De La Salle too strong for Youghal
From the moment full forward Sean Ivory slotted over the first point for De La Salle, the outcome had inevitability written all over it.
Youghal laboured in far too many key sectors throughout the field, and most of their advances on goal floundered on the winners' magnificent half back line of Kevin Moran, Noel Delahunty, and man-of-the-match Tommy Power.
The most extraordinary feature of the game is, for all their dominance, De La Salle failed to breach the Youghal defence for a goal. For that the East Cork school can thank the alert goalkeeping of Edmond Hogan and, most of all, the rock solid play of Conor Spillane who was superb at the heart of their overworked defence.
But the winners' forwards were content to take their points from distance, although Ivory will never know how he failed to rattle the net when he pointed on the stroke of half time with the goal at his mercy.
With Power rifling over a brace of pointed frees from prodigious distances and Seamus Quirke helping himself to a hat trick from frees, De La Salle retired comfortably in front, 0-8 to 0-1, at the break. It should have been an even bigger lead but wastage saw their forwards shooting ten wides to the opposition's three.
That lone Youghal point came from their best forward, Brendan Ring, in the 11th minute, and with Nigel Roche, one of only two forwards to pose any serious threat.
The best efforts of Spillane in defence still couldn't stem the tide for Youghal who had to wait until the 55th minute for their second score, a pointed 65 by the centre back. Ring quickly added another from play, but by now it was purely academic with Nicky Quinlan completing his five point haul from a free just before the end.
Scorers: De La Salle N. Quinlan (0-5, 0-3 frees); T. Power (0-4, frees); S. Ivory (0-3); J. Quirke (0-3, 0-2 frees, 0-1 sideline); S. Power, J. O'Farrell (0-1) each.
Youghal CBS; B. Ring (0-2); C. Spillane (0-1).
DE LA SALLE: E. Martin; P. Kelly. D. Heffernan. A. Dunne; K. Moran. N. Delahunty. T. Power; M. Doherty. D. Ellis; M. Power. K. Norris. J. O'Farrell; J. Quirke. S. Ivory. N. Quinlan. Subs; S. Wall for Quirke; S. Power for Norris; K. Kelly for Ivory; J. Madigan for Ellis; S. Walsh for M. Power.
YOUGHAL CBS: E. Hogan; M. O'Brien. J.Cotter. E. O'Connell; E. Ahearne. C. Spillane. S.Gleeson; K. Dunne. C. O'Keeffe; E. Kelly. E. Coleman. N. Roche; B. Ring. E. Loughlin. L. Desmond; Subs; T. Griffin for O'Connell; E. Griffin for Coleman; M. O'Neill for Kelly.
Referee: N. Musgrave (Clonmel).
