UL turn on the class after the interval to ease into Sigerson last-eight 

FINE FORM: Eoghan McLaughlin of Mayo and UL. Pic: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile

University of Limerick 4-10 SETU Carlow 1-4 

Four second-half goals helped the University of Limerick ease into the last eight of the Sigerson Cup. 

After letting a lead slip in the third quarter to TU Dublin last weekend, the home side were more clinical on an evening when SETU Carlow never got going.

With the scoreboard reading 0-6 to 0-2 at half-time, UL were able to find the net with some ease after the interval, after squandering some openings in the first half. 

Key to their win were Emmet McMahon of Clare, and Mayo’s Eoghan McLaughlin. It was the latter's driving run early in the second half that allowed Aaron Griffin to finish low to the net.

Before that, it appeared Carlow were just holding on, happy to sit off UL as they kicked points from range through McMahon and Buttevant’s Mark Lenehan. For their part, Billy O’Loughlin’s charges did have some joy, with two fine points from Colm Hulton to show for their first-half efforts.

That slip last weekend saw TU Dublin eventually defeat UL on penalties but there was no let-up this time from last season’s runners-up.

Once Griffin found the net, UL forced their opposition out, and were able to counter to some tune. They had further goals from Ciaran Downes (twice) and Sean McDonnell. The Mallow forward netting on 54 to push Declan Brouder’s men 16 clear.

To his credit, Matthew Byron in the Carlow goal turned in a good shot-stopping display, but his efforts weren’t aided by the loss of Padraig O’Shea and Jack Donohue through injury in the second half.

Limerick senior Tommy Griffin did find the net for Carlow, but in truth, it was merely a consolation. UL were able to rest a number of their stars, including McLaughlin and Downes.

UL can certainly improve, with some wayward shooting and passing down the stretch notable, but their primary objective had long been achieved by this time.

Scorers for University of Limerick: C Downes 2-1; E McMahon 0-5 (1f); A Griffin 1-0; P Keaney 0-2 (1f, 1 ’45); M Lenehan, J Hayes 0-1each.

Scorers for SETU Carlow: C Hulton 0-3; T Griffin 1-0; C Farrell 0-1 (45).

University of Limerick: C Flaherty (Galway); C Moriarty (Kerry), M Dempsey (Kildare), D Casey (Leitrim); D Cashman (Cork), D Walsh (Clare), E McLaughlin (Mayo); B McNamara (Clare), P Keaney (Leitrim); C Downes (Clare), E McMahon (Clare), M Lenehan (Cork); P Walsh (Kerry), J Coyne (Cork), A Griffin (Clare).

Subs: S McDonnell (Cork) for P Walsh (HT); J Hayes (Limerick) for McLaughlin (41), C Glennon (Roscommon) for Keaney (41), O Looney (Clare) for Downes (47), J O’Brien (Offaly) for Coyne (48).

SETU Carlow: M Byron (Laois); P O’Shea (Cork), J Donohue (Wexford), P Deering (Carlow); C Maher (Monaghan), E Murtagh (Wicklow), C Doyle (Carlow); E Hackett (Louth), D McDermott (Kildare); J Moore (Carlow), C Farrell (Offaly), S Cassidy (Louth); P O’Driscoll (Cork), C Hulton (Carlow), T Griffin (Limerick).

Subs: A Steed for Cassidy (HT), M Lynam for Maher (HT), O Barry for O’Shea (inj – 35), Maher for Donohue (35), S Hallahan for O’Driscoll (53) 

Referee: C Maguire (Clare)