St Flannan’s began their group-stage campaign by being restricted to 0-8 by Ardscoil Rís. It couldn’t have ended in more different circumstances as they amassed an awesome 2-33 against Coláiste Choilm at Banteer.

Even given the opening-day deluge a month ago, it was hard to believe this Flannan’s team could be so tied down as they monstered their Ballincollig opponents for a 1-21 in the opening half alone.

They sealed their preliminary quarter-final berth with 12 different scorers and the added luxury of four Clare All-Ireland minor champions on the bench once they decided to rest their frontline stars.

Half-forwards Jack Mescall and Fred Hegarty combined for 11 points from play, while Limerick forward and free-taker Tadhg Boddy landed 0-9 and assisted another 1-4.

The Ennis school hadn’t scored a goal in their previous two games but they set that straight with Luca Cleary (1-3) and substitute Michael Power finding the net in either half.

It could even be reasonably stated that Coláiste Choilm brought a fair measure of intensity and quality to the opening 18 minutes of an entertaining contest before they were overwhelmed by the relentless blue tide.

This was an exhibition of shrewd option-taking and laser-guided shooting from the outset.

The teams split the opening six points evenly, with a brilliant intercept point from Ballincollig’s David O’Leary cancelled out by a long-range effort from centre-back James Hegarty.

Coláiste Choilm goal poacher Daniel Murphy had an early opening in the fourth minute but he was blocked by Fiachra Ó Braoin. Even that early, it felt like a crucial moment.

Flannan’s strung together scores from Mescall, Boddy, and Fred Hegarty to establish a three-point gap by the eighth minute.

The next 10 minutes were even, with long-range points from Brian Dore and Chulainn Malone cancelled out by fine scores down the right flank from St Joseph's Doora-Barefield pair Ian Williams and Frankie Meaney.

That left it 0-10 to 0-7 but Flannan’s would outscore their opponents by 1-11 to 0-4 in the final dozen minutes to the break.

They started with six points in a row, from Boddy (2), Cleary, Mescall, Fred Hegarty, and Joe Casey. Each was earned by some combination of smart movement from puck-outs, intensity to tackle from the front, precision passing, and awareness of the player best positioned to shoot.

Their long-range accuracy was emphasised by their entire half-back line and midfield finding the target by half-time.

Coláiste Choilm broke the siege with a pair of well-worked points from Murphy and Eoin Dwyer, who finished with 0-8, but Flannan’s then struck for the opening goal.

Harry Doherty appeared stranded out by the corner but batted the sliotar back over his head, finding Boddy in space. He drew the defender and fed Cleary who sent a rasping shot to the net.

The full-forward almost added another when they turned over the subsequent puck-out but his snapshot whizzed just over the bar.

They added another four in a row before the break with Meaney, Mescall, Fred Hegarty, and Evan Price all on the money. 1-21 to 0-11 at midway.

There were goals threatened at either end on the restart, with a Conor Griffin hook denying Jack Murray before Doherty forced a save out of Donnchadh Murphy.

Corner-back Griffin added his name to the scoresheet as Flannan’s accumulated another hat-trick of points before Coláiste Choilm hit back with three of their own from frees, via the hard-working duo of Dwyer (2) and Josh McCarthy.

But Flannan’s reeled off another six on the spin as Mescall took his total to 0-6 and Fred Hegarty accrued his fifth, making it 1-30 to 0-14.

Both goalkeepers were called into action. Donnchadh Murphy denied Boddy and Cian Howard blocked Johnny Galvin’s dangerous dipper, while Mescall pitched in with a goal-line save from a Dwyer free.

Flannan’s would have the final say, though, with substitutes Mark O’Connor and Kieran McDonnell teeing up Power to beat two men on the line.

Scorers for St Flannan’s: T Boddy (0-9, 7 frees); L Cleary (1-3); J Mescall (0-6); F Hegarty (0-5); M Power (1-0); F Meaney, J Hegarty (1 free), J Casey (0-2 each); C Griffin, E Price, I Williams, M O’Connor (0-1 each).

Scorers for Coláiste Choilm: E Dwyer (0-8, 5 frees); J McCarthy (0-3, 2 frees, 1 65); C Malone, B Dore, D O’Leary, S O’Neill, Daniel Murphy, N Buckley (0-1 each).

ST FLANNAN’S: C Howard (Éire Óg Ennis); C Griffin (Clarecastle), F Ó Braoin (Sixmilebridge), P Nagle (St Joseph's Doora-Barefield); F Meaney (St Joseph's Doora-Barefield), J Hegarty (Inagh-Kilnamona), E Price (Clarecastle); J Casey (Kilmaley), I Williams (St Joseph's Doora-Barefield); J Mescall (Inagh-Kilnamona), F Hegarty (Inagh-Kilnamona), R Kilroy (The Banner); T Boddy (Bruff), L Cleary (Éire Óg Ennis), H Doherty (Clarecastle).

Subs: M O’Connor (St Joseph's Doora-Barefield) for Price (38), R Loftus (Éire Óg Ennis) for Kilroy (44), M Power (Newmarket-on-Fergus) for F Hegarty (51), K McDonnell (Ballyea) for Doherty (51), E Kennedy (Ballyea) for J Hegarty (52).

COLÁISTE CHOILM: Donnchadh Murphy (Ballinora); D Clifford (Éire Óg), T McGrath (Valley Rovers), C Clifford (Éire Óg); C Malone (Éire Óg), B Dore (Ballincollig), A Doyle (Inniscarra); J Galvin (Éire Óg), D O’Leary (Ballincollig); J McCarthy (Éire Óg), S O’Neill (Ballincollig), J Murray (Ballincollig); S Linehan (Inniscarra), E Dwyer (Ballincollig), Daniel Murphy (Inniscarra).

Subs: N Buckley (Inniscarra) for Linehan (42), D Miskella (Ballincollig) for C Clifford (52), G Howard (Ballincollig) for McCarthy (52), L Harris (Ballincollig) for D Clifford (59), J Murphy (Ballincollig) for Daniel Murphy (59).

Referee: M Sexton (Bruree).