'They were just faster, stronger' - Tralee's Green machine cruises past Rochestown into Corn Uí Mhuirí final

Tralee CBS’s pursuit of a first Corn Uí Mhuirí title since 2020 remains firmly on track. They will face High School Clonmel in the decider

Diarmuid O'Donoghue, St. Francis College in action against Tom Quilter, Tralee CBS during the Corn Uí Mhuirí semi-final at Cill na Martra, Co. Cork. Pic: Jim Coughlan.

Corn Uí Mhuirí semi-final: Tralee CBS 1-15 (1-0-15) St Francis College Rochestown 0-7 (0-1-5) 

No signs of slowing from the Green machine. This Rochestown challenge in Cill na Martra on Saturday would hardly have registered as a pothole.

Tralee CBS’s pursuit of a first Corn Uí Mhuirí title since 2020 remains firmly on track and their quarter-final win over the Sem is beginning to look more and more like the competition’s de facto final.

It was always going to be a stiff assignment for St Francis College Rochestown. Even so, they will depart Cill na Martra knowing they left far too much behind them. Cork’s Corn Uí Mhuirí drought goes on. So too does Roco’s.

“Their level of physicality really caught us by surprise,” said Rochestown selector Eoghan Buckley. “In nearly every other game, we were the team who would have been physically stronger and more powerful. They definitely caught us on the hop there.

As soon as Ryan Hurley wheeled away in celebration after netting the game’s only goal in the 14th minute, Roco’s challenge evaporated. Tralee took control of every facet of the game and weren’t going to be stopped.

When Rochestown did venture forward, turnovers, misplaced passes – usually picked up by superb Tralee defenders Michael Enright and Eoin Moriarity – left them with nothing.

“Pound for pound they were just faster, stronger and had better ball skills,” Buckley explained. “They quickly asserted themselves as a dominant team after a good start by us.

Rochestown would only register one more shot for the remainder of the first half after the goal, and they would not score again until the 41st minute, through Dara O’Sullivan. By then, Tralee led 1-13 to 0-5.

Roco had started well, the game’s only two-pointer from Padraig McGrath getting them off the mark after 25 seconds, but Tralee CBS would have it turned around by the fifth minute to go 0-3 to 0-2 ahead.

It was 0-4 apiece when Ronan Carroll slipped Hurley through on goal just before the end of the first quarter, and the move was such that the outcome was never in doubt. He dispatched cleanly beyond James O’Flaherty to nudge Tralee three in front.

The Green would seize control from there, the outstanding Carroll adding two frees, before then registering two assists – setting up White for his third from play and Nick Lacey for a white flag as.

Centre-back Eoin O’Flaherty – impressive throughout – would also get in on the scoring for the Kerry school, while a couple of outstanding saves from Roco goalkeeper O’Flaherty was all that kept it respectable at the break, and again at full-time.

The Tralee CBS lead was eight at half time, but they had registered 21 shots to just four from St Francis College.

The second half brought that same one way traffic, albeit with Tralee less accurate in front of the posts. They managed 0-6 in the latter act to Roco’s 0-3, Carroll again sublime in everything he did, while joint captain Máirtín McKivergan nailed a 45 to cap off a good shift in midfield.

They would finish with just 16 converted attempts from 38, evidence that there remains room for improvement ahead of the final.

Scorers for Tralee CBS: R Carroll 0-5 (0-3 f), N Lacey, G White 0-3 each, R Hurley 1-0, M McKivergan (45), E O’Flaherty, D Murphy, M Corridon 0-1 each.

Scorers for St Francis College Rochestown: P McGrath 0-4 (1 tp), D O’Sullivan 0-3 (0-1 f).

TRALEE CBS: O Lata (Austin Stacks); M Enright (St Pat’s, Blennerville), E Moriarty (Ballymacelligott), S Turner (Ballymacelligott); F Ryan (Austin Stacks) (jc), E O’Flaherty (Ardfert), M Corridon (Ardfert); M McKivergan (Ballymacelligott) (jc), C McKenna (Churchill); T O’Connor (Ballyduff), R Carroll (Austin Stacks), T Quilter (Churchill); R Hurley (St Senan’s), G White (John Mitchels), N Lacey (Kerins O’Rahillys).

Subs: C Hurley (St Senan’s) for O’Connor (35), D Murphy (St Pat’s, Blennerville) for R Hurley, T Ó Slatara (Churchill) for Enright (both 48), S Hickey (Churchill) for Quilter (58), J Power (Ardfert) for Ryan (60).

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

Subs: O O’Donovan (Passage West) for Sweeney, D McClafferty (St Michael’s) for Collins (both HT), J Gordon (Douglas) for Cummins, A Kelly (Douglas) for O’Connor (both 53).

Referee: G Twomey (Clare)