Cork too strong for students

Cork's senior footballers proved too strong for Cork IT at Pairc Uí Rinn today, winning their McGrath Cup quarter-final tussle by 3-10 to 1-9.

The title holders had Ilen Rovers forward Kevin O'Sullivan to thank as he came off the bench to hit 1-1 and guide Billy Morgan's men into the last-four.

The Rebels were 2-3 to 0-5 to the good at the break - Nicholas Murphy won a fifth-minute penalty which Donncha O'Connor converted with ease and Cork's second goal was claimed by centre back Ger Spillane, midway through the opening half.

CIT were far from overawed and points from Bryan Sheehan, Daniel Goulding and Brian Twomey helped play them back into the match.

Goulding even fisted over just after the restart to cut the deficit to three points but O'Sullivan 42nd-minute goal and some poor shooting from the students - they mustered seven second half wides - saw their challenge falter.

James Masters, who tallied up 0-3 for the victors, played in O'Sullivan for his goal and O'Connor (1-3) and new inclusions David Coughlan and Eoin Cadogan, who started at full-back and left half-back respectively, would have caught Morgan's eye.

CIT nabbed what amounted to little more than a consolation strike when Roy Leahy, their full-forward, netted late on. Their top scorers were Leahy (1-0), Sheehan (0-3, 3f) and Goulding (0-2).

Cork will face the University of Limerick in next Sunday's McGrath Cup semi-finals after they surprised Paidí O'Sé's Clare side by beating them 1-11 to 0-8 in Miltown Malbay.

The other semi-final will see on-form UCC, who hit five goals against Waterford IT today, take on Limerick.

Cork will face the University of Limerick in next Sunday's semi-finals after they surprised Paidm S Si's Clare side by beating them 1-11 to 0-08 in a windy Miltown Malbay.

S Si's Banner reign got off to a losing start as a stunning late run from the Limerick students saw them run out six-point victors.

S Si, who described today's encounter as "only a get-together," was not reading too much into the defeat. The former Kerry boss said: "It wasn't a great start for us but you must remember that we haven't done a lot of work - in fact today was our first day together.

"We were beaten comprehensively in the end but, having said that, there were some heartening things to take out of the game as well.

"It will give us an opportunity now to get some challenge games in and we will be ready when the National League starts."

The Clare line-up included only four players from last season's championship side with Nicky Hogan and Noel Downes amongst the players making their senior inter-county debuts.

Des Molohan, who was given a start at full-forward after a number of years out of the reckoning, opened Clare's account and the home side, thanks to scores from Michael O'Shea and Downes, led by 0-4 to 0-3 at half-time.

There was a particular Kerry bias to the UL set-up - former Kerry goalkeeper Declan O'Keeffe is the students' trainer - and John Buckley, another Kerryman, proved himself to be an able free-taker.

A Liam Doyle point tied the game up at 0-4 apiece just forty seconds into the second half. O'Shea and Enda Coughlan kept Clare in the mix, but UL's greater fitness and finishing ability eventually told.

Buckley, who scored 0-6 (5f) in all, tagged on two more frees and Cathrach Keane, a former Cork minor, hit a late brace of points and a 59th-minute goal to kill off the game.

MCGRATH CUP: QUARTER-FINALS:

Clare 0-8 University of Limerick 1-11, Miltown Malbay

Cork 3-10 Cork IT 1-9, Páirc Uí Rinn

Tipperary 1-11 Limerick 1-14, Cahir (aet)

Waterford IT 0-7 UCC 5-9, Dungarvan