There was joy too for Patrician Academy Mallow who qualified for the knockout stage for the first time in their history.  A first-round victory over St Flannan’s College was followed by this comprehensive win over Coláiste Choilm Ballincollig. Their final group C game is against titleholders St Brendan’s College, Killarney.

Coláiste Choilm, meanwhile, have no points on the board after this disappointing showing.

In terms of laying down a marker, one of the statement displays came in Banteer where Tralee's Mercy Mounthawk trounced Cork's Coláiste Chríost Rí.  

Leading the way for one of the big challengers to St Brendan's Killarney's title was two-year Kerry minor attacker Paddy Lane. The inside forward had five white flags raised by the ninth minute, eight by the 16th minute, and was into double-digits come half-time.

He finished with a cool 0-12, accumulated by the time he was called ashore in the 45th minute as Mounthawk showed their intent. 

In Rathkeale, a stoppage time ‘45’ from Darren Keane gave St. Flannan’s an unexpected draw against the Munster schools juggernaut that Killarney's St. Brendan’s. The draw was merited by the Clare school, who defended well and made the most of the openings they created.

This group clash, however, was marred by a serious knee injury sustained by Sem captain, Timmy Moynihan. The youngster - brother of Kerry star Dara -suffered a serious-looking injury when turning, and appeared in some distress before leaving the field after five minutes.

In Ballinhassig, Hamilton High School captain Seán Mac an tSaoi inspired his side to an opening-day victory over Coláiste an Spioraid Naoimh.

The Valley Rovers rising star scored 2-1 in defeat against the same opposition last year but this time his seven points from centre-forward turned the tables.

He kicked four pivotal points from play as they outscored the Bishopstown school by 0-9 to 0-1 in the second half.

Meanwhile, there were opening-day points for St Francis College, Rochestown in Round 2 at the 4G in Bishopstown.  Goals in the second half by Rob Hanley and Tomás Vaughan propelled last season’s defeated finalists to a four-point victory over De La Salle, Macroom.

To another Cork v Kerry showdown. St Patrick’s Castleisland and Clonakilty Community College’s entertaining draw ultimately meant that Abbey CBS were the only winners from their clash in Banteer as they progressed to the knockout stages of the Corn Uí Mhuirí without kicking a ball.

Castleisland’s two-point defeat to Abbey on the opening day of Group 5, which only consists of the three aforementioned sides, meant the pressure was on them to get the victory against a Clon side finally making their first outing in this season’s competition.

Elsewhere, an ill-tempered clash between Tralee CBS and Skibbereen CS ended with the Kerry outfit running out eight-point winners and the Cork side with two sendings-off.

During a second-half full of flashpoints and less-than-friendly gatherings in various patches of the field, it was inevitable that referee Denis Hickey would have to reach for the red card at some point.

The first dismissal arrived on 41 minutes. Skibbereen corner-forward Daniel Cleary, having been booked just minutes earlier, found himself at the centre of a second incident. Hickey promptly flashed red.

The West Cork students were four in arrears at the time. The gap, albeit slowly, went in only one direction thereafter. The result was long gone from them when midfielder Frank Hurley picked up a second yellow in injury-time.

The defeat immediately puts Skibb under pressure in the pursuit of knockout places from Group 4. Victory next time out against Hamilton High School Bandon, who won their respective opener, is imperative.

Lastly, While it may have taken them until well into the second half to show it, Coláiste na Sceilge had too much for Presentation Milltown.

The difference in age profile was apparent from the outset, with more than half of the Cahersiveen based team playing senior football already for their clubs while, in contrast, none of the Milltown side have progressed past the U17 age grade yet.

Two senior players in fact were on the South Kerry team in the recent county SFC, and they carried the torch to their Milltown opponents throughout – Emmet Daly and Ian O’Sullivan accounted for 1-10 of their teams total.