A POINT from Ross O’Regan three minutes into stoppage time earned Midleton CBS a share of the spoils in this entertaining Dr Harty Cup tie at Bushy Park in Dungarvan.
It was probably the right result at the end of a contest of fluctuating fortunes with both sides having periods of dominance.
The point earned by the Waterford school was enough to secure them a place in the knockout stages after their earlier victory over St Flannan ’s while Midleton CBS must get a draw at least against the Clare school in their next assignment to ensure that they will be hurling in the new year.
The sides were deadlocked after 15 minutes on three points apiece with Tom Gallagher and the highly influential Cormac Power splitting the posts for De La Salle.
The outstanding Ross O’Regan, Joe Stack and Arthur Nganogu did the business for Midleton CBS in that period.
There was very little between the sides in that opening half but De La Salle got in for a goal after 23 minutes when Power drilled home after Midleton CBS ‘keeper Jack McGann has saved superbly from Alan Kirwan.
That goal gave De La Salle the advantage at the break on a scoreline of 1-5 to 0-5.
And things got a whole lot better for them when the teams resumed with Power posting another point before firing home his second goal after good work by Kirwan.
That left Midleton trailing by seven points and seemingly in a lot of difficulty.
However, their riposte was to score 1-6 without reply in the next 10 minutes.
O’Regan delivered four points, Stack blasted home a goal following a wonderful sideline puck from Ryan McCarthy.
Cian Farmer got on the board with a point and from being seven in arrears they were now two in front.
Cian Wadding pointed for De La Salle which was cancelled out by Gary Carroll for CBS.
It was all square again with five minutes remaining after Mark Fitzgerald and Gavin Corbett had pointed for De La Salle.
And it looked like it was going to be their day after Power had pointed again going into stoppage time.
But Midleton CBS had the last say, O’Regan pointing at the death to earn his side what could prove to be a very valuable point.
Darragh Moran did a fine job in the Midleton CBS defence on a day when two well-matched teams could not be separated.
Scorers De La Salle:C Power 2-5 (0-2f), T Gallagher 0-2f, C Wadding, G Corbett, M Fitzgerald 0-1 each.
Midleton CBS: R O’Regan 0-8 (0-4f), J Stack 1-2, A Nganogu, G Carroll, C Farmer 0-1 each.
DE LA SALLE: M Kilgannon (Ballygunner), S Harney (Ballygunner), D Kenneally (De La Salle), T Dalton (Ballygunner), C Ryan (Roanmore). C Wadding (Roanmore), T Gallagher (Ballygunner), H White (Roanmore), P Leavey (Ballygunner), S Walsh (De La Salle), A Kirwan (Mt Sion), M Fitzgerald (Passage East), C Power (Ballygunner), K Mahony (Ballygunner), G Corbett (Ballygunner).
Subs: R Halloran (De La Salle) for S Walsh, M Cummins (Passage East) for Kirwan, A Gannon De La Salle) for Corbett.
MIDLETON CBS: J McGann (Kiltha Og), R Landers (Killeagh), D Moran (Kiltha Og), D Healy (Kiltha Og), R McCarthy (Killeagh) C Joyce (Kiltha Og), D Hogan (Killeagh), S Quirke (Midleton), C Farmer (Aghada), C Hickey (Lisgoold), C O’Brien (Midleton), R O’Regan (Midleton), A Nganogu (Midleton ), J Stack (Kiltha Og), J Hankard Fr O’Neill’s).
Subs: G Carroll (Midleton) for Farmer, J Mulcahy (Carrigtwohill) for Hickey, S Walsh (Carrigtwohill) for Nganogu, P Leahy (Killeagh) for Stack inj.
Referee : T Walsh (Waterford).