. We had some great times in the Sem where Gaelic football was a religion. Fathers Kelly and Kenneally were the driving forces behind the team in those days and their passion for the game certainly rubbed off on us.”

“Having seen both teams in action this year, and without wishing to be biased, I feel the Sem are more than capable of bridging that long gap. While we came close last year, Tralee were the better team and deserved their success.

“This time around I feel the balance of power has shifted. Brendan’s have a couple of very tasty forwards in Cian Tobin and James O’Donoghue. They are capable of doing wreck in the Tralee defence if they get a good supply of quality ball.

“Tralee also have some very good players. Centre back Barry Shanahan is as good an under-age player as I’ve seen and will surely play senior with the county in time; Ross O’Callaghan and Barry John Keane, who is a grandson of the legendary John Dowling, are two excellent footballers who play with my own club (Kerins O’Rahillys).

“I was talking to Seamus Moynihan — he was on the 1992 winning Sem team — about the game earlier in the week and he too feels the time is right for Brendan’s to win again.

“Having seen both schools play in this year’s championship I feel the Sem are better than last year while Tralee are not. Such is the rivalry between them, form will go out the window and it will be the team which wants it most who will survive the heat of the battle.”