For Críost Rí, regeneration comes before Corn Uí Mhuirí pride
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Nineteen schools, from four different counties, gather at the start line Wednesday in pursuit of Munster post-primary football glory.
The line-up shows three new additions from last season, Pobalscoil Inbhear Scéine, Intermediate School Killorglin and reigning Munster Senior B champions Mitchelstown CBS.
Far more noticeable, though, is who’s not there. Absent from the top tier and now wearing Senior B clothes is the school sitting third in the roll of honour with 15 final wins and Cork’s most successful Corn Uí Mhuirí participants, Coláiste Chríost Rí.
Críost Rí remain the last Cork school to lift the Corn Uí Mhuirí, that in 2011, and they are also the last Cork school to clasp their hands onto the U17A Frewen Cup, that in 2016. But past glories take a backseat to recent results and that is what influenced the decision of the school to regrade to the second tier for the 2024/25 academic year.
In last year’s group stages, they fell to eventual champions Mercy Mounthawk by 1-25 to 1-5, to Pobalscoil Chorca Dhuibhne by 1-16 to 0-5, with Coachford College inflicting a 42-point, 8-20 to 0-2 hammering in the final round, albeit Críost Rí were minus three mainstays for that fixture because of Nemo's county junior hurling final a few days later.
It was the second successive autumn where Coláiste Chríost Rí had finished their group campaign without a win, having suffered 23, 11, and 13-point beatings to Hamilton High School Bandon, High School Clonmel, and Bishopstown in 2022.
As Cork schools attempt to bridge the 14-year gap mentioned above, focus on the red side of the border will invariably fall on Patrician Academy Mallow and Coláiste Choilm Ballincollig.
Mallow enjoyed a dream return to the top-tier last season, weaving a path all the way to the last four. With six survivors from that team still involved, coupled with Mallow’s recent run to the Cork Premier MFC final, they should again be challenging for last-four involvement.
Mallow were beaten in that Cork minor final by Ballincollig and given the club’s strong representation on this year’s Cork minor panel, Coláiste Choilm will also be determined to first reach and then make an impression in the knockout stages.
Mention also for St Francis College Rochestown who were Frewen Cup (U17) finalists in the spring of 2023 and so should have a good chunk of that team driving their senior efforts in the weeks ahead.
But after all that is said and done, the champions will be expected to emerge from the green and gold side of the border. The same as they have done for the past 12 editions of this competition.
More because of their recent form than respect for the fact they are reigning champions, we’ll start with Mercy Mounthawk. They kicked 0-23 to overcome St Brendan’s Killarney with six to spare in last month’s Kerry Colleges O’Sullivan Cup quarter-final, their line-up on that afternoon showing nine players who featured in last February’s historic first Corn Uí Mhuirí crown. Indeed, included in that nine were three pillars - Paddy Lane, Ben Murphy, and Daniel Kirby - from last season’s all conquering side.
On that information alone, it is very difficult to see who will halt their back-to-back charge.
Beaten February finalists Tralee CBS, having won the last two Frewen Cups, will once again be their outstanding challengers.
Starter's orders.