Mercy Mounthawk ease into Corn Uí Mhuirí final seeing of Hamilton High School

Mercy Mounthawks Daniel Kirby battles with Kevin Hannon of Hamilton High School Bandon, during the TUS Corn Ui Mhuiri semi-final, at Mallow. Picture: David Keane.

Corn Ui Mhuiri semi-final: Mercy Mounthawk 2-19 Hamilton High School Bandon 0-5

A 20-point winning margin. A fifth Corn Uí Mhuirí outing for the champions, a fifth double-digit winning margin. The third time that winning margin has reached 20 points.

The numbers above really do all the talking. Has a school ever marched so ominously and so dominantly into the decider of the Munster post-primary competition? Thus far, the students from Mounthawk have been nigh on untouchable.

No one has been as dominant and no one’s numbers speak louder than Paddy Lane. After 2-12 in the quarter-final annihilation of St Francis Rochestown, the Stacks talent went mighty close to replicating that tally on his return to Mallow. He conjured 1-11. His total for the five games now stands at a pretty incredible 7-38 (2-19 from the placed ball).

Back-to-back finals secured, the reigning champions will hang on in Mallow to see whether it is St Brendan’s Killarney or Corn Uí Mhuirí debutants Pobalscoil Inbhear Scéine, Kenmare they meet in a fortnight.

This latest Corn Uí Mhuirí outing for Mounthawk stuck rigidly to the pattern of the previous four. That is to say that the fixture, as a contest, was long cooked by half-time.

The interval scoreline read 1-13 to 0-1. Now Mounthawk did enjoy the backing of a slight breeze, but it would be unfair to Aidan O’Shea’s side to overstate the influence of the elements against their restart dominance, aerial dominance, and near flawless kicking.

Speaking of O’Shea, he was red carded and ordered to leave the field on 17 minutes by referee, and former Waterford and Tipp manager, Tom McGlinchey. O’Shea was irate at an off-the-ball incident that left Ben Murphy on the deck. The manager's protests resulted in his own red card punishment.

It was, all told, a tetchy and tempestuous opening half. Decisions from McGlinchey, on both sides, did not go down well. It was an opening half that ended with a large shemozzle on the stand side.

The opening half ended with Paddy Lane having seven ticks beside his name, four from play and three from frees. He also assisted for half-back Gavan Casey’s fourth-minute point.

There was the usual midfield dictatorship of Daniel Kirby and Ben Murphy. They won kick-outs at their ease. They carried forward with ease. Kirby slotted three first-half points. Ben Murphy provided the pass for Tomás Kennedy’s 27th minute goal.

Bandon, despite the impression given by their 0-1 interval tally, did have their opportunities. Oisin McCarthy was wide with a free. Sean Murphy was blocked down. Passes were intercepted. Kevin Hannon had his goal shot repelled by Mounthawk ‘keeper Ruairí Kennedy. The rebound came back to Hannon. The rebound, somehow, went wide. No score from play could they find across the opening 32 minutes, their sole first half point an Oisin McCarthy free on 19 minutes.

Mounthawk set themselves a target at half-time to keep Bandon’s total to six points or less. They did not want a repeat of their late switch-off against Rochestown. It was a four-goal switch off they were disgusted with. They hit their target, the Hammies finishing up with just 0-5. Midfielder and captain Jack Cullinane eventually landed their opener from play on 36 minutes. Theirs was a fate suffered by every other team who’ve encountered the black shirts with the green trim Ben Murphy’s typically assertive performance was rewarded with two second half points from play. Daniel Kirby won the 44th minute penalty converted by Lane.

All too familiar a conclusion, all too familiarly easy. One more hurdle to go. Surely there is a challenge waiting for them?

Scorers for Mercy Mounthawk: P Lane (1-11, 0-6 frees, 1-0 pen); T Kennedy (1-1); D Kirby (0-3), B Murphy (0-2); G Casey, C Bastible (0-1 each).

Scorers for Hamilton High School Bandon: O McCarthy (0-2, 0-2 frees); J Cullinane, O Gillain, K Hannon (0-1 each).

MERCY MOUNTHAWK: R Kennedy (Kerins O’Rahillys); B Meehan (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); S Corkery (John Mitchels), P Lane (Austin Stacks), B Doyle (Churchill); C Bastible (Austin Stacks), T Kennedy (Kerins O'Rahillys), A Harty (Churchill).

Subs: A Tuohy (Austin Stacks) for Kirby (38 mins, temporary); J Hoare (Kerins O’Rahillys) for Harty, D Kirby for Bastible (both 40); O Kerins (Kerins O’Rahillys) for Doyle (44); C McGibney (Churchill) for Kirby (50); K O’Donoghue (Na Gaeil) for Sargent (53); S Fitzgerald (John Mitchels) for O’Halloran (temporary 58).

HAMILTON HIGH SCHOOL: B Curtin (Valley Rovers); R Tarrant (Bandon), N Daly (Valley Rovers), J O’Driscoll (Bandon); S Coffey (Clonakilty), B Coffey (Clonakilty), L Casey (Valley Rovers); J Cullinane (Bandon), O Gillain (Kilbrittain); C Twomey (Argideen Rangers), O McCarthy (Valley Rovers), D Coughlan (Bandon); H Canty (Newcestown), K Hannon (Bandon), S Murphy (Dohenys).

Subs: H Flanagan (Newcestown) for Twomey (26); E Maguire (Castlehaven) for Canty (33, inj); D Flynn (Argideen Rangers) for Murphy (35, inj); A Griffin (Kilbrittain) for Coughlan (43); S Browne (Valley Rovers) for Gillain (44).

Referee: T McGlinchey (Tipperary).