Dr Harty Cup: St Colman's take a drubbing from De La Salle but live to fight another day

De La Salle College Waterford 4-23 

St Colman’s College Fermoy 0-15 

De La Salle College Waterford plundered four goals, three in the first half, in securing their place in the knockout stage of the TUS Dr Harty Cup in the Fraher Field, Dungarvan on Wednesday.

In this three-team Group 5, they have already defeated Gaelcholáiste Mhuire AG by 15 points, so the final group game in a fortnight between St Colmans’s College and the AG will determine who will take second place.

Two goals within a 13-minute spell - the first after just 60 seconds - did it for Kevin Moran’a side. Conor Tobin and Adam Regan were then joined on the goal trail by Ollie Fives 10 minutes from the break, 3-14 to 0-6 at the change of ends, after a quality De La Salle attack took advantage of most of their opportunities, while they also hit nine wides.

The accurate Fionn Lardner would be St Colman’s main threat, and like counterpart Mark Hartley, the two gave an exhibition of free-taking.

To their credit, Colm Spillane and his management team made four substitutions, and St Colman’s were more competitive in the second half. Lardner (2) and Jack Counihan landed the first three points, but it wasn’t long before De La Salle cancelled them out.

The teams continued to trade white flags until three minutes from time when Regan finished his second goal after Tobin did the necessary groundwork.

On the evidence of what we’ve seen thus far, De La Salle College will certainly have a say in this competition, and being able to bring on Kilkenny minor Robbie Doherty, who is recovering from injury, is another obvious plus.

St Colman’s College and Gaelcholáiste Mhuire AG is all to play for.

Scorers for De La Salle College: M Hartley (0-10, 0-7 frees), A Regan (2-1), C Tobin and O Fives (1-2 each), R Jacob (0-3), C O’Sullivan, P Power, E Burke, C Hartley (free) and R Doherty (0-1 each).

Scorers for St Colman’s College: F Lardner (0-11, 0-8 frees), L Óg Hegarty (0-2), B McGrath and J Counihan (0-1 each).

DE LA SALLE COLLEGE: R Nolan (Ballygunner); A Furlong (Roanmore), C O’Sullivan (Ballygunner), A Dawson (Ballygunner); F Cooney (Ballygunner, J-Capt), P Power (Ballygunner), J Power (Ballygunner); R Jacob (Passage), E Burke (Roanmore); C Hartley (Ballygunner), C Tobin (Ballygunner), A Regan (Mount Sion, J-Capt); O Fives (Ballygunner), S Power (De La Salle), M Hartley (Ballygunner).

Subs: R Doherty (Mooncoin) for S Power, C Power (De La Salle) for E Burke, D Keane (De La Salle) for J Power (all 40), J Shanahan (Erin’s Own) for O Fives (55), C O’Callaghan (De La Salle) for P Power (57).

ST COLMAN’S COLLEGE: J Bryan (St Catherine’s); B Ryan (Watergrasshill), A Hickey (Ballyduff Upper), C O’Mahony (Watergrasshill); C Pietropaola (St Catherine’s), C Barry (Bride Rovers), D Fitzgerald (Bride Rovers); E Geary (Ballyduff Upper), C O’Brien (Buttevant); B McGrath (Fermoy, J-Capt), F Lardner (Fermoy), D Hickey (Ballyduff Upper); T McCarthy (Watergrasshill), L Óg Hegarty (Kilworth, J-Capt), C O’Riordan (Bride Rovers).

Subs: E O’Driscoll (St Catherine’s) for C O’Mahony, J Counihan (Watergrasshill) for C O’Brien, J Temple (St Catherine’s) for T McCarthy, O Magner (Killavullen) for C O’Riordan (all half-time), J O’Keeffe (Fermoy) for B McGrath (50).

Referee: Thomas Walsh (Modeligo).