De La Salle 4-14 Gort CS 1-5:DEFENDING CHAMPIONS De La Salle continued their run to a second successive All-Ireland final appearance with an 18-point win over a gallant, but outclassed, Gort Community School side at Templemore on Saturday.
The Galway side got off to a great start with a goal from Patrick O'Connor after three minutes. De La Salle reacted in champion style to level the tie with three points in the following 10 minutes before taking the lead through Stephen Power's superb goal in the 13th minute.
A superb De La Salle defence, dominated by Philip Mahony at centre back, conceded few scoring chances, while goals in the 28th and 31st minutes by Brian O'Sullivan and Peter McCarthy put the game beyond Gort as they trailed at the break by 3-8 to 1-1.
Power sent over five points after the break before Dominic Smith added a fourth goal in the 58th minute.
DE LA SALLE: S O'Keeffe; R Cunningham, B Coughlan, N Connors; O Keevers, Philip Mahony, S Daniels; J Dillon, E Barrett(0-1), D Purcell, N Clifford, P McCarthy(1-0), S Power (1-11, ten frees), B O'Sullivan(1-0), Pauric Mahony(0-1). Subs: D Smith (1-0) for O'Sullivan, I Power(0-1) for Dillon, K Fitzgerald for Connors, P Farrelly for McCarthy, B. Norris for Power.
GORT CS: R Taaffe, P Moylan, D Cooney, J Daffy, G Egan, N Donohue, E Burke, M Cummins, S Lambert (0-1), G Hennelly (0-2, one 65), P O'Connor(1-0) J Regan, P Landers, R Cummins (0-2, two frees), C McTigue. Sub: F.O'Grady for Moylan.
Referee: B Kelly (Westmeath).
