Corn Uí Mhuirí: Cork schools begin quest to end 12 years of Kerry dominance

HUGE LOSS: St. Francis College, Rochestown's Sean Coakley takes on St. Brendan's College's Cian Lynch during the 2023 final. Pic; Eddie O'Hare

Cork’s Corn Uí Mhuirí famine is a tired and fatigued conversation at this point. 

But until such time as a Cork school comes along and breaks the 12-year cycle of Kerry dominance, then it is a conversation that will be reheated and rehashed each autumn when the action throws in and each spring when the last of the Cork schools exit empty-handed.

Though it hardly needs reminding, we’ll begin by refreshing the collective memory that it is Coláiste Chríost Rí that stands as the last Cork football nursery to reign supreme in Munster.

They reigned supreme in March 2011. March 2011 to October 2023 is a concerningly long passage of time without even one Cork school breaking through.

There have been 11 editions of the Corn Uí Mhuirí in the interim. 11 Kerry victories. Six all-Kerry finals. 

Throw in High School Clonmel reaching the 2016 decider and seven of the 11 finals were without Cork representation.

The Pobalscoil Chorca Dhuibhne class of Tom O’Sullivan, Mark O’Connor, and Brian Ó Beaglaoich needing a replay to get past St Francis College Rochestown in the 2015 final is as close as any Cork school has got over the past 11 seasons.

Rochestown were back in the final last February. Just reaching the decider was a breakthrough given no Cork school had successfully forged a path to the concluding afternoon since their replay defeat eight years earlier.

That’s the extent to which the bar had been lowered on the right side of the border; a final appearance was an achievement in itself.

Last season did hint at a slight rebalancing of power between the two counties at post-primary level, even if, ultimately, the same outcome was arrived at.

Five of the seven Cork schools that went into the bowl at the outset were still in the hunt come the quarter-finals. That was more than double the two Kerry schools to make the last-eight.

That Rochestown, in the end, were unable to successfully bridge the gap to Coláiste Chríost Rí had a lot to do with the injury-enforced absence of 2022 Munster minor footballer of the year Brian Hayes and 2021 All-Ireland minor hurling winner Kevin Lyons. 

Another key player, Harry Quilligan, missed a chunk of the campaign due to injury and only saw the second period of the final.

The school’s absolute lack of luck on the injury front has carried over to the current campaign. A ruptured cruciate to Seán Coakley has robbed them of their most dynamic player.

Rochestown beat Coláiste an Spioraid Naoimh, Bishopstown in last January’s semi-final. It was the latter’s first time at the business end of the competition since 2005.

A member of their management, Anthony Seymour, made the point in advance of that game that an improvement in Cork’s underage structures was lending itself to a strengthened hand at post-primary level.

“You are starting to see a bit of a reemergence in the underage structures in Cork. The games development officers and development squads have played a big role in that, as well,” said Seymour.

“The only time we won this competition in 2005, ourselves, Macroom, and Chríost Rí were very strong. That drip-fed into very successful underage Cork teams.

“Another important thing; when you look at the location of the schools who have come through this year (Bishopstown, Rochestown, Bandon, Clonakilty, and Skibbereen were the five Cork quarter-finalists), it is not coming from just one particular area of the county. We are well spread.” 

Kerry’s ownership of the Corn Uí Mhuirí for almost all of the last decade was tied to the golden generation of underage talent that came through at the time. Kerry were untouchable at minor level and so too were their schools. One fed the other. 

The Hogan Cup holidayed for four successive years in Dingle (2014-15) and Killarney (2016-17).

But the gap at minor level no longer exists. Cork have won the last two Munsters. Those players will be the ones leading their respective schools over the coming weeks. Those players have no inferiority complex when lining out against teams from across the border.

Is it only a matter of time so before a Cork school comes along and breaks the Kerry stranglehold?

The counterargument is that Kerry schools - Mercy Mounthawk and Tralee CBS - are the two most recent winners of the Frewen Cup (U16 ½ A).

Starting today, 10 Cork schools will be involved in trying to break that stranglehold. Kerry representation is unchanged at seven. They’ll be hoping the familiar February conclusion will also remain unchanged.

Fixtures update

Today's opening round of Corn Uí Mhuirí (Munster PPS SFC) fixtures has been decimated by the weather and unplayable pitches. 

Only three of the ties remain, all on 4G facilities. 

They are St Brendan's Killarney v Colaiste Choilm Ballincollig which is in Banteer at 12pm, plus a doubleheader at UL's 4G facilities, both at 1.30 - new boys Patrician Mallow v St Flannan's Ennis and Abbey CBS versus competition debutants, St Pat's, Castleisland. 

There is also a Harty Cup refixture between Doon and CBC Cork in Banteer at 1.30.

The Corn UI MhuirI games that will have to be rescheduled are: St Francis College Rochestown v Pres Milltown, Tralee CBS v Hamilton HS Bandon, Mercy Mounthawk v Coachford College, Pobal Scoil Chorcha Dhuibhne v Colaiste SCD v Chriost Ri, CSN Bishopstown v Skibbereen CS, and Colaiste na Sceilge v DLS Macroom.