SMI Newcastle West lose out in Munster Post-Primary Schools U19 hurling semi-final

SCOIL Mhuire agus Idé, Newcastle West suffered a disappointing 2-19 to 0-16 defeat to Tralee CBS, The Green in the Munster Post Primary Schools U19 'B' hurling semi-final at Tournafulla on Monday afternoon.

It was the second meeting of the sides this season, having faced each other earlier in the group stages, where the West Limerick outfit emerged 2-24 to 1-19 winners.

SMI stepped up to this grade after capturing both the Munster and All-Ireland titles at ‘C’ level, with 14 members of that All-Ireland-winning squad starting on Monday.

The result brings an end to Limerick involvement in the competition, with Scoil Pól, Kilfinane, also exiting at the semi-final stage following a three-point defeat to Bishopstown in the other last-four tie. Tralee CBS The Green took control from the opening minute, making a blistering start.

An Eoghan Costelloe free was quickly followed by a well-taken Eoin Flaherty goal, giving the Kerry side a 1-1 lead inside the opening 90 seconds.

Gavin Dorgan and Conor Hough steadied the ship for SMI, but further scores from Flaherty and Costelloe restored CBS’s momentum. Hough landed a free before the Tralee school seized firm control, rattling off five unanswered points to open up a 1-8 to 0-3 lead by the 20th minute.

SMI responded superbly, roaring back into the contest with seven of the next eight scores before the interval. Leon O’Flynn, Dorgan and Hough all raised white flags as the gap was reduced to just two points, with the scoreboard reading 1-9 to 0-10 at half-time.

After the restart, Dorgan and Fionn Meehan picked up where SMI had left off, but three successive points from Costelloe edged Tralee back out to a goal advantage. Matthew O’Sullivan made it four on the bounce with a long-range free, leaving CBS 1-13 to 0-11 ahead with a quarter of an hour remaining.

Hough finally ended SMI’s scoring drought in the 46th minute, with Stephen Shanahan and Conor McMahon trading scores at either end.

Patrick Cagney landed an inspirational effort with seven minutes to play to cut the gap to two, but Costelloe responded immediately for the Kerry side.

With four minutes remaining, Hough’s 56th-minute free raised hopes of a grandstand finish. However, CBS The Green finished strongly, with Jason Gaynor, Costelloe, Shanahan and O’Sullivan all on target to push the game beyond Newcastle West’s reach at 1-19 to 0-16.

With the final puck of the game, Shanahan buried his shot to the back of the net for the Kerry students, putting the seal on an impressive CBS The Green performance and booking their place in the Munster
final.

SCORERS: SCOIL MHUIRE & IDE, NEWCASTLE WEST: Gavin Dorgan 0-3, Conor Hough 0-8 (5f), Leon O'Flynn 0-1, Gavin Thompson 0-1, Fionn Meehan 0-1, Conor McMahon 0-1, Patrick Cagney 0-1. TRALEE CBS: Eoghan Costelloe 0-10 (5f), Eoin Flaherty 1-2, Stephen Shanahan 1-3, Matthew O'Sullivan 0-3 (3f), Jason Gaynor 0-1

SCOIL MHUIRE & IDE, NEWCASTLE WEST: Darragh Tierney (Newcastle West), David Moloney (Knockaderry), Odhran Kelleher (Killeedy), Jack Horgan (Newcastle West), Liam O’Connor (Monagea), Patrick Cagney (Feohanagh- Castlemahon), Cathal Kiely (Monagea), Eoghan Sheehan (St Kierans), Diarmuid Mullaney (Killeedy), Leon O’Flynn (Newcastle West), Gavin Thompson (St Kierans), Gavin Dorgan (Monagea), Conor Hough (Monagea), Conor McMahon (St Kierans), Fionn Meehan (Feohanagh Castlemahon). SUBS: Jack Collins for Diarmuid Mullaney

TRALEE CBS THE GREEN: Cian Harris, Brandon Leen, John O’Donovan, Dara Wallace, Matthew O’Sullivan, Mikey Corridon, Brody Leen, Jason Gaynor, Ryan Hurley, Jake Rochford, Darragh Flaherty, Eoin Flaherty, Eoghan Costello, Oisin Heaton, Stephen Shanahan.