De La Salle Macroom get Corn Ui Mhuirí campaign off to perfect start
CLASSY KICKER: Tom Browne, De La Salle College, Macroom jumping for this high ball with Seán Barry, CBS, Mitchelstown. Pic: Dan Linehan
De la Salle Macroom have got their Corn Ui Mhuiri campaign off to a flying start with a convincing win over CBS Mitchelstown at Bishopstown 4G.
Having failed to win a game in the group stage last year, even if the losing margin was narrow on all occasions, this win was just what the Macroom contingent needed.
In a side featuring eight starters from the 2023/24 campaign, Denis O’Mullane, Sean O’Leary and Tom Browne stood tallest for the mid-Cork school.
"(The second-half performance was) very pleasing to see," said Kerry goalkeeper and DLS Macroom coach Shane Ryan post-match. "We were disappointed last year with our Corn Uí Mhuirí performance, and maybe there was a bit of nerves in the first-half, given it was the first outing as well.
"But in fairness to them, they upped it in the second-half and a lot of our leaders stood up which is very pleasing to see as a management team.
"It is going to be a big challenge, but having put two points in the bag today, we have a small bit of a comfort blanket going into the last two games (Patrician Academy, Mallow and Intermediate School, Killorglin), but we'll give ourselves every chance...we'll prepare a best we can and see how it goes."
Diarmuid O’Brien impressed early on for Mitchelstown, orchestrating affairs from his berth on the opposition 40. The Glanworth clubman - a Cork minor panellist last year - kicked the opening two points.
Another duo who have worn the red of Cork replied in kind for Macroom, O’Mullane found the first response, before O’Leary kicked his first of the day.
O’Brien and powerful midfielder Jack Hanrahan again opened the scoreline gap for Mitchelstown, a school compting in the 'A' grade for the first time since the 1970s. However, by the 17th minute, Macroom had levelled – four points apiece. Full-forward Tim Sweeney found space inside to shoot over off his left.
A minute later, Sweeney was denied a goal by brave goalkeeping by Eoin Kirwan in the Mitchelstown net.
Enter Tom Browne, his ability to kick from distance proved an asset throughout for Macroom. The Kilmichael man landed his first to put his school in front for the first time on the 20-minute mark.
Macroom would hold that lead for the next six minutes, but a driving run from athletic Mitchelstown midfielder Hanrahan changed that. Hanrahan fed Dara English, who fired home left-footed. 1-4 to 0-5 in favour of Mitchelstown.
However, Macroom’s marauding half-back O’Leary was to have the final say before the short whistle.
He added two more points to his opening-half tally, the former inter-county minor’s running causing headaches for the Mitchelstown defence.
Macroom’s leading men didn’t take long to put their stamp on proceedings after the interval. An O’Leary turnover led to an O’Mullane carry and feed to Sweeney, who was eventually fouled, with Browne on hand to knock over the resulting free.
From then on, there was to be no Macroom let-up. Sam Kelleher-Leavy got on the scoresheet before O’Mullane – after floating into full-forward – found his groove. He fired a quick 1-1 to open up serious daylight between the teams by the three-quarter mark. Again, O’Leary was key to the set-up of O’Mullane’s green flag.
An O’Brien response for Mitchelstown did little to stop Macroom.
Further points from O’Leary, Sweeney and Browne would open up a 10-point gap for Macroom, before a late Cian English goal – from a penalty rebound - narrowed the gap to seven. Referee Brian Kiniry sounded his whistle soon after. The mid-Cork school’s season is officially up-and-running.
D O’Mullane (1-03), S O’Leary (0-4), T Browne (0-5, 1f), T Sweeney (0-2), M Condon (0-1).
D O’Brien (0-4, 1f) C English, D English (1-0 each) J Hanrahan (0-1).
C Desmond (Kilmurry); S Hennigan (Kilmichael), C Bourke (Macroom), I Wood (Kilmichael); S O’Leary (Kilmurry), R Sabas (Macroom), E Healy (Macroom); D O’Mullane (Kilmurry), M Condon (Macroom); S Leavy-Kelleher (Macroom), T Browne (Kilmichael), R McKenna (Macroom); J Hourihan (Clondrohid), T Sweeney (Iveleary), C Faller O’Sullivan (Macroom).
C Kelleher (Macroom) for C Faller O’Sullivan (53), B Murphy (Macroom) for S O’Leary (55), C Neville (Macroom) for E Healy (56).
E Kirwan (Mitchelstown); S Barry, (Mitchelstown), S O’Donnell (Galtee Gaels), C Hogan (Galtee Gaels); H Conway (Mitchelstown), C Coughlan (Kildorrey), E Breathnach (Mitchelstown); J Hanrahan (Mitchelstown), G Canty (Ballyporeen); J Twomey (St Dominic’s), D O’ O’Brien (Glanworth), O Power (Ballyporeen); C McNamara (Galtee Gaels), Cian English (Mitchelstown), D English (Fr Sheehy’s).
J Kearney (Ballyporeen) for S Barry (53), C O’Keeffe (Kildorrery) for E Breathnach (54), Conor English (Fr Sheehy’s) for O Power (56).
Brian Kiniry (Crosshaven)
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