Casey leads St. Flannan’s power surge

SUPERIOR firepower was the key to victory for St Flannan’s College as they claimed the Dean Ryan Cup at Cashel yesterday.

Dylan Casey was the scorer-in-chief for the winners’, bagging seven points.

Behind from the 10th minute, De La Salle found themselves 10 points down midway through the second half after an excellent Shane O’Donnell goal for St Flannan’s and, while Darragh Flynn and sub Jack McCarthy both had points for the Waterford College allied with a fine Flynn goal, they conceded three on the bounce in the closing five minutes as their challenge dissipated.

St. Flannan’s hurled the better in all parts of the field, from the superb Conor Clancy at full-back, through the spine of centre-back David Conroy and Martin O’Leary in midfield, and impressive forwards Dylan Casey, Stephen Ward and Shane O’Donnell.

Joe Barry opened their account, seizing on a breaking ball and striking over after De La Salle goalkeeper Austin Gleeson pulled off a brilliant save from a Shane O’Donnell shot.

It soon turned sour for Gleeson as he was forced into conceding a penalty in the eighth minute when a long Adam Farrell ball deceived him and he fouled Flannan’s Joe Barry who had the goal at his mercy.

The penalty by Dylan Casey was saved but St Flannan’s didn’t lose heart and after Casey sent over a couple of points in quick succession, they put daylight between the teams in the 16th minute.

A shot by Darragh Gregan out on the left wing sailed all the way to the net and when Stephen Ward scored an excellent point a minute later, there were five between them.

Well-drilled in defence, the Ennis college let little past them. They were ably led by Conor Clancy, David Conroy and Aidan McGuane but a Barry O’Sullivan score after some persistent work to shake off his opponents, and a long Darragh Flynn free, kept De La Salle in touch at half-time, 1-5 to 0-4 down.

De La Salle’s cause wasn’t helped by the sending-off of Tom Mullally for a second yellow card after an off-the-ball incident early in the second-half.

Despite a brave struggle after that, they were unable to get within touching distance and St. Flannan’s ran out comfortable winners.

Scorers for St Flannan’s: D Casey (0-7, 0-4 from frees), S O’Donnell, D Gregan (1-0) each, S Ward (0-2), B Duggan, J Barry (0-1) each.

De La Salle: D Flynn (1-3, 0-3 from frees), B O’Sullivan (0-2), J McCarthy (0-1).

ST FLANNAN’S, ENNIS: E Meehan; D McMahon, C Clancy, M McGuane; A McGuane, D Conroy, C Moloney; M O’Leary, C MacMathuna; D Casey, S Ward, D Gregan; B Duggan, S O’Donnell, J Barry. Subs: N Murray for D Gregan, A Keane for C MacMathuna.

DE LA SALLE, WATERFORD: A Gleeson; S Kerwick, K Walsh, S Keogh; R Dawson, A O’Sullivan, S O’Neill; P Fitzgerald, C Sheehan; D Flynn, B O’Sullivan, D Foley; A Farrell, T Mullally, D Walshe Subs: B O’Keeffe for C Sheehan, J McCarthy for A Farrell, A Kavanagh for D Foley.

Ref: J Ryan (Tipperary).