Corn Uí Mhuirí: Star turn Paddy Lane hits 1-9 to put Mounthawk through to knockouts
Charge By Stopped To Kirby Of Killian Patrick's St Goal Mounthawk's Daniel Dennehy Is
Mercy Mounthawk Tralee put themselves straight through to the quarter-finals of the Corn Uí Mhuiri in the New Year with a 12-point success over a gallant St Pats Castleisland who were down a number of key figures.
Austin Stacks senior duo Paddy Lane and Daniel Kirby both played three-quarters of proceedings prior to their club’s Munster Intermediate semi-final with Kilshannig on Sunday, with Lane scoring 1-9 (3f, 2’45’s) for his time on the pitch.
Lane’s class was evident early on as he put over points from play as well as placed balls despite the best efforts of the St Pats defence to keep tabs on Mounthawk’s and Kerry U-20 star's every move.
The Castleisland school responded successfully to their opponents first two points but by the 15-minute mark Mounthawk were starting to find their stride. They went 0-4 to 0-2 ahead, goalkeeper Michael Hickey having to save from Mounthawk’s Cormac Bastible to stop the Tralee school from getting in for a goal.
Ben Murphy was Mounthawk’s only other point scorer until the 46th minute when Lane was withdrawn from proceedings with their advantage at half-time standing at 0-7 to 0-3.
Conor Cahill and Killian Dennehy were St Pats’ only scorers on the day, the only goal coming four minutes into the second-half. Tomas Kennedy sent a beautiful high route-one ball into Lane’s path as he scored from close range to make it 1-8 to 0-3.
He finished by converting a ‘45’ to make it 1-10 to 0-4 and the Tralee school managed a further four points in the closing stages. St Pats only managed one point from play despite defending as well as they could for long periods.
If they can get their full deck back they will still be a tricky prospect as they wait to see what next week Preliminary Quarter-Final draw might bring.
Mounthawk can park thoughts of this competition until January now though as their next task will be to retain their O’Sullivan Cup (U19A) crown in Kerry prior to Christmas. That final against cross-town rivals and last year’s Corn Uí Mhuirí runners-up Tralee CBS will take place under the Austin Stacks Park floodlights on Monday December 2nd.
P Lane (1-9, 3f, 2’45’s), B Murphy (m), T Kennedy (f), B Meehan, C McGibney and B Doyle (0-1) each.
C Cahill (0-3, 2f) and K Dennehy (0-2, 2f)
R Kennedy (Kerins O’Rahillys); B Meehan (do), B Sharp (St Pats/Blennerville), J Fisher (Austin Stacks); P O’Halloran (do), D Sargent (John Mitchels), G Casey (Austin Stacks); D Kirby (do), B Murphy (do); A Tuohy (do), T Kennedy (Kerins O’Rahillys), S Corkery (John Mitchels); A Harty (Churchill), P Lane (Austin Stacks), C Bastible (Austin Stacks).
B Doyle (Churchill) for D Kirby, J Hoare (Kerins O’Rahillys) for C Bastible (both 44), D Lucid (Austin Stacks) for A Harty, C McGibney (Churchill) for P Lane (both 46), S Fitzgerald (John Mitchels) for B Murphy (50).
M Hickey (Cordal); T Kelliher (do), O O’Connor (Currow), R O’Connor (do); A Burke (Castleisland Desmonds), E Brennan (do), E Deniel (Firies); K Dennehy (Cordal), T Jones (do); D Healy (Currow), J Bell (Knocknagoshel), C Walsh (Scartaglen); C Cahill (Knocknagoshel), G Costello (Cordal), D Hickey (Knocknagoshel).
P Reidy (Ballymacelligott) for E Deniel (44), N Fitzgerald (Desmonds) for A Burke, G Healy (Ballymacelligott) for D Hickey (both 50), J Walsh (Knocknagoshel) for G Costello, A Young (Scartaglen) for R O’Connor (both 57) Referee: E Horan (Glenflesk).