De La Salle finish strongly to see off St Colman's in the Harty Cup

HARTY CUP: Oran Hegarty, St Colman's College, Fermoy blocking the path of Darragh Hearne, De La Salle College, Waterford in their TUS Dr Harty Cup match at the Fraher Field, Dungarvan. Picture: Dan Linehan

Harty Cup: De La Salle College Waterford 0-25 St Colman’s College Fermoy 2-11 

A second-half surge from De La Salle College Waterford did the trick as they won by eight points against St Colman’s College Fermoy at a foggy and damp Cappoquin Logistics Fraher Field on Wednesday afternoon.

The Waterford school have booked their spot in the knockout stages following a second succussive victory in Group 2. Their opposition have no safety net going into the final group game in a couple of weeks’ time. They have just the one point and must beat High School Clonmel to have any chance.

A tally of 1-3 in the second 30 minutes will be a disappointment for St Colman’s after a promising opening half given the teams were deadlocked at the interval.

A second green flag did bring them back level midway through the second half, but they were playing second fiddle at that stage.

It was a very even start with the teams sharing the first six points inside six minutes.

Darragh Keane did nudge De La Salle ahead with a great point, but St Colman’s struck for a goal after 10 minutes.

De La Salle failed to clear their lines and the ball fell nicely for Ruairc Donovan who finished brilliantly into the top corner of the net.

The sides traded points before Tadhg McCarthy and a Cormac Barry free gave the Cork school a 1-6 to 0-5 advantage.

A pair of Shane Power efforts left two points in it with nine minutes to the break.

The teams swapped white flags until St Colman’s put three points between the sides with another quality free from Cormac Barry, 1-8 to 0-8.

De La Salle finished the half well though with three unanswered points, the accurate Eoin Burke with the scores, all from frees, 1-8 to 0-11 at half-time.

After a fairly even opening 30 minutes, De La Salle were much the better team on the resumption, landing four of the first five points.

A scrappy goal against the run of play did briefly draw St Colman’s level with a quarter of the game remaining. Denis Fitzgerald bundled the ball into the net after a goalmouth scramble, 2-9 to 0-15.

It didn’t spur on the team coached by Cork hurler Niall O’Leary. Sub Conor O’Riordan did point for St Colman’s to draw level after 52 minutes, 2-11 to 0-17.

They wouldn’t score again. Their opposition tacked on eight unanswered points to prevail by eight points. Burke with four points, three from frees, while sub Mikey Moloney made an impact when he came on with three points, all from play.

Scores for De La Salle College Waterford: E Burke 0-9 (0-8 f), S Power 0-6, M Moloney, O Fives 0-3 each, D Keane, J Power, J Shanahan (f), D Hickey 0-1 each.

St Colman’s College Fermoy: Cormac Barry 0-4 f, T McCarthy 0-3, R Donovan, D Fitzgerald 1-0 each, D Barry, F O’Driscoll, C O’Riordan, J Counihan 0-1 each.

DE LA SALLE COLLEGE WATERFORD: J Comerford (Ballygunner); D Keane (De La Salle), C O’Callaghan (De La Salle), A Power (Ballygunner); E O’Reilly (Ballygunner), C Power (De La Salle), J Power (Ballygunner); S Power (De La Salle), E Burke (Roanmore); T Ryan (De La Salle), J Shanahan (Erin’s Own), D Ryan (Roanmore); D Hearne (Roanmore), O Fives (Ballygunner), C O’Brien (Passage East).

Subs: D Doyle (De La Salle) for J Shanahan (21, inj), M Moloney (Ballygunner) for T Ryan (40), J Walsh (Mount Sion) for C O’Brien (54), D Hickey (Ballygunner) for D Ryan (61), R Crowley (Ballygunner) for C O'Callaghan (64).

ST COLMAN’S COLLEGE FERMOY: D Collins (Kilworth); J Batterberry (Ballycastle Gaels), J Mullery (Fermoy), B Ryan (Watergrasshill); D Barry (Watergrasshill), Cathal Barry (Bride Rovers), D Fitzgerald (Bride Rovers); F O’Driscoll (Bride Rovers), J Counihan (Watergrasshill); R Donovan (Fermoy), Cormac Barry (Bride Rovers), J O’Keeffe (Fermoy); O Hegarty (Kilworth), T McCarthy (Watergrasshill), S McCarthy (Castlelyons).

Subs: M Kenny (Bride Rovers) for S McCarthy (h-t), A Cotter (St Catherine’s) for J O’Keeffe (39), C O’Riordan (Bride Rovers) for O Hegarty (45).

Referee: Thomas Walsh (Waterford).