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De La Salle show required hunger

De La Salle 0-18 Sarsfields 0-16 : DE LA SALLE qualified for the Munster final at the first attempt in a close semi-final at…

Mon Nov 17 2008 - 00:00

De La Salle 0-18 Sarsfields 0-16: DE LA SALLE qualified for the Munster final at the first attempt in a close semi-final at Páirc Uí Chaoimh yesterday.

The physically stronger Waterford champions lasted the pace that bit better than their youthful opponents in an even contest.

The sides were level for the 11th time after Sarsfields' Pat Ryan pointed his sixth free three minutes from the end, but De La Salle showed the greater desire in a hectic finish.

Stand-in freetaker Brian Phelan scored the winning points. The first came as the midfielder found the range with a spectacular long-range effort from his own half-back line and he added another from an acute angle in injury-time.

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The sides were tied five times in a tight opening half. It was 0-4 apiece after the opening quarter before Sars edged two clear with a glorious score from wing back Daniel Kearney and a Ryan free.

De La Salle switched John Mullane to right half forward and he bagged his opening point with a superb long-range effort to make it 0-7 each after 22 minutes. The teams were tied at 0-9 each at the break. Sars then hit three points without response, Michael Cussen scoring a superb point in between two Ryan frees to lead 0-13 to 0-11.

De La Salle hit back to equalise with a fine Páidí Nevin point after goalkeeper Alan Kennedy foiled James Quirke's goal attempt.

DE LA SALLE: S Brenner; A Kelly, I Flynn, M Doherty; D Russell, K Moran, D Green; B Phelan (0-5, two frees, 65), C Watt (0-2); B Farrell, P Nevin (0-1), L Hayes; D Twomey (0-1), J Mullane (capt) (0-5), J Quirke (0-4, frees). Subs: T Kearney for Farrell (42 mins), A O'Neill for Kelly (50 mins), D Dooley for Twomey (53 mins), J Foran for Quirke (57 mins).

SARSFIELDS: A Kennedy; R Ryan, J Barry, C O'Sullivan; D Kearney (0-1), C Leahy, B McCarthy; P Ryan (0-6, frees), T Óg Murphy; C McCarthy, K Murphy (capt) (0-3), R Murphy (0-1); R O'Driscoll, M Cussen (0-4), P Barry. Subs: D Roche (0-1)for R Murphy (h-t), J Murphy for P Barry (44 mins), W Kearney for C McCarthy (53 mins), E O'Sullivan for T Óg Murphy (59 mins).

Referee: D O'Driscoll(Limerick).