Corn Uí Mhuirí final

St Brendan’s College, Killarney 1-12 St Francis College, Rochestown 1-4

By Stephen Barry at Mallow

John Kelleher and Luke Crowley fired record winners St Brendan’s College, Killarney, to back-to-back Corn Uí Mhuirí titles with a convincing eight-point victory over St Francis College, Rochestown.

The Sem had registered 15-63 in five games, an average of 3-13 per game, and though they had the goal chances to beat that tally, this victory was as much based on a fine defensive and middle third showing. Kerry's dominance of this grade is now extended to 10 titles in a row. 

Roco were the first Cork school to appear in this final since their 2015 replay defeat to Pobalscoil Chorca Dhuibhne as they chased a first title since 1950.

But an injury list including a trio of star attackers in joint-captain Bryan Hayes, Harry Quilligan, and Miceál O’Mahony, and midfielder Kevin Lyons, magnified the size of that task. Then Barry Kelliher, the midfielder who came in for Lyons, limped off after nine minutes, although they did at least get second-half minutes out of Quilligan and O’Mahony.

The Sem had nine of the first 10 shots of the match, with Jamie Moynihan, Seán Fitzgerald, and captain Cian Lynch flying forward to link defence and attack, but only led 0-3 to 0-1 at the end of that period.

Kelleher picked out Crowley – son of former Kerry All-Star Johnny – for two points, while Alex Hennigan finished off another one-two move involving Aodhán O’Neill.

Roco were on the board through an early Seán Coakley free and their best moment came with two Evan O’Connor points in the 20th minute. Both were the result of good work from the wing-backs Donnacha O’Callaghan and Callum O’Neill.

The Sem kept failing to maximise their chances, returning just one point from three consecutive goal chances.

Crowley’s attempt to lob Mikey O’Connell floated over the bar and O’Connell produced a flying save to block Cillian Courtney’s effort before Callum Cronin was fouled as he was about the pull the trigger by Luis Dwan-Fogarty for a 27th-minute penalty. Aodhán O’Neill sent O’Connell the wrong way but missed the left-hand post.

A second Hennigan point doubled their half-time lead, 0-5 to 0-3.

They had two more on the resumption from Kelleher and Hennigan as Roco couldn’t muster an attacking threat due to St Brendan’s midfield supremacy.

The Sem were in again in the 34th minute as Crowley turned down an attacking mark to drive for goal. He found the net but referee Jonathan Hayes called him back for overcarrying.

They added more points from Moynihan, with an outside-of-the-boot point his father, Kerry legend Séamus, would’ve been proud of, followed by a Crowley free and an effort from Timmy Moynihan, brother of Kerry senior Dara.

O’Connell was effectively playing as fly-keeper for Roco by now but he still got back to save from Hennigan.

Roco hadn’t scored for 33 minutes but when they did, it was a goal that briefly reignited the contest. Coakley’s initial effort from a breaking ball was saved by Shay O’Meara but he palmed home the rebound to cut the gap to four.

Within a minute, the Sem had their clincher; Aodhán O’Neill feeding Kelleher who ran into space before unleashing a superb finish from distance to the bottom corner. 1-10 to 1-3 now.

Mark O’Rourke pointed for Roco but the Sem had all the answers, with Crowley and Timmy Moynihan finishing the scoring.

Scorers for St Brendan’s College: Luke Crowley 0-5 (1f); John Kelleher 1-1; Alex Hennigan 0-3; Timmy Moynihan 0-2; Jamie Moynihan 0-1.

Scorers for St Francis College: Seán Coakley 1-1 (0-1f); Evan O’Connor 0-2; Mark O’Rourke 0-1.

ST BRENDAN’S COLLEGE: Shay O’Meara; Maidhcí Lynch, Cian Lynch (capt), James Williams; Seán Fitzgerald, Keelan O’Shea, Jamie Moynihan; John Kelleher, Darren Ryan; Timmy Moynihan, Aodhán O’Neill, Alex Hennigan; Callum Cronin, Luke Crowley, Cillian Courtney.

Subs: Pádraic Moynihan for Courtney (41), Neil O’Carroll for Cronin (51 inj), Eoghan Kelly for Williams (60), Luke Daly for J Moynihan (6+1), Seán Doolan for T Moynihan (60+2).

ST FRANCIS COLLEGE: Mikey O’Connell; Fionnán Leahy, David Buckley, Tim O’Brien; Callum O’Neill, Luis Dwan-Fogarty (joint-capt), Donnacha O’Callaghan; Barry Kelliher, Mark O’Rourke; Rob Hanley, Derry Howard, Ollie McAdoo; Evan O’Connor, Seán Coakley, Billy Fraher.

Subs: James Burke for Kelliher (9 inj), Harry Quilligan for Fraher (h-t), Miceál O’Mahony for O’Callaghan (38), Chris O’Keeffe for Howard (46), Tomás Vaughan for Hanley (52 inj).

Referee: Jonathan Hayes (Limerick).