St Brogan’s aim to beat Payne barrier

ST BROGAN’S College Bandon are without star player Roy Payne for this afternoon’s All-Ireland Vocational Schools SFC A final against Down kingpins St Malachy’s Castlewellan in Portlaoise (TG4, 3.30pm).

Payne, a dual All-Ireland medallist with Cork Vocational teams this year, broke his collarbone after scoring 2-4 in the semi-final win over St Brendan’s (Belmullet) a fortnight ago and will be a massive loss to a Bandon side seeking to repeat their 2004 success.

Brogan’s mentor Hugh Murphy admitted: “Roy will be a massive loss. He’s experienced, is a scoring forward and a great leader on the field.

“Fortunately for us our captain Liam Long is cast in the same mould. If any player can bring the best out of his team-mates it’s Liam.”

Murphy has another reason to relish today’s trip to the Midlands

The Kenmare native is a past pupil of St Brendan’s, who contest the All- Ireland SFC A Colleges final after the vocational decider

“My priority is St Brogan’s but it would be great if Brendan’s managed to win also,” said Murphy.

St Malachy’s coach PJ McGee admits to being surprised at his side’s progression to the final at the expense of Ashbourne Community School.

He explained: “We won the All-Ireland junior final two years ago but only four of that team figure with the seniors this year. The rest had left school to take up apprenticeships. That’s one of the problems with vocational football up north.

“In such circumstances it’s a tremendous achievement to get to the senior final. I was a bit apprehensive going into the semi-final with a very young team, but we got the perfect start against Ashbourne when Jarleth Brannigan’s 45 went all the way to the net.

“Normally we would have had someone at the Brogan’s semi-final but couldn’t afford to pre-empt the result of our own semi. I know nothing about the Cork school, apart from the fact that they had nine players on the Cork vocational team which won this year’s All-Ireland final.

“We are up against it in a big way this afternoon. This is our second appearance in the final and we are waiting on our first victory.

“In 1997 Coláiste na Sceilge from Kerry beat us well in the decider.

“With the game going out live on TV, it adds to the pressure. No one gave us any chance in the semi-final against Ashbourne but we came through. We’ll be the underdogs again today and we’ll give it our best shot.”

Of the nine players who figured on Cork’s All-Ireland winning vocational team, three — Peter Daly, Daniel Twomey and Jason McCarthy — have made it onto the Cork minor team for Wednesday’s Munster MFC championship game against Limerick.

Despite fitness worries about Eoin Kelly (hamstring) and Maurice Sexton (muscular problem), the Cork and Munster champions still look to hold all the aces but cannot afford to take anything for granted.