IT Tralee celebrate historic win against youthful Kerry side

IT Tralee recorded their first ever McGrath Cup win over Kerry, while UCC, Cork and Waterford advanced to the semi-finals after Sunday’s action.

A hat-trick of second-half goals helped the students to a 4-12 to 0-16 win over an experimental Kerry side at Austin Stack Park.

With the Kerry Senior team on their post All-Ireland Final team holiday in South Africa, Kerry fielded a youthful line-up, including Killian Spillane, Michael Burns and Liam Carey, all of whom featured in the Kingdom’s Under 21 Hastings Cup victory 24 hours previously.

Kerry Under 21 player Conor Keane was the main man for the students, with Keane fired 2-5, including the games opening goal after 15 minutes.

IT Tralee led by 1-6 to 0-8 at half-time, but their opponents levelled the game on the restart.

Kerry moved 0-13 to 1-6 ahead by the 45th minute, but IT Tralee again came good.

Killarney Legion clubman Keane bagged a penalty goal soonafter, and IT Tralee kicked on with a goal from substitute Padraig O’Shea four minutes later, with Limerick’s Peter Nash netting late on, on the way to an eight-point win.

Kerry’s scorers were well spread with 11 players on target, including Gavan O’Grady who scored three points.

At Mick Neville Park, Rathkeale, UCC also delivered four goals, on the way to a 4-16 to 3-9 win over Limerick.

UCC led throughout this contest, and powered to a 1-4 to 0-0 lead after just 10 minutes, with Tom Clancy netting a sixth minute goal.

Limerick fought back with a 23rd minute goal from captain Seanie Buckley, and managed to cut the gap to three points, but an Adrian Spillane goal helped UCC take a 2-6 to 1-4 interval lead.

The hosts controlled the third quarter, and pushed 3-7 to 2-8 ahead by the 50th minute, with Buckley completing his hat-trick, including netting a penalty goal.

However, UCC fired 1-8 without reply, with Thomas Hickey bringing his tally to 2-5, having earlier netted the students second goal.

Donnacha O’Connor bagged 1-4, including a penalty goal, as Cork were 1-14 to 0-12 winners over Tipperary in Clonmel.

O’Connor delivered the only goal of the game after 17 minutes, after the Rebels were awarded a penalty when Jamie O’Sullivan was brought down.

O’Connor and Colm O’Neill were very much to the fore on the scoresheet, on the way to a comfortable 1-10 to 0-6 interval advantage.

O’Neill bagged all four of Cork’s points on the restart, and they drove on to take an eight-point lead by the 60th minute.

But Tipperary tested Cork hard late on, as scores from Conor Sweeney (0-5) and Robbie Kiely (0-1) ensured just five points separated the sides at full-time.

Waterford recorded their second win over college opposition in as many weekends, with a 1-11 to 0-9 victory over Cork IT in Clashmore.

In a keenly contested encounter, Waterford led by 0-7 to 0-5 at half-time, with Shane Aherne kicking four points at that stage.

On the restart CIT dominated, as they moved 0-9 to 0-8 ahead at the start of the final quarter.

But Waterford found that extra resolve and fired 1-3 without reply, including a 55th minute Lorcan Ó Curraoin goal to ensure a five-point win, following a chip over CIT keeper and Waterford Senior panellist Sean Barron from 12 yards.

IT Tralee face UCC next weekend, while Cork take on Waterford in the other semi-final.