Corn Uí Mhuirí: Roco produce necessary style and steel to topple IS Killorglin 

Where the first half had been about building a lead, the second was about containment.

St. Francis College, Rochestown's Padraig McGrath scores the opening goal from IS Killorglin's Sean Griffin and goalkeeper Adam Radny. Pic: Eddie O'Hare

Corn Uí Mhuirí: St Francis College, Rochestown 2-11 Intermediate School Killorglin 0-8

The conditions at Mallow demanded a mixture of style and steel and St Francis College Rochestown got the balance right as they saw off IS Killorglin to earn a TUS Corn Uí Mhuirí semi-final spot.

When Cathal Lowney pointed for the Cork side early in the second half, it made the score 1-10 to 0-2 but, against the wind, they found themselves on the back foot for much of the rest of the game.

Where the first half had been about building a lead, this was about containment and, though five scores were allowed to Killorglin’s danger-men Adam O’Neill and Tomás Joy (one two-pointer for the latter), a momentum-shifting goal was never allowed to materalise. 

Despite the absence of Liam Kelleher, the Roco defence stayed strong and the gap wasn’t allowed to fall below five points, 1-10 to 0-8, with Joe Mouret and Diarmuid O’Donoghue impressive before the game was made safe in injury time.

A good counter-attack ended with sub Odhran O’Donovan doing well to create an opening for Pádraig McGrath to fire home his second goal – as with the first, a ground shot - and at the death Callum Griffin capped a good display in defence with the clinching point.

Early on, it looked like Killorglin, playing into the strong wind, might frustrate Rochestown as a pair of Adam O’Neill points gave them an early cushion. 

The Kerry side held possession well and when Rochestown did manage to gain ground, their shooting was wayward – five early wides were kicked.

However, one of those was a half-chance of a goal from Jack O’Brien, who shot into the side-netting – when a green flag did arrive on the quarter-hour mark, the hard-working wing-forward played a key role.

St. Francis College, Rochestown's Ronan Sweeney goes past IS Killorglin's Dylan Flynn. Pic: Eddie O'Hare

After a turnover, it was O’Brien’s booming pass from deep that found Pádraig McGrath deep in Killorglin territory. While he couldn’t hold on to the ball, he showed good dribbling skills and side-footed a shot past Adam Radny for a lead score.

Slowly, they began to convert their possession into scores, with a free from captain Dara O’Sullivan followed by a beauty from O’Brien. 

There might even have been another goal as McGrath’s delivery bounced dangerously in the goalmouth, but Killorglin centre-back David Butler dealt with the danger.

Even so, Rochestown were on a roll. With Diarmuid O’Donoghue excellent in defence, they kept the forward press going and a nice Mark O’Brien point was followed by three two-pointers as half-time approached.

When Killorglin were punished for a three-up transgression, O’Sullivan landed a free from outside the arc; a similar offence moments later led to a slightly more difficult kick and it couldn’t be punished, but there was still time for more.

Mark O’Brien’s beauty, set up by McGrath, made it 1-7 to 0-2 and O’Sullivan ensured they retired with a ten-point advantage as he raised the orange flag again from a dead ball.

Five minutes into the restart, Ronan Sweeney was the creator as Lowney got forward from the full-back line to slot over.

The clock showed 35 minutes and would have moved into the red by the time Rochestown added to their tally – they ensured that a cushion always remained, though.

Scorers for St Francis College: P McGrath 2-0, D O’Sullivan 0-5 (2 2ptf, 0-1 f), M O’Brien 0-3 (1 2pt), J O’Brien, C Lowney, C Griffin 0-1 each.

Scorers for IS Killorglin: A O’Neill 0-5 (0-2 f), T Joy 0-3 (1 2pt, 0-1 f).

ST FRANCIS COLLEGE: J O’Flaherty (Douglas); C Griffin (Passage), C Lowney (Tracton), D O’Donoghue (Douglas); J Mouret (Douglas), D McClafferty (St Michael’s), E Cummins (Cobh); L Collins (Ballygarvan), D O’Connor (Douglas); R Sweeney (Douglas), M O’Brien (Douglas), J O’Brien (Douglas); D O’Sullivan (Nemo Rangers), B Corkery Delaney (Carrigaline), P McGrath (Douglas).

Subs: O O’Donovan (Passage) for Corkery Delaney (51), P Heavey (Passage) for Sweeney (54), S O’Flynn (Douglas) for McClafferty (58), J Gordon (Douglas) for Collins (60+1).

IS KILLORGLIN: A Radny (Laune Rangers); D Kelly (Laune Rangers), S Griffin (Milltown), C Birmingham (Laune Rangers); J Jones (Laune Rangers), D Butler (Fossa), D Flynn (Laune Rangers); F Kennedy (Beaufort), T O’Sullivan (Glenbeigh-Glencar); M Culhane (Beaufort), A O’Neill (Laune Rangers), C Evans (Laune Rangers); T Joy (Laune Rangers), C Griffin (Milltown), O O’Sullivan (Laune Rangers).

Subs: C Foley (Laune Rangers) for Culhane (36), L O’Connell (Laune Rangers) for O’Sullivan (42).

Referee: J Murphy (Limerick).