O’Donnell and O’Mahony pave the way for Kilmallock
Kilmallock, backed by nine of the local club’s minor team, winners of the Limerick county championship last week, showed the greater class all through.
Full-back Liam Hurley completed blotted out DLS danger man John Quirke while outside him Gavin O’Mahony gave a wonderful display at of centre-back.
In attack, Shane O’Donnell showed his prowess with six excellent points, while the impressive James McManus contributed three points all from play.
A weakness in attack cost DLS at least two goals in the opening 10 minutes and, with John Quirke unable to make any impression, the Waterford side were always chasing the game thereafter.
Shane Walsh and David Ellis battled well for DLS in defence, but the loss of corner-back Neil Kelly after 20 minutes with concussion didn’t help their cause.
It was even enough early on but Kilmallock took a decided grip on the proceedings for the second quarter, with Gavin O’Mahony unbeatable at centre-back. They struck for the game’s only goal in the 20th minute, and, fittingly, O’Mahony had a hand in it.
Winning possession in defence, he brushed past a couple of forwards before setting up Timmy Byrnes with a great pass, and the corner-forward made no mistake from close range. That goal helped the Kilmallock side to an interval lead of 1-7 to 0-7, with wind advantage to come.
It took a great block by Kilmallock corner-back Podge Cleary to deny Eamon Morrissey a goal early in the second-half. However, try as they might, they could not breach the Kilmallock defence, principally due to the dominance of Gavin O’Mahony and Kieran O’Rourke on his left.
At the other end Shane O’Donnell continued to show his class with a brace of points, before DLS had their opening score 20 minutes into the second half, when John Quirke pointed from a free.
The remaining minutes were keenly contested as DLS threw everything at Kilmallock but their only reward was a late David Greene point as Coláiste Iosaef strolled through to the last eight.
Scorers for Coláiste Iosaef: S. O'Donnell 0-6 (0-3 frees); T. Byrnes 1-0; J. McManus 0-3; W. Egan 0-2.
DLS: C. Maloney 0-3; J. Quirke (0-1 free), E. Morrissey 0-2 each; D. Ellis, D. Greene 0-1 each.
COLÁISTE IOSAEF: S. Heffernan; P. Cleary, L. Hurley, V. Hurley; L. Barrett, G. O'Mahony, K. O'Rourke; D. Slattery, E. Burchill; W. Egan, P. O'Brien, J. McManus; G. Quigley, S. O'Donnell, T. Byrnes.
Subs. D. O'Regan for Egan; J. O'Dee for Quigley; W. Egan for Kelly; J. Quigley for O'Dee.
DLS: J. O'Keeffe; S. Richardson, S. Walsh, N. Kelly; J. Kearney, D. Ellis, F. McGrath; D. Greene, M. Sexton; T. Kearns, T. Connors, J. Quirke; S. Loughlan, E. Morrissey, C. Maloney.
Subs. P. Deedy for S. Loughman; M. Grace for Kelly; D. Kirby for McGrath.
Referee, J. Ryan (Cashel).
