Five-star UL take care of business early in Fitzgibbon Cup

All five goals came in the opening half hour

 Michael Kiely of UL in action against Paddy Donnellan of TUS Midwest during the Fitzgibbon Cup match at UL Grounds in Limerick. Photo by Sam Barnes/Sportsfile

University of Limerick 5-30 

TUS Midwest 0-14 

University of Limerick are all but into the next round of the Fitzgibbon Cup following a dominating 5-30 to 0-14 win over Limerick rivals TUS Midwest.

The damage was done in the first half for Brian Ryan’s side with all five goals coming in the opening half hour.

Clare’s Mark Rodgers netted a hat-trick, while Tipperary’s new man Gearoid O’Connor and Courcey Rovers’ Sean Twomey also found the net.

Waterford’s Michael Kiely also impressed with six points from play and Kilkenny’s Niall Brennan sent over five in a very slick performance.

The sides were evenly matched in the opening stages with 0-2 each but points from O’Connor and Brennan saw UL go two in front before Rodgers fired in the first of three goals in as many minutes that decimated TUS Midwest.

Rodgers found the net for his opening goal on 11 minutes with Twomey and O’Connor raising green flags in quick succession to leave the score at 3-4 to 0-2 for UL.

There was no way back for TUS Midwest from there despite the best efforts of Clare’s Robin Mounsey at midfield and Tipperary’s Billy Seymour at the edge of the square.

UL continued to pop over scores at will and already led by 12 points by the time Rodgers hit the net for a second time on 22 minutes.

The Scariff man wasn’t finished there with his third goal giving UL a half time lead on a scoreline of 5-14 to 0-5.

The game continued in the same fashion in the second half with UL opting to take Rodgers and Brian O’Grady off with Clare v Limerick in the Munster Senior Hurling Cup final in mind.

Their exits mattered little as the home side continued to dominate with Kiely’s excellence from play in the second half helping them to a whopping 31-point winning margin.

Scorers for UL: M Rodgers 3-1, G O’Connor 1-7 (6f), M Kiely 0-6, S Twomey 1-2, R Brennan 0-5, B O’Mara, C Connolly and B Power (1f) 0-2 each, B O’Grady, M Gough and C O’Grady 0-1 each.

Scorers for TUS Midwest: B Seymour 0-6 (3f 1pen), R Mounsey 0-3, S Taylor 0-2, S O’Loughlin, K O’Kelly and A Mulcahy 0-1 each.

UL E Davis (St Catherines); D Treacy (Scariff), TJ Brennan (Clarinbridge), M Gough (Smith O’Briens); B Staunton (Thomastown), B O’Mara (Holycross-Ballycahill), C Flaherty (Carnmore-Claregalway); B O’Grady (Kilteely-Dromkeen), C Connolly (Loughmore Castleiney); N Brennan (Lisdowney), G O’Connor (Moyne Templetuohy), S Twomey (Courcey Rovers); B Power (Clonea), M Rodgers (Scariff), M Kiely (Abbeyside-Ballinacourty).

Subs: K Sampson (Shinrone) for Flaherty (h-t), R Duff (Mungret St Paul’s) for Staunton (h-t), R Hayes (Crusheen) for Rodgers (37), C O’Grady (Hospital-Herbertstown) for B O’Grady (37), M O’Grady (Knockainey) for O’Connor (47).

TUS Midwest: C Broderick (Clarecastle); T O’Connor (Ballybrown), P Donnellan (Broadford), C Downes (Kildimo-Pallaskenry); E Killeen (Rathdowney Errill), B Mahony (Crotta O’Neill’s); A Healy (Nenagh Eire Og) J McCarthy (Toomevara), R Mounsey (Ruan); S Taylor (Broadford), E Hurley (Newcastle West), S O’Loughlin (Kilmaley); P Kirby (Patrickswell), B Seymour (Kiladangan), K O’Kelly (Kilruane McDonagh’s).

Subs: E Fitzpatrick (Roscrea) for Healy (24), M Cremin (Newcastle West) for O’Loughlin (h-t), R Bonnar (Cashel) for Hurley (h-t), A Mulcahy (Midleton) for Kirby (47), D Tynan (Roscrea) for Taylor (56).

Referee: S Hynes (Oranmore/Maree, Galway).