Tralee CBS finish strong against Rochestown College to claim Munster Schools’ Frewen Cup

Tralee CBS 3-11

St Francis College, Rochestown 2-9

A goal in either half from Ronan Carroll, with a third green flag raised by Ryan O’Driscoll before half time, went a long way to seeing Tralee CBS claim the Munster Schools Frewen Cup with a five-point win over St Francis College, Rochestown at Banteer this afternoon.

Despite those two first half goals, Tralee CBS still trailed by three points at half, as the Cork school scored two goals of their own to lead 2-6 to 2-3 at the interval. but The Green were notably the better side in the second half and won it by eight points to bring the Frewen Cup back to the Tralee school for the first time since 2011.

Rochestown actually led by nine points, 2-5 to 0-2, late in the first half after hitting the Kerry school for two goals in quick succession in the first quarter. Sean Coakley scored the game’s first goal after 10 minutes and two minutes later Jimmy Harte raised the second green flag after a mistake in the Tralee defence.

Coakley had two first half points from converted frees while Mark O’Brien also kicked two fine scores as Tralee CBS really struggled for possession around the middle third and, in turn, failed to get a regular or decent supply of ball to their forward. The Green didn’t help themselves either with a lot of turned over ball and five wides in a frustrating first 25 minutes for them.

Their fortunes began to change when Ryan O’Driscoll goaled in the 28th minute, and a minute later Ronan Carroll was fouled in the square for a Tralee penalty, which the Austin Stacks club man took himself and confidently dispatched past the Rochestown goalkeeper.

Though Rochestown still took that three-point lead to the interval, those late goals certainly gave the Tralee CBS a pep in their step and it was clear from the start of the second half that the momentum had shifted to the Kerry players.

Four minutes into the second half that renewed confidence was rewarded when Ronan Carroll cut through the Rochestown defence to score The Green’s third goal, and they quickly added points from Carroll, Gearóid White and O’Driscoll as Tralee CBS finally began to assert their control on the game.

The Cork school could only manager to score three points in the second half, with Tralee CBS finishing strong with a run of scores in the last quarter to seal a convincing win in the end and win another Kerry v Cork contest in schools football.

TRALEE CBS: Óisin O’Halloran (Ardfert), Eoin Moriarty (Ballymac), Ryan Hickey (Churchill), Stephen Turner (Ballymac); Fionnán Ryan 0-1 (Austin Stacks), Sean Óg Brosnan (Austin Stacks), Eoin O’Flaherty (Ardfert); Keelan Best (Ardfert), Maurice Lenihan 0-1 (Churchill); Hugh Lenihan 0-2 (Churchill), Ronan Carroll 2-3 (1-0 pen, 0-1f) (Austin Stacks), Pat Brosnan (Moyvane); Darragh Corridan (Ardfert), Ryan O’Driscoll 1-2 (Austin Stacks), Gearóid White 0-1 (John Mitchels). Subs: Seán Hickey (Churchill) for D Corridan (Ardfert) (39), Michael O’Sullivan (Churchill) for S Óg Brosnan (39), Tom Quilter 0-1 (Churchill) for E O’Flaherty (63).

ST FRANCIS COLLEGE ROCHESTOWN: J Lyons, C Lowney, R Sisk, B Murphy, D Kelly, L Kelliher, K Kavanagh, B Twohig, A Moloney, J Harte 1-0, D Reddington, D O’Sullivan 0-1, S Coakley 1-3 (0-3f), M O’Brien 0-4 (3f), P McGrath 0-1. Subs: J O’Brien for D Kelly (35), J Mouret for R Sisk (45), E Cummins for D O’Sullivan (52), R O’Riordan for J Harte (52), A Sheehy for A Moloney (52).

Referee: T McGlinchey (Tipperary)