Clonakilty CC looking to future after Corn Uí Mhuirí exit

Mercy Mounthawk 3-15

Clonakilty CC 0-16

WHILE Clonakilty Community College’s campaign in this year’s TUS Corn Uí Mhuirí came to an end with a quarter-final loss to Tralee’s Mercy Mounthawk, there were positives to be taken.

Goals were crucial as Clon lost out to the Kerry side at the Páirc Uí Chaoimh 4G on Friday. Two strikes from Kerry underage star Paddy Lane left it 2-8 to 0-9 at half-time and the attacker completed his hat-trick in the second half. While Clon competed well, they were unable to raise a green flag but manager Diarmuid O’Donovan was proud of the effort.

‘The difference in the game was the three goals and they were probably of our own making,’ he said.

‘When you think about that, it’s disappointing, but at least you know that the lads played well. They kicked 16 points, which was great going – they were slightly better than us, to be fair, but it wasn’t an eight-point game.’

Lane’s first goal came immediately after Robert Monahan had opened the scoring with a point and Darragh O’Connor’s free made it 1-2 to 0-0, but Clon reacted well. Points from Olan O’Donovan and Darragh Gough had them back to 1-5 to 0-5 before Lane struck again, with five points between the sides at half-time.

Despite losing the influential Sam Bailey to injury, Clon continued to push in the second half and Cillian Twohig had them back within a goal but Mounthawk maintained their composure. Lane’s third goal on 52 made it 3-12 to 0-13 and that eight-point advantage was still there at the end.

While Clon has shown that they can compete, the next step is pushing on.

‘We’ve been consistent enough in getting out of the groups and getting to the quarter-finals over the last eight or nine years,’ O’Donovan said.

‘We knew it was going to be a tough game against Mounthawk as they have some serious players. We had our homework done and we knew that it wouldn’t be anything easy. The way it panned out, it was disappointing that we didn’t get over the line.

‘There’s nine of that team gone now next year, so we’re looking to transition years coming up and fifth years getting stronger. We’ve good players coming up and I’m sure that we’ll continue to be competitive.’

Darragh Gough (Clonakilty Community College) has his jersey tested by Jack Murphy (Mercy Mounthawk).

Hand in hand with that is the fact that the players from the school’s catchment area are exposed to a high standard of football, which O’Donovan feels can only benefit them.

‘Yeah, it’s a shop window for all of those players,’ he said.

‘You’ve Cork minor and U20 selectors looking at these players all the time and that’s what the standard is.

‘We’ve been lucky to have four or five Cork minors on the team this year but this is a step above anything that they have played. ‘We’ve two lads on the Cork minor panel going forward for this year and they’re still two years off the oldest fellas that they’ve played in schools matches. Not that it showed or anything – they did well and were able to mix it – but it is a step up.’

Scorers - Mercy Mounthawk: P Lane (3-3, 1m); R Monahan (0-7, 1 45); D O’Connor (2f), T Kennedy 0-2 each; N Collins 0-1. Clonakilty CC: D Gough (2f), O O’Donovan (5f) 0-6 each; C Twohig 0-2; F Murphy, T Cullinane 0-1 each.

Mercy Mounthawk: M Tansley; G O’Riordan, J Murphy, S Rice; D Kirby, C Litchfield, B Byrne; T Kennedy, D O’Sullivan; N Collins, O Ferris, S Corkery; D O’Connor, R Monahan, P Lane. Subs: J Hoare for Corkery (45), N Townsend for Collins (58), F Egan for Kirby, C Moran for O’Riordan (both 60).

Clonakilty CC: T O’Neill (Owen Gaels); D Twomey (Owen Gaels), F McCarthy (Clonakilty), S O’Regan (Clonakilty); D McCarthy (Ibane Gaels), S Bailey (Kilmeen), C Twohig (Kilmeen); J Twomey (Clonakilty), A Cullinane (Clonakilty); F Murphy (Clonakilty), D Gough (Clonakilty), T Ó Buachalla (Ibane Gaels); O O’Donovan (Ibane Gaels), P Flynn (Ibane Gaels), T Cullinane (Owen Gaels). Subs: É Hodnett (Carbery Rangers) for Bailey (20, injured), J Bailey (Kilmeen) for Twomey (48), E Cullinane (Ahán Gaels) for F McCarthy (60).

Referee: S Stokes (Tullylease).