Kenmare now realising their potential and will give Corn Uí Mhuirí semi-final 'a good crack'
REALISING POTENTIAL: Kenmare’s Jack O’ Sullivan catches the rebound during the Corn Uí Mhuirí quarter final clash. Pic: Chani Anderson
Pobalscoil Inbhear Scéine are starting to believe as the Kenmare school’s dream Corn Uí Mhuirí debut rolls onto a semi-final after a 10-point victory over 14-man Patrician Academy, Mallow.
Jack Tangney, Neal O’Shea, and Donnacha O’Sullivan gave them a sharp cutting edge in attack, accounting for all but one point of their total.
The Ronan Buckley and Seán O'Shea-coached team advance to a showdown on Saturday week against Kingdom giants St Brendan's College, Killarney.
“It’s absolutely massive. I started teaching in the school a couple of years ago and Corn Uí Mhuirí wasn’t really a conversation,” said Buckley.
“But we knew we had this crop of players since U16.5 and we knew there was talent there. We felt the potential was there to give this competition a go and we pushed for that.
“What’s really happened in the last few weeks is they’ve started believing in themselves now. I’m an outsider to Kenmare but I knew the ability was there – I just felt they weren’t believing in themselves that much.
“Maybe it comes back to the confidence thing. Maybe Kenmare football has been written off a small bit and not really respected. I noticed when I came down there was real potential. We’re starting to see that now.
“I’d like to see a lot more fellas getting a chance with the Kerry teams, to be honest, at U20 and driving on to senior level because I think there’s a lot of talent in that group.
“It’s given a massive lift to Kenmare. It’s a small town and there’s a great buzz around. We’re in bonus territory but we’ll prepare for a semi-final and give it a good crack.”
Patrician had only returned to the top grade of Munster football a year previous and were eyeing back-to-back semi-finals since making the step up.
They ended up with 14 players for the final 22 minutes after full-back Ben Noonan was sent off for a second yellow.
Patrician were already without the services of their captain and Cork U20 Gearóid Daly, although the returning Ben O’Shea opened the scoring from a slick running move.
But indiscipline would cost them as Scéine strung together the next four points from frees. Tangney won two and kicked all four with O'Sullivan and Neal O'Shea also drawing fouls.
Cathal Kelleher then got in along the endline for a sight of goal but Murphy came across to block.
Scéine defended with intensity as David O'Brien and Rossa Mac Gearailt blocked point attempts and Ben O'Callaghan sniffed out an important turnover.
Neal O'Shea scored their first from play in the 18th minute before Patrician began to improve with good defensive play from Mikie O'Riordan and a gem of a pass from Colin Ruby releasing Dylan O'Connell, who blazed over the crossbar.
Their crowd came alive when Cathal Mullins launched a curler between the posts but O'Sullivan pushed the gap out to double scores, 0-8 to 0-4, with a brace.
Still, Patrician could've been level by half-time. An Eddy Walsh point was followed by the best goal opening of the half. O'Connell exchanged a one-two with John Murphy and beat the keeper with a fierce shot only for a heroic Jack Sweeney dive to divert it around the post.
Tangney’s fifth free made it 0-9 to 0-5 at half-time.
Having been chasing a lead in their previous games, Scéine has the opportunity to open up and they moved six clear via Tangney and an O’Sullivan free.
After Noonan's red card, his teammates rallied with a Mullins free followed by an ambitious shot on goal from the corner-forward which Barry Fitzsimons saved.
It ended 14-a-side with a black card for Scéine full-back David O'Connor in the 55th minute but they still tagged on the final 1-1.
Substitute Micheál O'Mahony landed the final point before Neal O'Shea got around the cover for a cherry-on-top goal in stoppage time.
“We're just immensely proud of our lads,” said Buckley. “They really implemented the style of play we want to play; moving the ball forward, all positive, team play, support running.
“The pitch suited us and we were able to move the ball and play to our strengths. It was a collective performance.
“In defence, we kept it very tight and held Mallow to six points, which can’t be sniffed at because this Mallow side are a strong school team.”
J Tangney (0-6, 5 frees); N O’Shea (1-2); D O’Sullivan (0-3, 1 free); J O’Sullivan, M O’Mahony (0-1 each).
C Mullins (0-3, 1 free); D O’Connell, B O’Shea, E Walsh (0-1 each).
B Fitzsimons; B O’Callaghan, L O’Sullivan, J Sweeney; D O’Brien, D O’Connor, R Mac Gearailt; J O’Sullivan (capt), M Tangney; C Kelleher (Kilgarvan), D O’Sullivan (Tuosist), S O’Donoghue (Kilgarvan); N O’Shea, J Tangney, A O’Sullivan.
D Grebowiec for A O’Sullivan (40), L Brown for Kelleher (42), R O’Byrne (Templenoe) for O’Brien (48, inj), M O’Mahony (Templenoe) for J O’Sullivan (57), K O’Sullivan (Kilgarvan) for O’Donoghue (57, inj).
D O’Riordan (Kilshannig); M O’Riordan (Kilshannig), B Noonan (Mallow), A Murphy (Mallow); E Walsh (Mallow), P Murphy (Mallow), C Cooney (Clyde Rovers); J Roche (Mallow), P Britton (Mallow); C Ruby (Kilshannig), B O’Shea (Mallow), J Murphy (Mallow); C Mullins (Clyda Rovers), D O’Connell (Kilshannig), C Corbett (Clyda Rovers, capt).
E Sheehan (Mallow) for Ruby (h-t), R Crowley (Kilshannig) for Corbett (48), M Murphy (Kilshannig) for Roche (53), D Carroll (Mallow) for Walsh (60, inj).
B Barrett (Douglas).
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