Corn Uí Mhuirí: Rochestown see off brave De La Salle challenge

St Francis College Rochestown: 2-9 

De La Salle College Macroom: 1-8 

IN an all-Cork affair, St Francis College got the better of De La Salle College in an entertaining Corn Uí Mhuirí encounter at Bishopstown on Wednesday afternoon.

This was the first game in the competition for both sides after their opening round games were postponed three weeks ago due to inclement weather. On the balance of it, last season's beaten finalists just about deserved the victory over a brave De La Salle outfit managed by well known referee John Ryan.

Despite playing against the wind De La Salle kicked the first two points through Oisin O’Sullivan, one coming from a mark. Wind assisted Rochestown responded by landing three points on the trot, Eoin O’Flynn with two and a Tomás Vaughan free, 0-3 to 0-2 after 21 minutes. De La Salle were dangerous when they did get the ball inside to the full-forward line and O’Sullivan had a great goal chance after 23 minutes but his effort went across the face of goal from an acute angle and went out for a wide ball.

Rochestown raised two white flags, Rob Hanley and Vaughan the scorers, 0-5 to 0-2 after 26 minutes. The sides traded points before the break, 0-6 to 0-3 at the interval.

De La Salle were now aided by the wind in the new half and they got the first score, a fine point from the impressive Denis O’Mullane. Jack Sweeney’s point for De La Salle was sandwiched between two Rochestown goals which in the end proved crucial. Hanley and Vaughan with the green flags in the 33rd minute and 35th minute respectively, 2-6 to 0-5.

De La Salle kicked two of the next three points, but white flags from O’Flynn and a free from Vaughan gave the city outfit breathing room with eight minutes to go, 2-9 to 0-7. De La Salle did score 1-1 in the closing stages, Tim McSweeney the goal scorer with a neat finish from close-range, Rochestown had done enough to claim the win.

They will face Presentation Secondary School Milltown in their next outing Friday week. Two days earlier, De La Salle take on Coláiste na Sceilge.

Scorers for St Francis College Rochestown: T Vaughan 1-3 (0-2 f), R Hanley 1-2, E O’Flynn 0-3, J Burke 0-1.

De La Salle College Macroom: O O’Sullivan 1-3 (0-1 m, 0-1 45), T McSweeney 1-0, D O’Mullane 0-3, T Browne, J Sweeney 0-1 each.

ST FRANCIS COLLEGE ROCHESTOWN: J Lyons (Nemo Rangers); S O’Rourke (Douglas), N O’Shea (Nemo Rangers), T O’Brien (Nemo Rangers); C O’Neill (Nemo Rangers), J Burke (Douglas), B Crowley (Carrigaline); C Hallihan (Douglas), D Reddington (Douglas); C Yelland (Nemo Rangers), R Hanley (Douglas), D McCarthy (Douglas); E O’Flynn (Douglas), T Vaughan (Carrigaline), R Dooley (Douglas).

Subs: C O’Keeffe (Douglas) for B Crowley (35), B Sisk (Crosshaven) for S O’Rourke (45), J O’Brien (Douglas) for D McCarthy, M O’Brien (Douglas) for R Dooley (both 54).

DE LA SALLE COLLEGE MACROOM: S McSweeney (Iveleary); F O’Reilly (Clondrohid), C Burke (Macroom), F Kelleher (Kilmurry); S O’Leary (Kilmurry), A Aisling (Kilmurry), E McCarthy (Kilmurry); R Sabass (Macroom), D O’Mullane (Macroom); N O’Leary (Aghinagh), T Browne (Kilmichael), T McSweeney (Iveleary); C Kelleher (Macroom), O O’Sullivan (Macroom), J Sweeney (Iveleary).

Subs: M Downey (Kilmichael) for E McCarthy (25, inj), J O’Mullane (Kilmurry) for R Sabass (h-t), J Kelleher (Kilmurry) for F O’Reilly, J Hourihan (Clondrohid) for C Kelleher (both 51).

Referee: Brian Coniry (Crosshaven).