Corn Uí Mhuirí: Hamilton High School too strong for Coláiste an Spioraid Naoimh in Group 2 opener

Goals from star men Sean Murphy and Eoin Maguire plus a third from Oisín McCarthy were crucial for Hamilton.

FLYING START: Humphry Canty of Hamilton High was unlucky to hit the post with a shot on goal. 

Corn Uí Mhuirí Round 1: Hamilton High School 3-10 Coláiste an Spioraid Naoimh 1-6

It's a flying start for Hamilton High School in Group 2 of the TUS Corn Uí Mhuirí with this impressive ten-point win over a fancied CSN side at Pairc Ui Chaoimh's 4G on Wednesday.

All the more so given the Bandon nursery are developing an almost totally fresh batch of talent for this year's Under 19 provincial championship.

Goals from star men Sean Murphy and Eoin Maguire plus a third from Oisín McCarthy were killers for the Bishopstown boys who had plenty of promising moments but too often their precision let them down in the key moments.

Hamilton’s first half display against back-to-back Simcox Cup winners was scintillating with Murphy and Maguire setting the pace and standard.

Spioraid Naoimh were fast out of the gates, putting the first score on the board after three minutes when Darragh Byrne laid it off to Dan O’Keefe who calmly slotted over.

Goalkeeper Billy Curtin makes a fine save for Hamilton High School. 

Five minutes later, completely against the run of play, Hamilton forward Oisín McCarthy’s high ball from midfield fortunately landed in the hands of Sean Murphy who was happy to smash it past the keeper.

Hamilton had another golden opportunity to hit the net when Eoin Maguire’s pinpoint pass found captain Jack Cullinane in the square but his effort rolled across the keeper and slipped just wide of the posts.

Rob O’Leary scored Spioraid Naoimh’s second point of the afternoon off his favoured left side but failed to convert from a free soon after to square things up.

Everyone except the umpires thought Dan O’Keefe had done just that after 20 minutes, the waving hands behind the goals leading to a cornucopia of groans and discontentment as his effort apparently curled just wide of the posts.

Despite Spioraid Naoimh handling the lion's share of the possession, the remainder of the first period was a spectacular Murphy-Maguire double act with the two contributing 1-4.

Murphy tore away down the right hand side to fist over Hamilton’s first point and scored a bizarre, almost accidental, one mere seconds after when a blunder from Spioraid Naoimh keeper Stephen Murray gifted the ball to Eoin Maguire. He passed it to Murphy who tried to fist it into an open net but misjudged it and it flew over for a singular score.

The duo placed two more points and managed another goal in between when Maguire pounced on another poor kick out, punishing Spioraid Naoimh before the break.

Neil Crowley narrowed the gap for the Bishopstown lads just before the whistle with a fine score from range to make it 2-4 to 0-3 at the break.

Oisín McCarthy opened up the second half scoring with a well placed free. Conor O'Donoghue responded with a point for Spioraid Naoimh. Then began another period of dominance for Hamilton.

It was becoming the theme of the afternoon, Spioraid Naoimh having the ball but Hamilton inflicting the damage. Murphy added to his already impressive tally with two more points before being subbed off. An Oisín McCarthy free extended the deficit to ten.

By the 50 minute mark, the sting had more or less been taken out of the game but there was still some wind in Spioraid Naoimh sails.

Points from the two Darraghs, O’Brien and Byrne again, lifted spirits and a goal from Dan O’Keefe six minutes from time gave the Bishopstown crew a sliver of hope.

But it wasn’t to be. Oisín McCarthy, whose half went from strength to strength, put the final nail in the Spioraid Naoimh coffin seconds from time when his long-range free found the top corner of the net.

Scorers for Hamilton High School: S Murphy (1-5), O McCarthy (1-2, 1f) E Maguire (1-1), J Hennigan and H Canty (0-1 each).

Scorers for Coláiste Spioraid Naoimh: D O’Keefe (1-1), N Crowley (0-1, 1f), R O’Leary, C O’Donoghue, D Byrne, D O’Brien (0-1 each).

HAMILTON HIGH SCHOOL: B Curtin (Valley Rovers); B Coffey (Clonakilty), N Daly (Valley Rovers), G Murphy (Bandon); L Casey (Valley Rovers), J Cullinane (Bandon), R Tarrant (Bandon); O Gillian (Kilbrittain), S Coffey (Clonakilty); C Twomey (Argideen Rovers), K Hannon (Bandon), O McCarthy (Valley Rovers); E Maguire (Castlehaven), H Canty (Newcestown), S Murphy (Dohenys).

Subs: D Walsh (Argideen Rovers) for E Maguire (25), J Hennigan (Dohenys) for S Murphy (HT), S Browne (Valley Rovers) for C Twomey (HT), J O’Driscoll (Bandon) for G Murphy (55), C Murphy (Valley Rovers) for O McCarthy (63).

COLÁISTE AN SPIORAID NAOIMH: S Murray (Bishopstown); D Enright (Inniscarra), C O’Sullivan (Inniscarra), C Walsh (Ballygarvan); G Zeph, C Dineen (Inniscarra), D Byrne (Ballinora); D O’Keefe (St Finbarrs), D O’Brien (Inniscarra); C O’Donoghue (St Finbarrs), C Caplice (Bishopstown), C Galvin (Bishopstown); J Drinan (Ballinora), R O’Leary (Bishopstown), N Crowley (Bishopstown).

Subs: J Brady (St Finbarrs) for J Drinan (HT), S Murphy (Inniscarra) for G Zeph (HT), T Denieffe for C Galvin (62).

Referee: B Barrett (Douglas).