O’Riordan drives Dripsey onwards
The Waterford champions had clawed their way back into the game after falling nine points behind to trail by five at the interval.
The deficit might have been a goal less but for a superb double save by Dripsey net minder Aidan Buckley just before the break, but those two quick goals killed off their challenge and the remainder of the game was played out with the Cork champions firmly in control.
The winners, competing at this level for the first time since they became a club back in 2004, were always in control apart from the last 10 minutes of the first half, and had Modeligo goaled in that period, the result might have turned out differently.
Dripsey had a number of outstanding players. Former county minor Diarmuid O’Riordan showed his class, scoring 2-6 of his side’s tally with David Buckley another to contribute handsomely with five points from play.
Mark O’Sullivan and John Hogan were other prominent forwards while in defence Liam Buckley, John O’Riordan and John Carey were unbeatable.
Modeligo couldn’t be faulted for effort. They chased and harassed the Cork side all afternoon, but were badly lacking in attack where only Patrick O’Donovan had the class to trouble the Dripsey defence.
Kieran McCarthy’s contribution of five points all came from frees, but they badly needed a goal or two to have any chance.
On a glorious day for hurling on a superb pitch Dripsey couldn’t have asked for a better start. Hurling with supreme confidence all over the field, they scorched into a five-point lead after five minutes and when Diarmuid O’Riordan drilled a 20 metre free to the net a minute later, the Waterford side looked to be in for a drubbing.
It took the Waterford side 10 minutes to open their account, and as the Dripsey challenge began to falter, they came more and more into the game through the exploits of Patrick O’Donovan.
A brilliant double save by Dripsey goalkeeper Aidan Buckley denied the visitors a goal but they finished the half strongly with four points in a row and at the break, Dripsey led 1-9 to 0-7.
After the sides swapped points on the restart, Modeligo lost their goalkeeper with a reoccurrence of a knee injury and the first job for substitute Tom O’Byrne was to pick the sliothar out of his net after Diarmuid O’Riordan lashed home his second goal.
When John Hogan slipped home another a minute later, this game was done and dusted.
Despite their excellent outfield efforts, Modeligo never threatened a goal themselves and with Dripsey content to pick off the points at will, the game petered out to its inevitable conclusion.
Dripsey will now travel to take on the Limerick champions next Sunday in the Munster semi-final, and can expect a far stiffer challenge.
Scorers for Dripsey: D O’Riordan 2-6 (1-0 pen, 0-4 frees); D Buckley 0-5; J Hogan 1-0; M O’Sullivan 0-3; G Murphy, D O’Sullivan, J Carey 0-1 each.
Scorers for Modeligo: K McCarthy 0-5 (frees); P O’Donovan 0-3; P Walsh, J Fitzgerald, W O’Grady, B McCarthy 0-1 each.
DRIPSEY: A Buckley; B Kelleher, J O’Mahony, L Buckley; J Carey, J O’Riordan, P O’Riordan; D Foley, C Hayes; G Murphy, D O’Riordan, M O’Sullivan; D O’Sullivan, J Hogan, D Buckley.
Subs: G Manley for Murphy (45th); D Buckley for Hayes (50th); T Ryan for Carey (54th); R Moynihan for J O’Riordan (55th).
MODELIGO: J Power; J Troy, P McCarthy, J Power; B McCarthy, S Troy, M Cashman; W Morrissey, K McCarthy; W O’Grady, JP Ryan, J Buckley; D O’Keeffe, P O’Donovan, P Walsh.
Subs: J Fitzgerald for Ryan; T O’Byrne for J Power; M Power for O’Keeffe.
Referee: T Ryan (Tipperary).
