St Francis College, Rochestown 3-8
Coláiste Choilm, Ballincollig 2-8
A good start to the second half served St Francis College in good stead as they held off Coláiste Choilm at Bishopstown on Wednesday to secure second place in Group 1 of the TUS Corn Uí Mhuirí.
Going into this game, both Cork schools had lost to St Brendan’s College of Killarney and beaten Ennis’s St Flannan’s College, making this a shootout for a spot in the knockout stages. Superior scoring difference meant that Rochestown had an extra advantage but it looked like any such consideration was academic when Ben scored the second of his two penalty goals in the 40th minute.
That strike put them ahead by 3-6 to 0-4, building on a half-time advantage of 0-6 to 0-3, and they looked to be home and hosed. However, Coláiste Choilm summoned a big response.
They had an immediate goal in reply as sub Brian Cronin had an immediate impact by setting up Adam Dodd for a drilled finish and they had more than halved the deficit when Seán Patrick Murphy’s low shot went in off the post.
A third goal in quick succession might even have arrived but Rochestown goalkeeper Joe Lyons did well to save from Cian O’Connor, who was influential after moving from centre-back to midfield.
A lovely Donnacha Reddington point eased Rochestown’s worries somewhat and, after a Cian Ahern point for Coláiste Choilm, Roco sub Diarmuid O’Donoghue rounded off a good move to leave it 3-8 to 2-5 with 12 minutes of normal time left.
That proved to be their final score, though, and Coláiste Choilm kept plugging away. An Ahern free and two good efforts from captain Darragh Clifford had the deficit down to three – in the midst of that run, Rochestown centre-back Neville O’Shea had to make an excellent interception to deny O’Connor a certain goal.
As time wound down, Coláiste Choilm laid siege to the Rochestown goal but the defence held out, O’Shea again on hand when sub Luke O’Mahony had a half-chance.
The win sends them through to the knockout stage – most likely the preliminary quarter-finals, but there is a one-in-five chance that they will be the lucky runners-up given a ticket directly to the last eight.
There was certainly much to be encouraged by from a Rochestown point of view. They were the better side in the first half, moving the ball well as they opened up a 0-6 to 0-1 lead but with some poor wides pock-marking their play.
Points from Danny Miskella and Clifford ensured Coláiste Choilm only trailed by three at the break but Jimmy Harte, Seán Denn and Ronan Dooley were involved in a slick Rochestown move at the start of the second half that ended with Dara O’Sullivan being fouled for a penalty.
Delaney converted that and a six-point advantage became nine when Dooley reacted first to slot home when a high ball broke. The same player went close again after full-back David O’Kelly initiated a break but they had another penalty when Pádraig McGrath was fouled as he tried to reach a Delaney pass.
Once again, Delaney did the needful from the spot and they were 11 ahead. That lead was whittled down but it was never eradicated.
Scorers for St Francis College: B Delaney 2-1 (2-0 penalties), R Dooley 1-1, D O’Sullivan (0-1f), P McGrath 0-2 each, D Reddington 0-1.
Coláiste Choilm: D Clifford, D Miskella (0-1f) 0-3 each, SP Murphy, A Dodd 1-0 each, C Ahern 0-2f.
ST FRANCIS COLLEGE: J Lyons (Nemo Rangers); L Kelleher (Douglas), D O’Kelly (St Finbarr’s), B Murphy (Carrigaline); J Mouret (Douglas), N O’Shea (Nemo Rangers), E Murphy (Carrigaline); S Denn (Nemo Rangers), D Reddington (Douglas); E Cummins (Douglas), B Delaney (Carrigaline), R Dooley (Douglas); P McGrath (Douglas), D O’Sullivan (Nemo Rangers), J Harte (Douglas).
Subs: J O’Brien (Douglas) for Murphy, D O’Donoghue (Douglas) for Denn (both 43), M O’Brien (Douglas) for McGrath, J O’Brien (Douglas) for Cummins (both 48), L Collins (Ballygarvan) for O’Kelly (60, injured).
COLÁISTE CHOILM: N Tait (Ballincollig); S O’Callaghan (Éire Óg), P Rose (Ballincollig), C Power (Ballincollig); C Herlihy (Inniscarra), C O’Connor (Ballincollig), E Donovan (Ballincollig); K O’Leary (Ballincollig), D Clifford (Éire Óg); S Rue O’Sullivan (Ballincollig), C Ahern (Ballincollig), SP Murphy (Éire Óg); D Miskella (Ballincollig), C Murphy (Ballincollig), A Dodd (Canovee).
Subs: D McCarthy (Éire Óg) for C Murphy (33), B Cronin (Ballincollig) for O’Sullivan (41, injured), L O’Mahony (Ballincollig) for SP Murphy (45), N Buckley (Inniscarra) for Donovan (47).
Referee: B Coniry (Crosshaven).
