Dr Harty Cup: Christians come up short against De La Salle College in quarter-final

De La Salle College: 2-24 

Christian Brothers College: 2-15 

Disappointment for Christian Brothers College after they fell to defeat to De La Salle College in the TUS Dr Harty Cup quarter-final at Fethard Town Park in Tipperary on Monday afternoon.

The Cork City-based side can have little complaints in this one as they came up against a much better outfit from Waterford. Christians certainly didn’t lack in endeavour but they will be frustrated by the opening half where they trailed by seven points at half-time having played with the wind.

Wayward shooting and at times overplaying it at the back was their downfall throughout whereas their opposition were the opposite. The Cork side did show plenty of fight in the third and four quarters, but they couldn't reel in De La Salle.

Christians were aided by a strong wind in the opening 30 minutes and despite getting the first score after 14 seconds through an Eoghan O’Shea point, their opposition tacked on two quick-fire white flags when Adam Regan and Robbie Doherty pointed.

The sides traded points before De La Salle looked to have scored a certain goal after eight minutes, but Christians netminder Keith Flood, who hadn't been beaten yet this season, made a great save to deny the dangerous Conor Tobin.

The warning signs were there from a Christians point of view, as De La Salle threw over another two points, before O’Shea and a super effort from Ben Mayer reduced the deficit down to a point after 14 minutes, 0-5 to 0-4.

Traolach Martin’s outfit suffered a sucker-punch a minute later when Conor Power’s shot was deflected into the net by an unlucky Ross Buckley. The goal rocked Christians for a period as their opponents scored three unanswered points. Mayer was having a fantastic game as he got his side's next two points, sandwiched between was a Regan white flag, 1-9 to 0-6 after 21 minutes.

Christians were playing second fiddle albeit their opposition were deadly accurate as the Déise men hit two of the next three points. Shane Power stretched his side’s advantage to eight before both teams spurned goal chances until the hard-working Andy Hourigan nailed his second long range effort to keep Christians in touch at the break, 1-12 to 0-8.

De La Salle had the advantage of the wind in the new half but it was Christians who came out a different side in this second half as they hit 1-1 without reply. Michael Brosnan with the point while sub Conor McCarthy buried the ball into the net after 33 minutes. Game on, 1-12 to 1-9.

Crucially, De La Salle weren’t rocked by the goal as they responded with two points. The game was end to end with Christians replying with efforts from McCarthy and Mayer, 1-14 to 1-11.

Ollie Fives pushed his side four clear before two goals, one apiece from either side, arrived. Cian O’Flynn finished low into the net for Christians before De La Salle replied a minute later with a Regan green flag, 2-15 to 2-11 after 44 minutes.

A pair of O’Shea efforts left just two points in it. De La Salle were getting their scores easier though as they landed six of the next seven points, 2-21 to 2-14 with six minutes to go.

Hourigan got a much-needed point for his side, but it was De La Salle who were in total command as they showed their class, hitting the last three points. 

Scorers for De La Salle College: A Regan 1-4, M Hartley 0-6 (0-2 f, 0-1 65), S Power 0-4, R Doherty 0-3, C Power 1-0, C Tobin 0-2, P Power, J Power, R Jacob, O Fives, E Burke 0-1 each.

Christian Brothers College: E O’Shea, B Mayer 0-4 each, C McCarthy 1-1, C O’Flynn 1-0, A Hourigan 0-3, M Quill, M Brosnan, S O’Driscoll 0-1 each.

DE LA SALLE COLLEGE: R Nolan; P Power, F Cooney, A Dawson; C O'Sullivan, C Power, J Power; R Jacob, O Fives; A Regan, C Tobin, S Power; C Hartley, M Hartley, R Doherty.

Subs: E Burke for P Power (49), A Furlong for A Dawson (58), C O’Callaghan for C Power (59).

CHRISTIAN BROTHERS COLLEGE: K Flood (Ballygarvan); J Huggins (Sarsfields), D Riordan (Kilworth), D Kingston (Mallow); R Buckley (Whitechurch), R Higgins (Sarsfields), C Connolly (Glen Rovers); M Quill (Blackrock), A Hourigan (Mallow); B Mayer (Ballinora), S Glackin (Whitechurch), E O’Shea (Ballinhassig); C O’Flynn (Blarney), J Trench (Ballinora), M Brosnan (Glen Rovers).

Subs: C McCarthy (St Finbarr’s) for M Quill, C Murray (Bishopstown) for S Glackin (both h-t), S O’Driscoll (Aghada) for J Trench (48), M Murphy (Midleton) for J Huggins (56), C O’Dwyer (Russell Rovers) for C O’Flynn (57).

Referee: Kevin Jordan (Tipperary).