Jake Dillon and De La Salle are now fighting for their senior hurling status
De La Salle’s poor season got even worse when going down by 11 points to a Fourmilewater side at Fraher Field last Saturday, with the latter now surely recognised as major contenders for the News & Star Cup.
That the three-time champions now face Lismore in a relegation play-off must go down as one of the most unexpected pairings in such a match for decades. And De La Salle will go into that match in a less upbeat frame of mind than Lismore given their respective performances last weekend.
Craig Guiry and Paidi Nevin exchanged points inside a minute and John Mullane missed a goal early goal chance for the three-times champions.
Two Jamie Barron frees gave his side the lead against the breeze, with both he and Dillon trading further frees by the 15th minute.
By the 29th minute, Barron sent Fourmile two clear but Kevin Moran replied with an excellent white flagger.
And in injury-time, Moran sent a ball dipping into the Fourmile ‘house’, with Jamie Sage getting the final touch to send De La Salle ahead. A further pointed free by Eddie Meaney left the Gracedieu men a goal clear at the break (1-5 to 0-50.
Craig Guiry opened the second half scoring before Jamie Sage pointed after a move instigated by Jake Dillon after 39 minutes.
The complexion of the game turned when Craig Guiry’s surge from midfield played in Diarmuid Wall who slammed the ball into the De La Salle net.
Barron and Guiry were now over-running the city club in centre-field and Barron moved his side into a two-point lead via a free after Kevin Moran was adjudged to have over-carried.
Brian Wall added another point from an acute angle and Wall turned provider when setting up Dermot Ryan for a 44th minute point.
Moran assisted Dillon in for a fine point but Fourmile powered on as Brian Wall again put Jamie Barron trough for a super point.
And on they marched as Craig Guiry struck his third point and Jamie Barron landed another free after a foul on Conor Gleeson.
The outstanding Guiry sent over another marvellous point, then set up Diarmuid Wall for a point before adding his fifth point two minutes from time.
In stoppage time, Jake Dillon had goal effort cleared Conor Gleeson and the excellent Barron completed a relatively routine win for the men from The Nire.
Fourmilewater: Stephen Ryan; Justin Walsh, Thomas O’Gorman, Darren Guiry; Shane Ryan, Dermot Ryan, Gearoid Hearne; Craig Guiry, Seamus Lawlor; Maurice O’Gorman, Shane Walsh, Diarmuid Wall; James McGrath, Brian Wall, Jamie Barron.
Substitutes: Conor Gleeson for Maurice O’Gorman and Dylan Guiry for Brian Wall.
Scorers: Jamie Barron (0-8; 0-4f), Craig Guiry (0-5), Diarmuid Wall (1-1), Shane Walsh, Brian Wall, Dermot Ryan and Conor Gleeson (0-1 each).
Next for Fourmilewater: SHC Quarter-Final v Roanmore (Saturday, Walsh Park, 5.15pm)
De La Salle: Stephen Brenner; Tom Moran, Stephen Daniels, Ian Flynn; Eoin Madigan, Kevin Moran, Shane McNulty; Eddie Barrett, John Keane; Paidi Nevin, Jack Kennedy, Jake Dillon; Jamie Sage, John Mullane, David Greene.
Substitutes: Eddie Meaney for David Greene, Adam Farrell for John Keane and Michael Roche for Jamie Sage.
Scorers: Jamie Sage (1-1), Jake Dillon (0-3; 0-2f), Paidi Nevin, Eddie Meaney and Kevin Moran (0-1 each).
Next for De La Salle: Relegation Play-Off v Lismore.
Referee: Pat Casey.
