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TJ Heaphy reports on a momentous victory for Tralee CBS in Fitzgerald Stadium on Saturday as they captured the Corn Uí Mhúirí for the first time since 2007…
Tralee CBS 4-15
St Brendan’s Killarney 1-15
The Green finally bridged the gap from Munster ‘A’ success at the senior grade on Saturday last in Fitzgerald Stadium in windy conditions.
Supporters from across Kerry and Munster came to Killarney to watch this highly anticipated affair against the Sem, who had previously beaten The Green by the bare minimum in the group game in December.
The Green played with the breeze in the first half and made the most of it from the start scoring the first three points coming from Conor Hayes, Sean Quilter and Jordan Kissane.
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The first goal chance came The Green’s way when Sean Quilter took a quick free into Jordan Kissane who blasted the ball into the back of the Sem’s goal.
Watch short highlights from the game here…
The Sem first score came from a penalty 12 minutes in but The Green still held their dominance, being 1-6 to 1-1 up after twenty minutes played.
Both teams traded points for the remainder of the first half before Hayes snatched his first goal of the tie when a high ball was played into Quilter, Hayes was awake to the break and cheekily lobbed the Sem keeper on the brink of halftime to put 9 between the teams. HT: Tralee CBS 2-10 St Brendan’s Killarney 1-04.
The Sem came out in the second half fighting and brought the gap back to one with the wind advantage.
It took The Green 19 minutes to register their first score of the second half coming from Conor Hayes.
The introduction of Sean Kennedy with 15 minutes left was influential with the Annascaul man really taking it to the Sem defenders.
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Kennedy played a diagonal ball into the awaiting Quilter who gathered it well but had his leg pulled back before shooting with a penalty awarded but it was saved by the legs of the Sem keeper.
Quilter immediately kicked a free afterwards and The Green applied pressure on the Sem kickout which led to a succession of scores including Hayes’ second goal when Darragh Reen won the kickout and drove forward with the ball before slipping it onto Hayes who cleanly placed it into the bottom left corner.
Quilter kicked an additional point from the kickout which put 7 between the teams with 5 left to play. Sem replied with a pointed free of their own.
Shortly after, Quilter played a long ball up to Purcell who played through Kennedy then onto Kissane who had his shot initially blocked but was tapped in by Hayes to complete his impressive hat trick and sealed the deal making The Green Corn Ui Mhuiri Champions of 2020.
This was a tremendous win for the whole school with great plaudits to the whole panel and management of Tim McMahon, Nealie Sullivan, Mike Tim O’Sullivan and Alan Duggan for their hard work and commitment throughout the year.
They will now go on to play the Connaught Champions in the Semi Final of the Hogan Cup next month.
Man of the match has to be awarded to Conor Hayes; the Kerins O’Rahillys man finished off the day with 3-2 to his name which served crucial to the victory. It was a very strong team performance with all playing their part and no one to be faulted on such a historic day.
Team and Scorers:
Conor Hayes 3-2, Jordan Kissane 1-3, Sean Quilter 0-5 (2f), Fergal O’Brien 0-4 (1f), Devon Burns 0-1 (45’), Cian Purcell 0-1
Devon Burns (NaG), Niall Fitzmaurice (AS), Luke Chester (AS), Ruairi O’Sullivan (NaG), Paudie White (JM), Armin Heinrich (AS), Eoghan Carroll (AS), Joe Lenihan (CChill), Conor Horan (AS), Fergal O’Brien (StPats), Darragh Reen (NaG), Jordan Kissane (AS), Cian Purcell (AS), Sean Quilter (AS), Conor Hayes (KOR) Subs Used: Sean Kennedy (Annascaul) for Ruairi O’Sullivan (47 mins), Cian Donnellan (CChill) for Paudie White (58 mins), Dylan Dunne (Bmac) for Conor Horan (58 mins), Conor Myers (AS) for Jordan Kissane (61 mins)
