Hamilton High School 0-5
Mercy Mounthawk 2-19
HAMILTON High School’s run in the Corn Uí Mhuirí collided with an immovable object in Mallow on Saturday afternoon.
Despite beating two Kerry schools to reach the last four in Munster, the Bandon side could not make it a hat-trick of Kerry scalps, as reigning Corn Uí Mhuirí champions Mercy Mounthawk Tralee had too much power and class.
The writing was on the wall for the Hammies in the first quarter as Mounthawk stretched 0-7 to 0-0 ahead before Oisin McCarthy kicked the West Cork school’s only score of the first half, a 17th-minute free.
With Paddy Lane, who finished with 1-11, and midfielders Daniel Kirby and Ben Murphy running the show, Mounthawk bossed this semi-final. Hammies did have their chances in the first half, but Sean Murphy and Kevin Hannon saw their goal efforts saved or blocked.
As the rain fell on a cold day in Mallow, there was no let-up by Mounthawk in the second half as Lane continued to tag on scores – they led 1-16 to 0-1 before two Hammies points in a minute, from Jack Cullinane and Kevin Hannon, was a reward for their hard work.
There was never going to be a famous comeback here, but the Hammies added further scores from Oisin Gillain and another Oisin McCarthy free, though Lane hit back with a penalty for Mounthawk who had 20 points to spare in the end.
Scorers
Hamilton High School: Oisin McCarthy 0-2 (2f); Jack Cullinane, Kevin Hannon, Oisin Gillain 0-1.
Mercy Mounthawk: Paddy Lane 1-11 (1-0 pen, 6f); Tomás Kennedy 1-1; Daniel Kirby 0-3; Ben Murphy 0-2; Gavin Casey, Cormac Bastible 0-1 each.
Hamilton High School: Billy Curtin (Valley Rovers); Ben Coffey (Clonakilty), Niall Daly (Valley Rovers), James O’Driscoll (Bandon); Richard Tarrant (Bandon), Jack Cullinane (Bandon), Luke Casey (Valley Rovers); Oisin Gillain (Kilbrittain), Sean Coffey (Clonakilty); Charlie Twomey (Argideen Rangers), Oisin McCarthy (Valley Rovers), Daniel Coughlan (Bandon); Humphrey Canty (Newcestown), Kevin Hannon (Bandon), Sean Murphy (Dohenys).
Subs: Hugh Flanagan (Newcestown) for C Twomey (26), Eoin Maguire (Castlehaven) for H Canty (32, inj), Donagh Flynn (Argideen Rangers) for S Murphy (36), Adam Griffin (Kilbrittain) for D Coughlan (41), Sam Browne (Valley Rovers) for O Gillain (44), Dara Walsh (Argideen Rangers) for L Casey (48).
Mercy Mounthawk: R Kennedy; B Meehan, B Sharp, J Fisher; P O’Halloran, D Sargeant, G Casey; D Kirby, B Murphy; B Doyle, T Kennedy, S Corkery; C Bastible, P Lane, A Harty.
Subs: A Tuohy for B Kirby (38, temp), J Hoare for Harty (40), D Kirby for Bastible ( 40), O Kerins for Doyle (44), C McGibney for Kirby (50); K O’Donoghue for Sargent (52).
Referee: T McGlinchey (Tipperary).
