Dr Harty Cup: St Colman's overpowered by late second-half surge from De La Salle College
Ruairc Donovan of St Colman's College wins this ball from De La Salle College players Jack Power and Conor Power. Picture: Dan Linehan
St Colman’s suffered a big blow in their qualification hopes for the knockout stages of the Dr Harty Cup following an eight-point loss to a slicker De La Salle outfit at a foggy and damp Cappoquin Logistics Fraher Field on Wednesday afternoon.
The North Cork school have just the one point on the board as a result of this Group 2 Round 2 defeat. They must win their final group game in a couple of weeks’ time against High School Clonmel to have any chance.
A tally of 1-3 in the second 30 minutes will be a disappointment for St Colman’s after a promising opening half given the teams were deadlocked at the interval.
A second green flag did bring them back level midway through the second half, but they were playing second fiddle at that stage. They conceded the last eight points to lose comfortably in the end.
St Colman's just lacked that bit of punch up front when it was needed. There were some great performances from centre-back Cathal Barry and wing-back Denis Fitzgerald.
It was a very even start with the teams sharing the first six points inside six minutes.
Darragh Keane did nudge De La Salle ahead with a great point, but St Colman’s struck for a goal after 10 minutes.
De La Salle failed to clear their lines and the ball fell nicely for Ruairc Donovan who finished brilliantly into the top corner of the net.
The sides traded points before Tadhg McCarthy and a Cormac Barry free gave the Cork school a 1-6 to 0-5 advantage.
A pair of Shane Power efforts left two points in it with nine minutes to the break.
The teams swapped white flags until St Colman’s put three points between the sides with another quality free from Cormac Barry, 1-8 to 0-8.
De La Salle finished the half well though with three unanswered points, the accurate Eoin Burke with the scores, all from frees, 1-8 to 0-11 at half-time.
After a fairly even opening 30 minutes, De La Salle were much the better team on the resumption, landing four of the first five points.
A scrappy goal against the run of play did briefly draw St Colman’s level with a quarter of the game remaining. Fitzgerald bundled the ball into the net after a goalmouth scramble, 2-9 to 0-15.
It didn’t spur on the team coached by Cork hurler Niall O’Leary. Sub Conor O’Riordan did point for St Colman’s to draw level after 52 minutes, 2-11 to 0-17.
They wouldn’t score again. Their opposition tacked on eight unanswered points to prevail by eight points. Burke with four points, three from frees. Sub Mikey Moloney made an impact when he came on with three points, all from play.
E Burke 0-9 (0-8 f), S Power 0-6, M Moloney, O Fives 0-3 each, D Keane, J Power, J Shanahan (f), D Hickey 0-1 each.
Cormac Barry 0-4 f, T McCarthy 0-3, R Donovan, D Fitzgerald 1-0 each, D Barry, F O’Driscoll, C O’Riordan, J Counihan 0-1 each.
J Comerford; D Keane, C O’Callaghan, A Power; E O’Reilly, C Power, J Power; S Power, E Burke; T Ryan, J Shanahan, D Ryan; D Hearne, O Fives, C O’Brien.
D Doyle for J Shanahan (21, inj), M Moloney for T Ryan (40), J Walsh for C O’Brien (54), D Hickey for D Ryan (61), R Crowley for C O'Callaghan (64).
D Collins (Kilworth); J Batterberry (Ballycastle Gaels), J Mullery (Fermoy), B Ryan (Watergrasshill); D Barry (Watergrasshill), Cathal Barry (Bride Rovers), D Fitzgerald (Bride Rovers); F O’Driscoll (Bride Rovers), J Counihan (Watergrasshill); R Donovan (Fermoy), Cormac Barry (Bride Rovers), J O’Keeffe (Fermoy); O Hegarty (Kilworth), T McCarthy (Watergrasshill), S McCarthy (Castlelyons).
M Kenny (Bride Rovers) for S McCarthy (h-t), A Cotter (St Catherine’s) for J O’Keeffe (39), C O’Riordan (Bride Rovers) for O Hegarty (45).
Thomas Walsh (Waterford).
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