Early goal blitz does the trick for St Flannan’s

St Flannan’s College 4-9 Mercy Mounthawk 2-12: A three-goal St Flannan’s, College, Ennis salvo in the opening 10 minutes proved decisive as they had to withstand a tremendous second-half comeback from Mercy Mounthawk, Tralee to hang on for a three-point win, in this gripping Corn Ui Mhuiri quarter-final at Rathkeale.

St Flannan’s strolled through a static Mounthawk defence to score goals in the seventh, ninth and 10th minutes from Gearóid Cahill, Sean Kennedy and Eoghan Thynne as they raced 3-3 to 0-3 in front. From then onwards Mounthawk outscored the winners 2-9 to 1-6 - a fact not lost on St Flannan’s manager and former Clare senior footballer, Darragh Kelly.

“We enjoyed an excellent first-half but really Mercy Mounthawk did not start well at all. We really walked in for four goals in the opening spell and I am sure when they look back on it, they will be very disappointed in the goals they conceded.