Ronan Carroll steers Tralee CBS into Corn Uí Mhuirí knockouts as group winners

With the back to back Munster champions already out of contention, Tralee CBS eased to victory in the Kerry derby and look the side to beat in the quarter-finals

Ronan Carroll, seen here in club action with Austin Stacks, impressed for Tralee CBS in their facile win over town rivals Mercy Mounthawk in the Cork U Mhuirí. Pic:  Tatyana McGough

Munster PPS SFC: Tralee CBS 1-22 Mercy Mounthawk 1-10.

FAVOURITES Tralee CBS made it three wins from three games in Wednesday's Group 3 Round 3 local derby as they easily accounted for an under strength Mercy Mounthawk side who had nothing to play for at Caherslee.

Back-to-back champions Mounthawk had already exited the competition with a round to spare on account of the new head-to-head scoring criteria ruling. So the Green march on to the Corn Ui Mhuiri quarterfinals in January in the knowledge that by topping their group, they will be one of the seeded teams and remain favourites to go all the way.

Mounthawk were missing more than half of their starting fifteen and even had to start without Kerry minor and underage rugby star David Sargent who was waiting to get the all clear from a scan, but he was introduced inside the opening ten minutes. 

A fit-again Gearoid White opened the scoring for the Green with an early two pointer and Ronan Carroll then chipped in two more as Mounthawk lacked the finishing power of their opponents up front.

White added another free after Tadgh O’Connor was dragged down on the way through but 15-year-old Michael Sommers got Mercy Mounthawk up and running with a point after Ben Litchfield was fouled. White added two more points thanks to good work from wing backs Fionan Ryan and Mikey Corridon and some explosive running by Kerry minor star Eoin O’Flaherty.

Three more Ronan Carroll points and a two pointer from O’Flaherty saw Tralee CBS retire 0-11 to 0-5 in front.

Darragh Murphy added a brace of points with Austin Stacks senior and Kerry U-20 centre forward Ronan Carroll being the creator and finisher, Tralee CBS put the game to bed in the 37th minute when Gearoid White set up Carroll to finish with venom past a helpless Ruairi Kennedy, 1-13 to 0-5.

Mounthawk never threw in the towel and in the ten minutes they outscored the Green 1-5 to 0-4, thanks to a Brendan Meehan goal, a David Sargent point, three points from Sommers including a two from outside the arc and a neat point from Ben Litchfield.

Scorers for Tralee CBS: R Carroll (1-9, 3fs, 1M), G White (0-6, 1tp, 2fs), E O’Flaherty (tp) and D Murphy (0-2 each), F Ryan, S Hickey and T O’Connor (0-1 each).

Scorers for Mercy Mounthawk: M Sommers (0-7, 1tpf, 3fs), B Meehan (1-0), B Litchfield (0-2), D Sargent (0-1).

TRALEE CBS: O Lata (Austin Stacks); M Enright (St Pats), S Turner (Ballymac), E Mangan (Austin Stacks); F Ryan (Austin Stacks) T O'Connor (Ballyduff), M Corridon (Ardfert); C McKenna (Churchill), E Flaherty (Ardfert); T Quilter (Churchill), R Carroll (Austin Stacks), C Hurley (St. Senans); C Hurley ( St Senans) G White (John Mitchels), D Murphy (St Pat's).

Subs: J Rochford (Ballyduff) for T Quilter ( inj h/t), L Griffin (Ballymac) for C Hurley (43), N Lacey ( Kerins O’Rahillys) for R Hurley (43), S Hickey (Churchill) for G White ( 47), M O’Sullivan (Churchill) for E Mangan (47).

MERCY MOUNTHAWK: R. Kennedy (Kerins O'Rahillys); S. O'Neill (Kerins O'Rahillys), K O’Shea (Firies), E Crowley (Churchill); D Hobbert (Austin Stacks), L O’Carroll (Churchill), C McGibney (Churchill); A. Touhy (Austin Stacks), B Litchfield (Austin Stacks); S Abdalla (John Mitchels), A. Harty (Churchill), J Diggin (Austin Stacks); B Meahan (Kerins O’Rahilly), R. Onyekwere (Kerins O’Rahillys) , M. Sommers (St. Senan's). 

Subs : D Sargent (John Mitchels ) for L O’Carroll (8), G O’Connor (Ballymac) for S Abdalla (44), L O’Sullivan (Churchill) for R. Onyekwere ( 44), C O’Sullivan (Ardfert) for D Hobbert (55), H Neale (Ardfert) for J Diggin (55).

Referee: M Murphy (St Michaels/Foilmore)