Tralee CBS hang on after second half Rathmore fight back
WIND HAMPERED: Jerh Brosnan Tralee CBS (Blue) and Stephen Horgan PS Rathmore in action at Currans.
Tralee CBS were given a major scare in this Corn Ui Mhuiri encounter by a PS Rathmore side that looked to be heading for another heavy defeat on a perfect surface at the Centre of Excellence in Currans.
Rathmore staged a tremendous second-half fight back in windy conditions to almost pull the game out of the fire.
Despite fears in advance, the weather was benign enough as Tralee CBS, led by their classy centre forward Jerh Brosnan played some excellent fast-moving football and built up a sizable half time lead of 1-8 to 0-5. They had raced 0-5 to 0-0 score in front by the end of the first quarter, Darragh Cunnane kicking two frees and one from play while Adam McDonagh and Brosnan added one each.
Rathmore, who had difficulty judging the wind, had three wides before former Kerry minor Fionn Murphy converted a forty-five in the 16th minute.
But minutes later Tralee CBS scored a brilliant goal when Cunnane sent Brosnan through and his lighting quick pass found the inrushing Colm Browne who finished to the Rathmore net.
The Green, armed with a seven-point lead, appeared to get careless and with Fionn Murphy and Conor O’Donoghue lording matters at midfield, full forward Ciaran Collins kicked four unanswered points, a mark and three frees to close the gap to just three.
However, Tralee CBS finished the half with three points themselves, two from Cunnane and one from Brosnan, whose movement and pace was tormenting the Rathmore defense and it was 1-8 to 0-5 at the interval.
When Cunnane added another free early in the second half, Tralee CBS must have felt it was game over allowing Rathmore to rally and quick free from Collins to Darragh Nagle in the 37th minute followed by a Collins free, saw the gap being reduced to just three.
But in the 43rd minute, the Green appeared to have killed off the Rathmore challenge when the aforementioned Brosnan set up Adam McDonagh for a well-taken goal and it was back to a six-point game at the end of the third quarter.
Points by McDonagh and Cunnane extended the lead to eight, 2-11 to 1-6, by the 47th minute as Tralee CBS keeper Sean Collins made a stunning save to deny Ciaran Collins a certain goal from point-blank range.
But Rathmore refused to throw in the towel and frees from Fionn Murphy and Collins was followed by a brilliant goal from Collins and when Murphy added another free, it was a two-point game, 2-11 to 2-9, with six minutes left.
Rathmore threw the kitchen sink at the Green but despite points by David O’Leary and Conor Moynihan, Brosnan was fouled twice on the break, and Adam McDonagh and Cunnane ensured that Tralee CBS would make it two wins from two with Clonakilty next up.
D Cunnane (0-8, 6fs), A McDonagh (1-2, 1f), C Browne (1-0), J Brosnan (0-2), R O’Driscoll (0-1)
C Collins (1-6, 5f’s, 1m), D Nagle (1-0), F Murphy (0-3, 2fs, 1m), C Moynihan and D O’Leary (0-1 each) Teams:
S Collins ( Kerins O’Rahillys); B Hamilton Churchill), B Donnellan ( do), N Rogers ( Na Gaeil) ; R Reen ( Na Gaeil), C White ( John Mitchels), C Browne ( Austin Stacks); J Foley ( Kerins O’Rahillys) , S McElligott ( St Senans); B Hanafin ( Kerins O’Rahillys) , J Brosnan ( Moyvane), E Cahill ( Austin Stacks); A McDonagh ( Ardfert), D Cunnane ( John Mitchels), R O’Driscoll ( Austin Stacks)
J Lynch (Austin Stacks) for R Reen (39), R O’Carroll (do) for E Cahill (39), J O’Donoghue (John Mitchels) for B Hamilton (49).
M Kennedy ( Rathmore) ; S Dalton ( Gneeveguilla), D Sheehan ( Rathmore), C O’Connor (do); P Moynihan ( Rathmore), S Daly ( do); F Murphy ( do), C O’Donoghue (do); C Moynihan ( Rathmore) , D Nagle( do) S Finnegan ( Gneeveguilla); J Doyle ( do), C Collins ( Rathmore), D O’Leary( Gneeveguilla)
D McCarthy (Rathmore) for J Doyle (48)
M Murphy (St Michaels /Foilmore)
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