Clare and Waterford forwards hit key goals as UL defeat MTU Cork in Fitzgibbon quarter-final

UL 2-22
MTU Cork 1-19

John Keogh reports from Limerick

UL ARE INTO the semi-finals of the Electric Ireland Fitzgibbon Cup following a six-point victory against MTU Cork at Maguires Fields tonight.

The six-time champions scored early goals through Mikey Kiely and Mark Rodgers and never looked back.

Kilkenny’s Niall Brennan chipped in with 0-5 from play in the six point victory for Brian Ryan’s fancied UL side.

MTU responded with 0-9 from Liam O’Shea and 1-1 from substitute Declan Hanlon but it wasn’t enough to catch UL late on.

The score was at one point each when Kiely pounced for the first goal on four minutes and Rodgers fired the second soon after to leave the score at 2-4 to 0-3.

The sharpshooting of O’Shea kept MTU Cork in touch but he was equally matched by his opposite number Gearoid O’Connor from UL. The Moyne-Templetuohy man finished the half with six points to help his side to a 2-12 to 0-9 advantage at the break.

O’Shea opened the second half scoring with a free to give MTU Cork a lift but Brennan slotted two sumptuous points in a row to dampen spirits for the visitors.

The Lisgoold clubman got another effort from play but a long-range Killian Sampson score and another from Brennan gave UL their 2-16 to 0-12 advantage on 40 minutes.

UL took the foot off the gas in the final 20 minutes, knowing their last four spot was all but secured and MTU Cork took advantage.

Tomas Howard, Alan Walsh and Paddy Creedon fired over efforts from play, while O’Shea also kept the scoreboard ticking over.

Declan Hanlon’s late intervention gave some hope but long range scores from Ross Hayes and Conor Flaherty secured UL’s comfortable win.

Scorers for UL: Gearoid O’Connor 0-8 (0-4f), Niall Brennan 0-5, Mikey Kiely 1-2, Mark Rodgers 1-1, Billy Power, Ciaran Connolly, Rory Hayes, Brian O’Grady, Killian Sampson and Conor O’Flaherty 0-1 each.

Scorers for MTU Cork: Liam O’Shea 0-9 (0-6f), Declan Hanlon 1-1, Tomas Howard 0-3, Alan Walsh 0-2, Brendan Twomey, Barry Kehoe, Andrew O’Connell and Paddy Creedon 0-1 each

UL

Eoin Davis (St Catherine’s, Cork)

Daniel Treacy (Scariff, Clare), TJ Brennan (Clarinbridge, Galway), Mike Gough (Smith O’Briens, Clare)

Killian Sampson (Shinrone, Offaly), Bryan O’Mara (Holycross-Ballycahill, Tipperary), Cian Galvin (Clarecastle, Clare)

Brian O’Sullivan (Kanturk, Cork), Ciaran Connolly (Loughmore Castleiney, Tipperary)

Niall Brennan (Lisdowney, Kilkenny), Gearoid O’Connor (Moyne Templetuohy, Tipperary), Brian O’Grady (Kilteely-Dromkeen, Limerick)

Billy Power (Clonea, Waterford), Mark Rodgers (Scariff, Clare), Mikey Kiely (Abbeyside-Ballinacourty, Waterford).

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Subs

Conor Flaherty (Carnmore-Claregalway, Galway) for Galvin (h-t),

Rory Duff (Mungret St Pauls, Limerick) for O’Sullivan (h-t),

Ciaran Comerford (The Harps, Laois) for Connolly (45),

Rory Hayes (Crusheen, Clare) for Sampson (49),

Conor O’Grady (Hospital-Herbertstown, Limerick) for Brennan (56, inj).

MTU Cork

Ger Collins (Ballinhassig, Cork);

Billy Murphy (Carrick Swans, Tipperary), William Hurley (Valley Rovers, Cork), Liam Ryan (Inniscarra, Cork)

Stephen Keoghan (Graigue-Ballycallan, Kilkenny), Patrick O’Flynn (Bride Rovers, Cork), Jake Cranny (St Lazerians, Laois);

Brendan Twomey (Carrigtwohill, Cork), Sam Quirke (Midleton, Cork)

Tomas Howard (Dromtarriffe, Cork), Liam O’Shea (Lisgoold, Cork), Alan Walsh (Kanturk, Cork)

Barry Kehoe (Kilsheelan-Kilcash, Tipperary), Paddy Creedon (Thurles Sarsfields, Tipperary), James Mulcahy (Carrigtwohill, Cork)

Subs

Andrew O’Connell (Douglas, Cork) for Mulcahy (29)

Eoghan Collins (Newcestown, Cork) for Cranny (37)

Declan Hanlon (Blarney, Cork) for Kehoe (50)

Conor O’Leary (Ballincollig, Cork) for Twomey (51)

Cathal Hickey (Lisgoold) for O’Flynn (53)

Referee: Liam Gordon (Galway)

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