Waterford worry over Austin Gleeson knee injury for Cork game

[team1]Limerick IT[/team1][score1]1-14[/score1][team2]Waterford IT[/team2][score2]1-23[/score2][/score]

WIT made light work of LIT’s challenge in their Fitzgibbon Cup opener, recording a 1-23 to 1-14 win at Moylish.

However, their victory was marred by a knee injury sustained by Austin Gleeson seven minutes from time. WIT management played down the severity of the problem but county chiefs will be sweating on Gleeson’s availability for their Allianz League opener against Cork on Sunday week.

Gleeson was in devastating form prior to his enforced departure as he and corner-forward Stephen Condon tore through the home defence.

The duo accounted for nine of WIT’s 13 first-half points.

WIT were 0-6 to 0-2 ahead at the end of the first quarter with Condon and Gleeson firing over five points between them.

Billy Seymour kept LIT in touch, but they were no match for a WIT side which dominated all over the pitch. The gap was at four points heading towards half time, but further scores from Gleeson and Condon saw WIT 0-13 to 0-7 up at the break.

Three Seymour scores on the bounce gave LIT a good start to the second half, however, the game was put to bed in the 34th minute when Eddie Meaney dodged a couple of tackles and buried a shot past Eoin Collins.

Seymour got LIT’s goal in added time from a free, but it proved to be mere consolation as WIT cruised to victory.

Scorers for LIT: B Seymour 1-11 (9f, 1 ’65), B McDonagh 0-2, K Howard 0-1.

Scorers for WIT: S Condon 0-12 (10f), A Gleeson 0-5 (1f), E Meany 1-0, J Prendergast and T Barron 0-2 each, C Lyons and R Flynn 0-1 each.

LIT: E Collins; B Fanning, D Moran, F Lordan; C McCarthy, C Whelan, P Delaney; R Byrnes, M Moloney; B Seymour, K Howard, B McDonagh; D O’Meara, D O’Connell, R Bonnar.

Subs: R Doody for Bonnar (h-t), E Fitzpatrick for Moloney (40), I Murray for Delaney (43), R Mulrooney for O’Meara (50), E Fitzgerald for Fanning (61).

WIT: B Nolan; T Hayes, K Hassett, S Smyth; S Lyons, M De Paor, S Ryan; M Whelan, A Gleeson; T Barron, J Prendergast, R Flynn; E Meaney, C Kirwin, S Condon.

Subs: M Mahoney for Whelan (49), C Flood for Ryan (50), F Cleary for Gleeson (53), K Hanney for Flynn (60), D Claffey for Meaney (63).

Referee: F Horgan (Tipperary)