Fota Island represents an escape from such discourse and the mood is surprisingly buoyant. As selector Eamonn Hennessy remarks, people too easily forget that this team is but a group of teenage boys. Said point is hammered home during the inter-panel game which concludes their two-hour session.

While much of the play unfolds at the far end of the pitch, the idle forwards take turns in peppering goalkeeper Paddy Lynch with a host of shots, Daniel Meaney is castigated by team-mates for sending the ball into the woods, while ‘Mr Hennessy, Mr Hennessy, one more score, one more score’ rings around the field when the English teacher attempts to call a halt to proceedings — the soup and sandwiches prepared by the hotel staff are in danger of going cold.

“You have to remember that these lads are only 16, 17 and 18-years of age,” says Carrigaline native Hennessy.

“A big part of sport is fun. People forget that and it becomes all too serious far too early. I think people have forgotten that when talking about these lads delivering two Munster championships. It is important these lads are allowed enjoy the week of a Munster final.”

The panel convened on Monday to thrash out the Harty Cup loss to Thurles CBS, important given the involvement of 12 dual players.

“It is a tight turnaround. On the plus side, we are into another Munster final week. They don’t come around too often. The boys know that even though we lost a tight one last weekend, we can achieve a different result and experience different emotions this Saturday.

“They are a mature bunch, they really want to do well for their school and their clubs. This team has been building up for a number of years, these boys have been very successful at U14 and U16 level. We won the Frewen Cup last year and that was a great fillip.”

Would Hennessy rather the Corn Uí Mhuirí decider had been played in advance of the Harty? Too selfish a view to hold?

“It is a unique situation we are in. This is fresh ground for us. It has only been done a couple of times that a college would make both finals. Ask me that question on Saturday evening and I’ll have an answer for you.

“The buzz has definitely carried over. We were all very disappointed last Saturday. Harty finals are hard to come by. There hadn’t been a Cork school in it for eight years. Our boys lived that dream. We are still in the All-Ireland hurling series. That cushioned the blow a little bit and the fact that we are out again this Saturday, every player knows they have a second chance at a Munster medal.

“We hope last Saturday’s defeat will drive them on. The dual lads know what it is all about. A number of the panel wouldn’t have been involved so you then require the dual players to bring others along and ease them into the occasion.”

Pobalscoil Chorca Duibhne, chasing a fourth successive Corn Uí Mhuirí crown, ended St Francis’ run at the quarter-final juncture in 2013 — the last meeting of the two colleges.

“It was a brutal day below in Killarney,” recalls Hennessy.

“That game could have gone either way. Dingle got the win and went on to win the Corn Uí Mhuirí that year. That is how tight the margins are.

“We are going down to the same venue on Saturday and hopefully we can get a different result. It will be very hard, but on Munster final afternoon you should expect no less.”