Tralee CBS keep All-Ireland double dream alive with hurling semi-final win over Portumna

Tralee CBS stunned Portumna CC, with the only goal of the game being scored by Oisín Heaton for the Kerry school

Tralee CBS beat Portumna CC by two points in the Paddy Buggy Cup semi-final at Tulla GAA grounds in Clare. Pic: Adrienne McLoughlin

All-Ireland PPS Paddy Buggy Cup (Senior B hurling): Tralee CBS 1-19 Portumna CC 0-20 

A potential All-Ireland schools’ double remains a possibility for Tralee CBS after their senior hurlers produced a stunning display to pip Portumna CC in an excellent All-Ireland PPS SBHC semi-final at the superb Tulla GAA grounds in Clare.

With the ‘Green footballers already preparing for the Hogan Cup decider on St Patrick’s Day, Mark Ryall’s charges, with Eoin O’Flaherty, Mikey Corridon and the Hurley twins, Ryan and Cillian, the main dual players, will have their own Croke Park final just four days later.

Portumna CC will be gutted by this narrow defeat as, in Iarla Kelly and Jody Canning (nephew of Galway legend Joe), they had two outstanding attackers who, by the final whistle, had combined for three-quarters of their final total.

The Tribesmen were a point to the good at half-time (0-11 to 1-7), Canning firing over four points from play. However, Tralee CBS, having played against the breeze, were right on their tails, after Oisín Heaton had buried the game’s only goal in the 27th minute.

It was nip-and-tuck all the way through the second half as well, with never more than two points separating these evenly-matched outfits at any stage of the entire contest. With momentum ebbing and flowing, every turning point became extra pivotal.

With the Tralee school two points up (1-14 to 0-15) at the beginning of the last quarter, Portumna CC were awarded a penalty after a foul on influential substitute Eoin Malone. However, ‘Green custodian Cian Harris made a fine save to deny top scorer Kelly.

With tit-for-tat exchanges continuing to the bitter end, the protagonists were still deadlocked heading into injury-time (1-17 to 0-20), after Tralee CBS substitute Darragh O’Flaherty made a vital goal-line clearance from Portumna’s Jamie Rocke.

In the heel of the hunt and, despite a tally of 12 wides (to seven from Portumna over the hour), the ‘Green held their nerve when they most needed to. An Eoghan Costello free, and an O’Flaherty long-range missile, sealed their place in the Paddy Buggy Cup final right at the death.

Scorers for Tralee CBS: E Costello 0-6 (0-5fs), S Shanahan 0-4, E O’Flaherty, J Rochford 0-3 each, O Heaton 1-0, Brandon Leen, M Corridon, J Gaynor 0-1 each.

Scorers for Portumna CC: I Kelly 0-9 (0-6fs), J Canning 0-6, E Malone 0-2, E Donnelly, J Lawless, C Murray 0-1 each.

TRALEE CBS: C Harris; Brandon Leen, J O’Donovan, R Hurley; M O’Sullivan, M Corridon, L Hanafin; Brody Leen, C Hurley; J Rochford, R O’Halloran, E O’Flaherty; E Costello, S Shanahan, O Heaton.

Subs: D O’Flaherty for Hanafin, inj (22), J Gaynor for O’Halloran (ht), L Fitzmaurice for Brandon Leen (42), O Leane for Rochford (60+3).

PORTUMNA CC: C Lawless; M O’Sullivan, C Duggan, C Pierce; O Gordon, C Kilkenny, R Carty; P Dermody, C Murray; J Rocke, J Canning, E Donnelly; J Lawless, C Larkin, I Kelly.

Subs: E Malone for Dermody (43).

Referee: J Donnellan (Clare).