Corn Uí Mhuirí: Five-goal Mounthawk show no mercy to Skibbereen in landslide win

Skibbereen CS fullback James Goulding gains posseion ahead of Mercy Mounthawk's Tomas Kennedy during today Munster Colleges Corn Ui Mhuiri Grpup 3. rd 2 clash, played at Fr. Breen Park, Kenmare on Wednesday afternoon.

Corn Ui Mhuiri Group 3: Mercy Mounthawk 5-14 Skibbereen CS 1-6

Defending champions Mercy Mounthawk powered to victory as they outclassed Skibbereen CS in this one sided Corn Ui Mhuiri clash.

Mounthawk served notice to other leading contenders who harbour winning ambitions that it will take a very good side to lower their colours. Backboned by three Kerry U-20’s in Paddy Lane, Daniel Kirby and Tomas Kennedy, and led by last year’s Kerry minor captain Ben Murphy, they were never in danger of losing this one. They will now play fellow Kerry school St Pats to see who will top the group next week.

The Hogan Cup runners up laid the foundations for victory in the opening half with Daniel Kirby and Ben Murphy lording matters at midfield while Tomas Kennedy was able to find Paddy Lane with regularity. It was effectively game over at half time.

Mounthawk were granted the liberty of withdrawing both Kirby and Lane early on and were also able to withdraw Tomas Kennedy due to a bang to the head. It mattered little as some of the Mounthawk bench was able to get valuable game time.

Mounthawk were on the scoreboard inside the opening minute thanks to a superb Tomas Kennedy effort from the sideline. Skibbereen had their fair share of possession in the opening quarter but they were wasteful. Some excellent Mounthawk defence saw the ball turned over on more than one occasion.

In fact, while Skibbereen battled hard throughout they lacked scoring forwards and kicked far too many wides.

Mounthawk struck for two goals inside the opening quarter, the first in the 10th minute when Lane and Kirby combined for Lane to finish. Aaron Harty drilled home another two minutes later. The game began to drift away from Skibb as Lane kicked a host of points from frees and play. 

Points from Kirby, Brendan Meehan and a brace from Kennedy had Mounthawk leading 2-10 to 0-3 at the break, with Connolly, O’Donovan and Fahy replying for the Cork side.

The second half saw Skibbereen enjoy more possession but they missed frees and kicked some poor wides.

Mounthawk added three more goals from Tomas Kennedy, Ben Murphy and substitute Odhran Kerins. Niall O’Callaghan got a late consolation goal for Skibb but it was another 20 point win for Mounthawk.

Scorers for Mercy Mounthawk: P Lane (1-5, 3fs), T Kennedy (1-4), B Murphy (1-2), A Harty and O Kerins (1-0 each), B Meehan, D Kirby and C Bastible (0-1 each) 

Scorers for Skibbereen CS: N O’Callaghan (1-0), S Connolly (0-3 frees), A O’Donovan, A Fahy and L O’Sullivan (0-1 each) 

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), B Doyle (Churchill); A Harty (Churchill), P Lane (Austin Stacks), C Bastible (Austin Stacks).

Subs: J Hoare (Kerins O’Rahillys) for P Doyle (37), S Corkery (John Mitchels) for D Kirby ( 40), C McGibney (Churchill) for P Lane ( 40), O Kerins (Kerins O’Rahillys ) for A Tuohy (43), M Savage (Ballymacelligott) for T Kennedy ( 48).

SKIBBEREEN CS: D Heaton Jones (O'Donovan Rossa); C Moloney (Castlehaven), J Goulding (O'Donovan Rossa), A Daly (O'Donovan Rossa); W O’Donovan (Castlehaven), F Hurley (O'Donovan Rossa), P Collins (Castlehaven); C French (Castlehaven), S Connolly (Ilen Rovers); R McCarthy (Castlehaven), A O/Donovan (Tadhg MacCárthaigh), A Fahy (Ilen Rovers); L O’Sullivan (O'Donovan Rossa), D Cleary (Castlehaven), D O’Donovan ( Castlehaven). 

Subs: C O’Brien (O'Donovan Rossa) for D Cleary (30), N O’Callaghan (Castlehaven) for A Fahy (h/t), D Courtney (Castlehaven) for R McCarthy), C Hurley (O'Donovan Rossa) for D O’Donovan (45).

Referee: T Clifford (Templenoe).