CIT advance to Trench Cup final in 10-goal thriller
Cork IT put in an impressive scoring performance, led by Daniel Dineen, to book their place in the Trench Cup final with a comprehensive win over Oisin McConville’s Dundalk IT tonight.
The Cork students had lost to the same opposition in the league but turned the tables in style, with a sublime scoring performance from Cill na Martra’s Dineen, who finished with 3-4 to his name. He formed a lethal partnership with Damien Gore, the pair claiming 5-6 between them.
Cork IT sprinted into an early lead going 1-2 up in the opening minutes thanks to a goal and point from Dineen, followed by a minor from James Crean. But Dundalk awoke after five minutes and claimed a goal of their own courtesy of Cathal Finnegan.
CIT gained control mostly through their turnover ability and tackling technique, frustrating Dundalk’s offensive efforts in the first period.
Armagh legend McConville’s charges began to settle in the second quarter though with scores from Finnegan, Lorvan Smyth, James Wilson and Gary Mohan but a secons goal from Kerry’s Gavin O’Brien kept the whip hand with Cork IT and they finished the half with a one point lead (2-6 to 2-5).
Dineen, Damien Gore, O’Brien and James Crean all raised white flags for Cork IT but few could have foreseen the scoring blitz they were about to unleash in the third quarter.
First they hit Dundalk for an unanswered 1-2 (Gore goal) and then a further 1-4 (Dineen with the goal) without reply as Gore began to wreak havoc. He scored 2-2 in the second half.
Dundalk IT grabbed a scrappy fourth goal in a ten-goal thriller with timne running out, but by that stage Keith Ricken’s men were out the gap and looking forward to the decider as they look to bounce back at the first time of asking to Sigerson Cup football.
The second Trench Cup semi final is Thursday night between Mary I and Trinity College at Rockwell/Rosegreen (7pm).
D. Dineen (3-4, 1 free), D. Gore (2-2, 1 free), G. O’Brien (1-0), J. Crean (0-2), B. Murphy (0-2), K. O’Donovan (0-1), D. O’Connell (0-1), E McGreevy (0-1)
C. Finnegan (2-3, 2 frees), N Kearns (0-1), S Mulroy (0-2, 1 free), R. O’Neill (0-1), G. Mohan (0-1), J Wilson (0-1), L. Smyth (0-1)
J O’Keefe (Cork); A McAuliffe (Kerry), A Browne (Cork), S Daly (Cork); B Hodnett (Cork), E Lavers (Cork), P Ring (Cork); K Murphy (Kerry), D O’Connell (Cork), M Buckley (Cork), B Murphy (Cork), G O’Brien (Kerry); D Gore (Cork), J Crean (Kerry), D Dineen (Cork).
Eoin McGreevey for Buckley (22), C O’Donoghue for O’Connell (HT), R Maguire for Murphy (HT), K O Donovan for Buckley (50), B Hyland for O’Brien (51).
C McDermott (Monaghan); M Byrne (Meath), H Osborne (Louth), C Magennis (Armagh); S Hamilton (Cavan), E Callaghan (Louth), K O’Neill (Louth); E Walsh (Antrim), N Kearns (Monaghan); S Mulroy (Louth), R O’Neill (Armagh), L Smyth (Monaghan); C Finnegan (Meath), G Mohan (Monaghan), J Wilson (Monaghan)
C McGlynn for Osborne (HT), D Luckie for Byrne (50), C Boylan for Smyth (52).
J Hickey (Carlow)
