Munster SF final - Coláiste na Sceilge ... 0-12 Tralee CBS ... 0-7: Coláiste na Sceilge completed a historic three-in a row of Munster Colleges senior football (Corn Uí Mhuirí) titles after a dour, all-Kerry clash at a well-attended Fitzgerald Stadium in Killarney yesterday.
There is no doubt but that Jack O'Connor's side had just that little bit more in terms of craft and firepower up front than their Tralee counterparts, but they made very heavy weather of seeing off the challenge of a brave CBS side.
This was not a contest for the purist as the game was littered with mistakes on both sides and the accuracy of both forward lines left much to be desired.
Joey O'Connor, with two well-taken frees, had the underdogs in front, but Coláiste na Sceilge, thanks to the efforts of Bryan Sheehan, and the clinical finishing of Kevin O'Sullivan, added points in the 13th and 18th minutes to lead 0-3 to 0-2.
Joey O'Connor and Sheehan exchanged points from placed balls as Coláiste Na Sceilge struggled to get their attack moving.
When Paul O'Connor hit the post a minute later Michael Pat O'Donoghue was on hand to fire over a fine point, and despite a James Sugrue effort for Tralee, Coláiste na Sceilge led 0-5 to 0-4 at the break.
It was expected that Coláiste na Sceilge would up the tempo of their game in the second half, but they found it impossible to shake off the challenge of the tenacious Tralee side for whom Padraig O'Sullivan, David Culloty, Donal Doyle, Brian Moran and Shane McMahon battled to the very end.
At the end of the third quarter the holders led 0-8 to 0-6 with Kevin O'Sullivan kicking two fine points from play while Robert Fitzgerald and another free from O'Connor kept Tralee in touch.
Substitute Rory Keating kicked a fine point in the 52nd minute, while it was fitting that man of the match Kevin O'Sullivan should kick the insurance point and his fifth point from play to condemn Tralee CBS to defeat and ensure that Coláiste na Sceilge would have another go at All-Ireland glory.
COLÁISTE NA SCEILGE: D Corcoran; M P O'Donoghue (0-1), C O'Sullivan, K Young; T O'Sullivan, M Curran, T Lyne; B Sheehan (0-3, frees), S O'Shea; D Falvey, C O'Driscoll, D Walsh; K O'Sullivan (0-5), P O'Connor (0-1), D King (0-1). Subs: R Keating (0-1) for D Falvey, P Curran for C O'Driscoll.
TRALEE CBS: D Cunningham; P O'Sullivan, D Culloty, G Kerins; C O'Sullivan, K O'Shea, D Doyle (0-1); S Guthrie, B Moran; J Sugrue (0-1), E Liston, J O'Connor (0-4, 3 frees); C Moriarty, R Fitzgerald (0-1), E Liston. Subs: B Fitzgerald for C O'Sullivan.
Referee: P Lyons (Laune Rangers).
