Mullane injury mars De la Salle victory
It saw De la Salle eventually squeeze past the boys from Ballymacarberry in this Waterford SHC quarter-final in Fraher Field.
It means they now qualify for a semi-final tilt against city rivals Mount Sion. Given how poorly De la Salle played, even in victory, that’s not a prospect that will have the champions quaking in their boots. Fittingly, the difference between the sides at the end was a soft goal conceded by unfortunate Fourmilewater keeper Patrick Walsh four minutes into the second half, a lob from De la Salle corner-forward Ray Murphy that bobbled and then dropped over the goal line.
The hit on the flying Mullane came just over five minutes into the game, the wing-forward having just parted with the ball, and the game was delayed for eight minutes to allow the ambulance onto the pitch to remove the shaken star.
While lying on the pitch, Mullane went into spasm but Fourmilewater full-forward Declan Spellman, a qualified nurse, raced the length of the pitch, gave timely assistance, and eased a dangerous situation.
The score at that stage was 0-2 each, but the loss of their leader seemed to adversely affect De la Salle, and for the next 20 minutes it was nearly all Fourmilewater, threatening an upset as they took a solid 1-7 to 0-4 lead. Their goal came from a regular 20meter free, not a brilliant shot, not a brilliant effort at saving it either, and two of their points were also from placed balls.
At half-time, they were still in control, 1-8 to 0-6, but given that the breeze would now be more in favour of De la Salle, five points wasn’t exactly a commanding lead.
Thus it proved. With one side seemingly trying to outdo the other in terms of ineptitude on the ball, De la Salle took charge in a second half that will not live long in the memory and outscored Fourmilewater 2-5 to 0-4. The first of those goals, as noted above, brought De la Salle within a point, in the 34th minute; the second came five minutes later, and again, it wasn’t exactly of vintage quality. A low ball in from the right corner by Luke Lawlor was missed by a succession of players and eventually found its way to substitute Brian Farrell. He first-timed a fine shot to the roof of the net from point-blank range. That score put De la Salle into the lead for the first time since the opening minutes, 2-8 to 1-9, and they managed to hold onto that two-point lead for the remaining torturous 20 minutes.
De la Salle were marginally the better side, but if they’re to offer any kind of challenge to Mount Sion, having even a player of the talent of Mullane back to full fitness won’t be enough; an improvement of at least 100% will be required, front to back. No doubt about it, team manager Eddie O’Connor, former Kilkenny All-Ireland-winning captain, faces a major challenge in the next couple of weeks.
For Fourmilewater, at least there’s the consolation of a senior football semi-final still to be played, for their sister club, The Nire.
: De la Salle: J. Quirke 0-3 (0-2 frees); R. Murphy 1-0; B. Farrell 1-0; C. Watt 0-2; K. Moran 0-2; B. Phelan (65), L. Hayes, L. Lawlor, M. Barden, 0-1 each. Fourmilewater: S. Walsh 0-5 (0-4 frees); D. Spellman 1-0; L. Walsh 0-3 (0-2 frees 0-1 65); S. Lawlor, T. O’Gorman, D. Ryan, L. Lawlor, 0-1 each.
: S. Brenner; A. Kelly, I. Flynn, M. Doherty; B. Murphy, B. Phelan, D. Russell; C. Watt, K. Moran; L. Lawlor, L. Hayes, J. Mullane; R. Murphy, J. Quirke, A. Ryan.
: M. Barden (Mullane 12); B. Farrell (Ryan 38); W. Power (Lawlor 64).
: P. Walsh; J. Moore, A. Ryan, J. Walsh; L. Lawlor, B. Wall, L. Walsh; M. O’Gorman, M. Walsh; S. Walsh, A. O’Gorman, D. Ryan; T. O’Gorman, D. Spellman, S. Lawlor.
: A. Lawlor (Spellman 55); Michael O’Gorman (Maurice O’Gorman inj. 53).
: J.M. Kelly (Shamrocks).
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