Reporting team: Aidan Kelly, David Naughten and Jack O’Connor
ON a dull spring afternoon in Farranfore, St Brendan’s College, KIllarney comfortably secured a place in the Russell Cup final with a comprehensive victory over Tralee CBS on a scoreline of 5-14 to 3-9.
Once again, the Sem proved to be too superior for their opponents and are on course to complete the Moran and Russell Cups double.
There was a good start from the Killarney side, with talisman David Clifford getting a monstrous score that cleared the posts with yards to spare. St Brendan’s won the resulting kick out, the ball was pumped into the forward line and it fell to the dangerous Mark Harnett but he squandered the opportunity with the goal at his mercy and the chance went a begging.
A second chance fell to the Sem immediately after and after James Kelly put the keeper under pressure, which forced him to fumble, the ball being was bundled into the back of the net. It was a scrappy goal but it yielded three points nonetheless.
The Sem were on top in all areas of the field with centre back Thando Dube powering out in front of his man, winning the ball and setting up team-mate and wing back Cian Gammell for a well-taken score. Legion’s Paul Moriarty started at corner back and did some great defending and a move he initiated resulted in midfielder Chris O’Donoghue charging up the middle and setting up target man Clifford who typically slotted the ball into the corner of the net.
CBS replied with three points that slowed the Sem momentum but only for a short period of time as the Killarney boys ended the CBS spell on top with a Jack Griffin goal – a great individual effort – which put the Killarney school in a great position.
Tralee CBS responded well with two points but the Sem overshadowed that comeback with a Harnett strike with the half-time whistle fast approaching and things were looking good for St Brendan’s College. However, a CBS goal gave them some hope for the second half although Sem went in leading by 10 points at the break.
Tralee CBS came back out with all guns blazing, getting right back into the game with a goal. The ball was ping-ponged around the area as keeper Robert Osborne made a miraculous save but the ball eventually hit the back of the net.
CBS piled on the pressure without availing of any scoring opportunities that came their way. The Sem sustained the pressure well and found their feet again, pointing three times in swift sequence. One of these scores showed the sheer strength of the St Brendan’s squad with substitute Thomas Barrett surging forward from wing back and he stuck it between the posts.
The Killarney side asserted their dominance late on with four scores in a row from the magnificent David Clifford, followed by a tidy finish to the net by centre forward Mike Potts.
O’Donoghue slotted the Sem’s final score and a late resurgence from CBS proved only a consolation though they finished the game scoring 1-2 without reply.
The Sem are set to face Mercy Mounthawk from Tralee in the decider after the Easter break and based on this performance, they will take some stopping.
- Aidan Kelly, David Naughten and Jack O’Connor are Transition Year students in St Brendan’s College
