Mikey Kiely and Mark Rodgers get the goals as UL advance to Fitzgibbon Cup last four

Michael Kiely of UL

UL 2-22 MTU Cork 1-19

UL booked their spot in the Fitzgibbon Cup semi-finals with a comfortable 2-22 to 1-19 win over MTU Cork at Maguires Fields.

The Limerick college were comfortable from early on when Mikey Kiely and Mark Rodgers fired in goals that MTU Cork never really recovered from.

Gearoid O’Connor also impressed with eight points, while Kilkenny man Niall Brennan shone once more with 0-5 from play before he was forced off injured late on.

Liam O’Shea led the way for MTU Cork but they never really got to pace with the astroturf pitch after the game was moved from the grass pitch due to inclement weather conditions.

O’Connor and O’Shea swapped points early on before Kiely hit the back of the net in the fourth minute. He was first to a long ball that evaded the MTU Cork defence and the Waterford man fired past Ger Collins with aplomb.

MTU responded with Brendan Twomey and Alan Walsh points but three in a row from UL saw them 1-4 to 0-3 ahead heading into the 10th minute.

That’s when Rodgers struck for their second goal, the Scariff man again evading the MTU defence before seeing his shot past the hapless Collins.

O’Connor and O’Shea began to take control from play and placed balls for the following period before Barry Kehoe broke the cycle with a point on 22 minutes that saw the score at 2-8 to 0-7 in UL’s favour. The home side won the rest of the half by four to two and led by six at the break.

O’Shea reduced that lead to five on the resumption but two from play by the excellent Brennan kept UL in firm control.

A long-range effort from Shinrone’s Killian Sampson proved to be UL’s 100th point in just three games, the first side to ever do so in the Fitzgibbon Cup.

O’Connor kept UL ticking over but MTU Cork finished the game well with 1-1 coming from the hurl of substitute Declan Hanlon, however, it came too late for them to mount a late comeback.

Scorers for UL: G O’Connor (0-8, 4f); N Brennan (0-5); M Kiely (1-2); M Rodgers (1-1); B Power, C Connolly, R Hayes, B O’Grady, K Sampson, C O’Flaherty (0-1 each).

Scorers for MTU Cork: L O’Shea (0-9, 6f); D Hanlon (1-1); T Howard (0-3); A Walsh (0-2); B Twomey, B Kehoe, A O’Connell, P Creedon (0-1 each).

UL: E Davis (St Catherines); D Treacy (Scariff, Clare), TJ Brennan (Clarinbridge, Galway), M Gough (Smith O’Briens, Clare); K Sampson (Shinrone, Offaly), B O’Mara (Holycross-Ballycahill, Tipperary), C Galvin (Clarecastle, Clare); B O’Sullivan (Kanturk, Cork), C Connolly (Loughmore Castleiney, Tipperary); N Brennan (Lisdowney, Kilkenny), G O’Connor (Moyne Templetuohy, Tipperary), B O’Grady (Kilteely-Dromkeen, Limerick), (B Power (Clonea, Waterford), M Rodgers (Scariff, Clare), M Kiely (Abbeyside-Ballinacourty, Waterford).

Subs: C Flaherty (Carnmore-Claregalway, Galway) for Galvin (h-t), Rory Duff (Mungret St Pauls, Limerick) for O’Sullivan (h-t), C Comerford (The Harps, Laois) for Connolly (45), R Hayes (Crusheen, Clare) for Sampson (49), C O’Grady (Hospital-Herbertstown, Limerick) for Brennan (56, inj).

MTU CORK (Cork unless stated): G Collins (Ballinhassig); B Murphy (Carrick Swans, Tipperary), W Hurley (Valley Rovers), L Ryan (Inniscarra); S Keoghan (Graigue-Ballycallan, Kilkenny), P O’Flynn (Bride Rovers), J Cranny (St Lazerians, Laois); B Twomey (Carrigtwohill), S Quirke (Midleton); T Howard (Dromtarriffe), L O’Shea (Lisgoold), A Walsh (Kanturk); B Kehoe (Kilsheelan-Kilcash, Tipperary), P Creedon (Thurles Sarsfields, Tipperary), J Mulcahy (Carrigtwohill).

Subs: A O’Connell (Douglas) for Mulcahy (29), E Collins (Newcestown) for Cranny (37), D Hanlon (Blarney) for Kehoe (50), C O’Leary (Ballincollig) for Twomey (51), C Hickey (Lisgoold) for O’Flynn (53).

Referee: L Gordon (Galway).