De La Salle exit Harty Cup at semi-final stage
A dissapointed Colm Hartley, De La Salle College. Photo: Jim Coughlan.
It was Thurles CBS who advanced to this year’s Harry Cup final following a dramatic victory over De La Salle College on Wednesday afternoon in Castlelyons.
In a physical affair it was Thurles CBS who started the brighter and they opened the scoring with a free from Cormac Fitzpatrick after four minutes, following a calamity of errors in the De La Salle defence.
Kieran Rossiter doubled the Tipperary school’s lead with a fine score moments later, as De La Salle struggled to get to grips with their opponent's attack.
Adam Regan responded shortly after though with a fine score for De La Salle, for their opening score.
Points from David Costigan, Robbie Ryan and Cillian Minogue however nudged the side from the Premier County into a four-point lead by the eighth minute.
Minogue and Rossiter then doubled their personal tallies tally in the 10th minute with two scores, after good build up play, as Thurles raced into a six-point lead.
In the opening exchanges, De La Salle struggled to get out of the blocks and were bullied physically by their opponents.
Robbie Ryan then got his second score of the day with an audacious effort from the left-hand side of the pitch, leaving the Deise men trailing by nine points to one.
Kevin Moran’s side however grew into the game in the second quarter, and they got their second score of the day with a free from Mark Hartley.
Hartley then got his side’s third point of the day with a fine score off his right side, in the 18th minute from 45 yards out.
Shane Power and Ryan then exchanged scores two minutes later, as De La Salle grew into the game.
Colm Tobin then got a fortuitous goal for Waterford men in the 23rd minute, following a long delivery. Tobin must be credited though for the brilliant, flicked finish for the goal.
Ryan replied for Thurles with a point, but this was cancelled out by Ollie Lyons seconds later.
In the 25th minute, Rory Jacob got his first point of the day for De La Salle, following a brilliant individual effort.
Evan Morris got an inspirational score for the Tipperary school in the 26th minute with a long-range effort from full back. Jack Hayes then rounded off the scoring for the Tipp school before the break, in the 29th minute, with a score from the left corner forward position.
In injury time however, Moran’s charges were awarded a penalty after Tobin was judged to be fouled. However, Hartley put his penalty over the bar, with the final puck of the half. At the break Thurles CBS led 0-15 to 1-7.
De La Salle started the second half as they finished the first, as Shane Power got an unbelievable goal for the Waterford school following a marauding run from his twin brother, Jack Power, in the 33rd minute Harley then incredibly levelled the scores in the 35th minute following another Power mazy run.
Costigan and Shane power exchanged points in the 39th minute, as the sides remained all square.
Fitzpatrick put the men in blue and gold back into the lead in the 41st minute with a free.
Rossiter then got the score of the day for the Tipperary men, following an incredible mazy run by the Durlas Òg man. Fitzpatrick nudged his side three points ahead minute later, with a close-range free.
By the end of the third quarter, they would be up by four, following a brilliant team score, which was finished by Costigan.
Credit must go to the De La Salle men who never gave up. They began the fourth quarter the same way they began the third, as Hartley narrowed the deficit to three, after 48 minutes.
Incredibly, there was only one point between the sides in the 52nd minute, following an incredible goal by Hartley. The inside forward intercepted a loose pass in the Thurles CBS defence, and he fired the ball to the back of the Thurles net.
The eventual winners kicked on however in the final minutes, with scores from Tiernan Ryan and Cillian Minogue.
De La Salle will be disappointed with the result, but they can be proud of their performance especially in the second and third quarters. Kevin Moran’s side have an incredible campaign this year and can be proud of their run in the competition.
For Thurles CBS they march onto the Harty Cup final, where they will face St. Flannan’s College of Ennis. The Clare school had a comfortable victory in the other semi-final on Wednesday afternoon.
Thurles CBS: Harry Loughnane (Roscrea); Toby Corbett (Upperchurch Drombane), Evan Morris (Holycross Ballycahill) (0-2), Jack Lahart (Holycross Ballycahill); Ryne Bargary (Boherlahan Dualla) (0-2), Keith Loughnane (Thurles Sarsfields), Killian Cantwell (Moycarkey Borris); Euan Murray (Durlas Óg) (0-1), Kieran Rossiter (Durlas Óg) (0-3); James Butler (Sean Treacys), David Costigan (Moycarkey Borris) (0-3), Cormac Fitzpatrick (Drom & Inch (0-4, 0-3f, 0-1 65’) Cillian Minogue (Durlas Óg) (0-7), Robbie Ryan (Holycross Ballycahill) (0-4), Jack Hayes (Moycarkey Borris) (0-1) Subs used: Tiarnan Ryan (Holycross Ballycahill) (0-1) for Butler (42).
De La Salle: Ross Nolan (Ballygunner); Philip Power (Ballygunner), Fiachra Cooney (Ballygunner), Adam Dawson (Ballygunner); Cathal O'Sullivan (Ballygunner), Conor Power (De La Salle), Jack Power (Ballygunner); Rory Jacob (Passage)(0-1), Ollie Fives (Ballygunner) (0-1); Adam Regan (Mount Sion)(0-2), Conor Tobin (Ballygunner) (1-0), Shane Power (De La Salle)(1-2); Colm Hartley (Ballygunner), Mark Hartley (Ballygunner) (1-6, 0-3f, 0-1pen), Robbie Doherty (Mooncoin).
Subs used: Eoib Burke (Roanmore) for Doherty (46); Jamie Shanahan (Erin’s Own) for Tobin (52, inj); Alex Furlong (Roanmore) for Fives (62).
Referee: Cathal McAllister (Cork)
