DE LA SALLE COLLEGE 7
(JAMIE WALSH `54, 64 & PEN `70, GAVIN O’DONOVAN `14, JASON O’NEILL `62, JACK HALE `67 & PATRICK FITZGERALD `69)
MAYFIELD CBS 0
BY ADRIAN FLANAGAN, AT THE RSC, WATERFORD
AFTER scoring once in the first half of their FAI Schools Munster Minor Boys Cup Final against Mayfield CBS, De La Salle College blitzed their Cork opponents with six goals in the second half, four of which came in the final six minutes, to claim the crown at the RSC on Friday afternoon last:
The Waterford outfit, under the management of Derek and Andreas O’Brien, completely controlled the tie against a very disappointing visiting side and in truth, they never looked like losing the game once going in front after 14 minutes:
It was as one/sided game as you are likely to see all season but that said, nobody could take away from the magnificent seven star performance, to which Mayfield had no answer whatsoever and on this show, it will take some team to deny De La Salle National cup honours:
Conditions were far from ideal as a bitter breeze and a sandy surface made things very difficult and definitely the home side took to the conditions much better than their opponents and man of the match Jason O’Neill could have gave his side the lead after less than four minutes:
The left/back raced upfield to meet a cross from Jamie Walsh but his stunning left/footed effort flashed inches wide of the target and on 11 minutes, Tadgh Whelan turned provider for Eoin Cleary but his right/footed shot was deflected around the posts for a fruitless corner kick:
However, it wasn’t long before De La Salle had their noses in front as they got the first goal on 14 minutes when Jack Hale whipped in a left/wing corner kick that found the head of the unmarked Gavin O’Donovan and the central defender headed home from close range:
The visitors failed to cause any trouble to keeper Sam O’Neill and could have had a second goal on 25 minutes but both Eoin Cleary and Tadgh Whelan were denied by fine saves from keeper Scott O’Connor before Jack Hale hit the crossbar direct from a corner kick on 52 minutes:
But the second goal did arrive less than two minutes later when Jamie Walsh did superbly well out on the right before cutting into the penalty area and he applied the perfect right/footed finish past keeper O’Connor and it got even better on 62 minutes when Jason O’Neill scored a stunning goal from 20 yards with a left/footed shot:
Walsh netted his second goal six minutes from time before Jack Hale made it even better when scoring a fifth goal three minutes from time and when Patrick Fitzgerald got on the score sheet with a neat finish, it capped off an outstanding De La Salle performance:
However, it got even better in the final seconds when Karim Abdou was hauled down in the area and up stepped Jamie Walsh to complete his hat/trick and after the game, Gary Power, FAI Development Officer in Waterford, presented the cup to a delighted De La Salle captain fantastic Jason O’Neill:
DE LA SALLE COLLEGE: Sam O’Neill, Mark McManus, Jason O’Neill, Dylan Foley, Gavin O’Donovan, Jack Hale, Conor Whittle, Tadgh Whelan, Eoin Cleary, Patrick Fitzgerald, Jamie Walsh, Daniel Connolly, Conor Gannon, Gavin Jacob, Kenny McEvoy, Karim Abdou, Oisin Morgan, Conor Sheehan and Christopher Sheen
MAYFIELD CBS:Scott O’Connor, Aaron Rowe, Graham Harris, Anthony Mather, Billy Tabb, Wayne Buckley, Chris McCarthy, Roy O’Brien, Anthony McAlarry, Dylan O’Leary, Graham Buckley, Steven O’Leary, Gary McGill, Dylan Lonergan and Ian McAllister
Referee:Johnny Matthews: Assistants; Tony Lacey and Keith Fitzgerald