Harty Cup: Kevin Moran delighted with De La Salle response to fend off CBC
Denis Riordan, Christian Brothers College, Cork looking to tackle Conor Tobin, De La Salle College, Waterford in their TUS Dr Harty Cup (19 A H) quarter-final match at the Town Park, Fethard, Co Tipperary. Picture Dan Linehan
De La Salle College’s return to the Harty Cup semi-finals was hailed as a shot in the arm for Waterford hurling after Adam Regan led them to a stylish nine-point win over CBC, Cork.
The Déise standard-bearers had 11 different scorers across the hour, spearheaded by 1-4 from their joint-captain.
They looked the better team from a long way out but after goals from Conor McCarthy and Cian O’Flynn brought Christians back within a point, Regan responded inside a minute with the killer goal.
“That lead quickly vanished and Christians had us in a lot of trouble but more than anything, delighted the way the lads responded,” said manager Kevin Moran.
“Going from eight up to them getting within a point of us, we pushed on the last 15 minutes. The result is the most important thing.
“We needed to put a lot of work in. It’s been a while since we were in a Harty semi-final and they don’t come around too often so we’re over the moon.
“These players need to be playing top-level teams as much as they can to improve. That’s important for us, the lads, the school, and Waterford hurling so it’s a positive all round.”
Having exited the group stage without a win to their name last year, De La Salle have impressively regrouped. They have already knocked out reigning champions Nenagh CBS en route to a first semi-final appearance since 2022.
An open game didn’t see a free scored until the 47th minute, and only one missed before that, while De La Salle struck 17 wides and hit the post three times.
Room for improvement, so, as they advance to play Thurles CBS in a mouth-watering semi-final.
“We could’ve tidied up another seven or eight scores definitely,” added Moran. “Certainly, the next day we wouldn’t get away with that.
“The big thing for us is that we’re there. We’d a lot of injuries coming into the game, although we got everyone out on the field. There’s a couple who are pretty sore so hopefully we can get everybody right and see can we pull something off Wednesday week.
“We played this Thurles team in the Dean Ryan two years ago and we know how good they are. It’s a massive task for us and these massive days don’t come around too often so we’ll give it everything.”
CBC were missing Cork minor Jack Hegarty at midfield and despite Eoghan O’Shea registering from the throw-in, it was De La Salle who found it easier to manufacture scores.
An early three in a row featuring impressive points from Jack Power and Mark Hartley pushed them ahead. They could’ve added a goal too but danger-man Conor Tobin saw his fierce blast superbly saved by Keith Flood.
The Christians’ keeper had yet to concede a goal in the Harty Cup but he was beaten in the cruellest fashion.
It arrived just as O’Shea and Ben Mayer brought their side back within one. Conor Power came forward from defence and his viciously deflected shot looped over the stranded Flood and dropped into the net.
Tobin tagged on mirror-image points off either wing and Regan added another for a 1-8 to 0-4 lead.
Braces from Mayer and Andy Hourigan stabilised CBC but De La Salle matched them step by step and Tobin was denied a goal by the upright. 1-12 to 0-8 at half-time.
Christians went to their bench early and they made an immediate impact. Conor McCarthy rifled 1-1, Cillian Murray assisted 0-2, and Sam O’Driscoll pointed with his first touch.
McCarthy’s goal made it a one-score game but a Hartley pair restored some cushion for De La Salle.
Mayer struck his fourth point before supplying the ball for the second goal, with Cian O’Flynn spinning sharply and finishing to bring their supporters into full voice.
They were quickly quietened by Regan making it 2-15 to 2-11 from Colm Hartley’s long ball in the 44th minute.
O’Shea put together back-to-back points to halve the deficit, the latter a dramatic kicked effort after he snapped his hurley in two blocking down the keeper.
But De La Salle would score nine of the final 11 points with three from Shane Power and two each for Doherty and Mark Hartley.
A Regan (1-4); M Hartley (0-6, 2 frees, 1 65); S Power (0-4); C Power (1-0); R Doherty (0-3); C Tobin (0-2); P Power, J Power, R Jacob, O Fives, E Burke (0-1 each).
C McCarthy (1-1); B Mayer, E O’Shea (0-4 each); C O’Flynn (1-0); A Hourigan (0-3); M Quill, M Brosnan, S O’Driscoll (0-1 each).
R Nolan (Ballygunner); A Dawson (Ballygunner), F Cooney (Ballygunner, j-capt), C Power (De La Salle); P Power (Ballygunner), C O’Sullivan (Ballygunner), J Power (Ballygunner); R Jacob (Passage), C Hartley (Ballygunner); S Power (De La Salle), M Hartley (Ballygunner), R Doherty (Mooncoin); A Regan (Mount Sion, j-capt), C Tobin (Ballygunner), O Fives (Ballygunner).
E Burke (Roanmore) for P Power (49), A Furlong (Roanmore) for Dawson (58), C O’Callaghan (De La Salle) for C Power (60).
K Flood (Ballygarvan); J Huggins (Sarsfields, j-capt), D Riordan (Kilworth), R Higgins (Sarsfields); C Connolly (Glen Rovers), D Kingston (Mallow), R Buckley (Whitechurch); M Quill (Blackrock), A Hourigan (Mallow); B Mayer (Ballinora, j-capt), E O’Shea (Ballinhassig), C O’Flynn (Blarney); M Brosnan (Glen Rovers), J Trench (Ballinora), S Glackin (Whitechurch).
C McCarthy (St Finbarr’s) for Quill (h-t), C Murray (Bishopstown) for Glackin (h-t), S O’Driscoll (Aghada) for Trench (48), M Murphy (Midleton) for Huggins (56), C O’Dwyer (Russell Rovers) for O’Flynn (58, inj).
K Jordan (Thurles Gaels).
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