Nenagh come up short against De La Salle
De La Salle College4-13
Nenagh CBS 0-16
By Shane Brophy
MATCH DIGEST
Player of the Match: Paddy Fitzgerald (De La Salle)
SCORERS - De La Salle: Paddy Fitzgerald 1-11 (0-7 frees, 0-1 s-cut); Sam Pender 1-1; Conor Tobin, Luke Horgan 1-0 each; Jack Twomey 0-1.
Nenagh CBS: Darragh McCarthy 0-12 (11 frees, 1 65); Sean Kenneally 0-2; Eoin Grace (s-cut), Michael Ryan 0-1 each.
De La Salle’s goal touch was the difference as they progressed to the semi-finals of the Dr Harty Cup after pulling away from Nenagh CBS in closing stages of this quarter final in Bansha.
Just one point separated the sides approaching the three-quarter mark but goals from subs Conor Tobin and Luke Horgan gave the Waterford school the breathing room to progress to a semi-final against St Joseph’s of Tulla.
Rising star Paddy Fitzgerald was to the fore for De La Salle, scoring 1-11 of his sides total, scoring the first three points before Sam Pender scrambled home a tenth minute goal to put the Waterford school on the front foot. Fitzgerald added a side-line cut for good measure, but Eoin Grace followed likewise for Nenagh who relied on the free-taking of Darragh McCarthy who scored their other seven points in the opening half, as they trailed 1-9 to 0-8 at half time.
Fitzgerald stretched the lead to five on the resumption, but Nenagh dominated the third quarter with their half back line taking command and with McCarthy adding two more frees, skipper Sean Kenneally landed two fine points from play to cut the margin to the minimum.
Under pressure, De La Salle responded with Paddy Fitzgerald scoring a cracking 39th minute goal to restore the four-point lead but further points from McCarthy (2) and Michael Ryan had cancelled out that goal by the 42nd minute. Fitzgerald landed two further frees with the game still in the melting pot in the 53rd minute when Conor Tobin goaled with his first touch just seconds after coming off the bench, a score which finally broke Nenagh’s resistance.
Man of the match Fitzgerald brought his tally to 1-11 before his miss-hit shot fell favourably into the path of sub Luke Horgan for De La Salle’s fourth goal in the final minute of normal time.
Nenagh CBS finished with fourteen men with sub Paul Seymour red carded in injury time for an off the ball incident, joining management team member Donach O’Donnell who was also sent off midway through the second half for arguing with referee John O’Halloran.
TEAMS - De La Salle College: Cian Troy (Ballygunner); Kieran O’Sullivan (De La Salle), Craig O’Keeffe (Ballygunner), Conor Keane (De La Salle); Aaron O’Neill (Ballygunner), Paraic Murphy (Mooncoin), Rory Dobbyn (Ballyduff Lower); Kealan Furlong (Ballygunner), Cormac Cantwell (Ballygunner); Sam Pender (Roanmore), Paddy Fitzgerald (Ballygunner), Darragh Nolan (Ballygunner); Jack Twomey (De La Salle), Alex Keane (De La Salle), Oran Hartney (Roanmore).
Subs: Adam Roche (Passage East) for Nolan (37); Conor Tobin (Ballygunner) for Hartney (53); Luke Horgan (Ballygunner) for Pender (56); Donnchadh Williams (Kilmacow) for Cantwell (60+4).
Nenagh CBS: Dermot McTiernan (Nenagh Eire Og); Ciaran Coffey (Kilruane MacDonaghs); Adrian O’Halloran (Portroe), Jack McGrath (Kiladangan); Mason Cawley (Nenagh Eire Og), Jack O’Callaghan (Portroe), Michael Ryan (Burgess); Adam Steed (Silvermines), Conor Sheehan (Kiladangan); Oisin O’Connor (Portroe), Eoin Grace (Burgess), Kieran Grace (Burgess); Sean Kenneally (Moneygall), Adam Hall (Toomevara), Darragh McCarthy (Toomevara).
Subs: Paul Seymour (Kiladangan) for O’Connor (HT); Liam Grace (Burgess) for O’Halloran (36); Jack Mulcahy (Kilruane MacDonaghs) for Hall (46); Adam Ferris (Portroe) for Steed (55).
Referee: John O’Halloran (Limerick).