Champions Mounthawk show no mercy with demolition of Abbey CBS in Corn Uí Mhuirí opener

BRACE: Paddy Lane of Austin Stacks and Mercy Mounthawk scored two goals against Abbery CBS. Pic: Larry Cummins

Mercy Mounthawk 4-16 Abbey CBS 0-8

Defending champions Mercy Mounthawk sent out an ominous statement of intent as they got their Corn Uí Mhuirí campaign off to a blistering start with this Group 3 opening 20-point destruction of a brave Abbey CBS at Ballyagran.

The Tipperary school had, commendably, reached the quarter-finals last season but, on this occasion, they were no match for their star-studded Tralee opponents, who had Tomás Kennedy and Ben Murphy, in particular, in scintillating form on a blustery afternoon.

Kerins O’Rahillys’ rising star Kennedy showed all his pace, strength and accuracy to finish as the game’s top scorer on 1-7 (all but one point coming from play), with Murphy notching 1-3 from midfield, and captain Paddy Lane chipping in with a brace of goals.

Mercy Mounthawk led by six points (1-4 to 0-1) at the end of the first quarter, Lane setting up Murphy for a 14th minute green flag. Things then got much worse for Abbey CBS after full-back Emmet Bonner received a black card, and the winners made hay before the break.

A bad kick-out led to Lane’s first goal, with midfielder Kirby providing the assist for his Austin Stacks team-mate to slot his second in the 26th minute. Kennedy added another with a bullet of a strike, and by the half-time whistle, the Hogan Cup runners-up were out of sight (4-6 to 0-5).

To give Abbey CBS due credit, they kept battling away all through, with Sean O’Mahony an impressive performer on the ’40. Midfielders Adam Ryan and Darragh O’Hora also plugged away manfully, with the injury withdrawal of centre-back David Ryan not helping their cause.

Mercy Mounthawk, understandably, took the foot off the gas in the second half, utilising their bench to full effect. Murphy and Kennedy continued to shine, with goalkeeper Ruairí Kennedy making sure of the clean sheet with a smart save from Abbey’s Jaye Cilvinas in the game’s closing stages.

Meanwhile, St Pat's Castleisland, in their second year in the competition, opened their campaign with a 2-14 to 2-9 victory over west Cork outfit Skibbereen Community School.

Goals from Kerry minors Michael Horan and Ruairi Brosnan proved decisive in Kenmare. The Kerry school face Abbey CBS of Tipperary town next, while Skibb take on Mercy Mounthawk.

Scorers for Mercy Mounthawk: T Kennedy (1-7, 1f), P Lane (2-1, 1f), B Murphy (1-3), C Bastible, A Harty, B Doyle, S Corkery, G Casey (0-1 each).

Scorers for Abbey CBS: S O’Mahony (0-5, 3fs), D O’Hora (0-2), F Doyle (0-1).

MERCY MOUNTHAWK: R Kennedy (Kerins O’Rahillys); B Meahan (Kerins O’Rahillys), B Sharp (St Pat’s Blennerville), J Fisher (Austin Stacks); P O’Halloran (Austin Stacks), D Sargent (John Mitchels), G Casey (Austin Stacks); D Kirby (Austin Stacks), B Murphy (Austin Stacks); A Tuohy (Austin Stacks), T Kennedy (Kerins O’Rahillys), S Corkery (John Mitchels); J Hoare (Kerins O’Rahillys), P Lane (Austin Stacks), C Bastible (Austin Stacks).

Subs: B Doyle (Churchill) for Tuohy, (inj, ht), D Lucid (Austin Stacks) for Kirby (39), A Harty (Churchill) for Lane (39), C Dennehy (John Mitchels) for Hoare (47), K O’Donoghue (Na Gaeil) for Kennedy (50), S Fitzgerald (John Mitchels) for Sharp (temp, 54-60).

ABBEY CBS: C McGrath (Oola); S Cleary (Knockivalla Kickhams), E Bonner (Galtee Rovers), M Bowes (Arravale Rovers); J Cilvinas (Arravale Rovers), D Ryan (Arravale Rovers), J O’Keeffe (Arravale Rovers); A Ryan (Arravale Rovers), D O’Hora (Solohead); S Bourke (Aherlow), S O’Mahony (Arravale Rovers), D Bresnan (Arravale Rovers); A Webster (Arravale Rovers), C Kelly (Arravale Rovers), P Chapman (Aherlow).

Subs: D Quigley (Arravale Rovers) for O’Keeffe (ht), M Flanagan (Aherlow) for D Ryan, inj (39), F Doyle (Solohead) for O’Hora (44), T O’Shea (Aherlow) for Webster (50).

Referee: J O’Halloran (Limerick).