MTU Kerry defeat MIC Limerick to reach Trench Cup Final

FINAL BOUND: MTU Kerry booked their place in the Trench Cup final after a strong final ten minutes saw the hosts get the better of MIC Limerick. Pic: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

Higher Education Trench Cup semi-final

MTU Kerry 1-18 

MIC Limerick 1-11

MTU Kerry booked their place in the Trench Cup final after a strong final ten minutes saw the hosts get the better of MIC Limerick.

A goal in the 52nd minute from Donagh O’Sullivan propelled MTU into a lead they would not surrender in final ten minutes of the second half.

Keith Evans again led the charge from wing forward while Joey Nagle, Paudie O’Leary and Armin Heinrich who are part of the Kerry panel this year all showed glimpses of promise for the future but Kerry U-20 panelists Evan Boyle and Eddie Healy will have pleased Tomás Ó Sé.

Mary I had Mayo senior panelists Conor Mulroy and Bob Touhy playing leading roles, while Kerry hurler Cillian Trant and another Kerry native Joe Lenihan were strong in the Mary I attack.

After an early exchange of points, Mulroy broke through the MTU rearguard and fired low to the bottom right corner of the net for a 1-1 to 0-1 lead after eight minutes.

MTU pressed on with Evans and Ryan O’Grady adding points, as the opening quarter was coming to a conclusion MTU almost struck a goal as O’Grady fired straight at Shane O’Connell.

Trailing 1-2 to 0-3, the hosts started to take their scores Evan Looney and Eddie Healy with scores from play to level the tie. A free from O'Grady and a fisted point by Evans saw MTU build a lead for the first time.

Lenihan curled over a beauty to reduce the deficit but O’Grady struck a brace of frees to keep Tralee College in the ascendency. Mulroy ended the half in fine fashion for Mary I as his two points made it a one point game at the interval, 0-9 to 1-5.

Into the second half Darragh Brennan immediately levelled the tie and a booming strike from Trant gave Mary I the early advantage. By the end of the third quarter however the game was level 0-12 to 1-9 ahead as O’Grady remained a sharpshooter for MTU Kerry.

With the game on a knife edge the goal arriving inside the final ten minutes, it proved to be the pivotal moment. O’Grady struck the crossbar from a 45, Donagh O’Sullivan was quickest to react sweeping the ball into the back of the Mary I net. Lenihan replied immediately with a well taken mark, but Mary I failed to score after that with the score at 1-13 to 1-11.

MTU used their bench and just had more pace and energy in the final ten minutes. Points from Conor Horan, Darragh O’Connor and Healy made it 1-16 to 1-11 on the hour mark and they added two more points to cap a great finish.

Brian Scanlon’s charges meet the winners of DKIT and TUS Midwest tomorrow afternoon in the MTU Kerry Campus.

Scorers for MTU Kerry: R O’Grady (0-6fs), D O’Connor (0-3.1f), D O’Sullivan (1-0), E Healy (0-3), K Evans (0-2), E Looney, A Heinrich, C Horan and E O’Shea (0-1 each).

Scorers for MIC Limerick: C Mulroy (1-2), J Lenihan (0-3), D Brennan (1f), C Trant (0-2 each), D Culligan 1f and L Randles (0-1 each).

MTU KERRY: C Melia (Shamrocks, Offaly); L Chester (Austin Stacks), J Nagle (Austin Stacks), S Brosnan (Ardfert); E Healy (Listowel Emmets), P O’Leary (Gneeveguilla), E Looney (Dr Crokes); E Boyle (Ballyduff), A Heinrich (Austin Stacks); K Evans (Keel), D O’Sullivan (Dromid Pearses), E Carroll (Austin Stacks); D O’Connor (Kerins O’Rahillys), R O’Grady (Killarney Legion) , T Cronin (Kenmare Shamrocks).

Subs: C Horan (Austin Stacks) for Carroll (43), E O’Shea (Fossa) for O’Grady (58), C O’Sullivan (Kerins O’Rahillys) for Evans (59), S McCarthy (Kerins O’Rahillys) for O’Connor (60), D Somers (St Senans) for Boyle (60+2).

MIC LIMERICK: S O’Connell (Fr Caseys); T Roche (Old Leighlin), G McMenamin (Breaffy), S McGrath (St Senans); C Mulroy (Castlebar Mitchels), O Tunney (Breaffy), D Dixon (Belmullet); B Tuohy (Castlebar Mitchels), C Trant (St Senans); D Walsh (Lahardane MacHales), D Culligan (Lissycasey), Joe Linehan (Churchill); D Brennan (Ballyporeen), C McCarthy (Valley Rovers), Marc Manning (Lispole).

Subs: L Randles (Dr Crokes) for Walsh (28), P Deane (Breaffy) for McCarthy (41).

REFEREE: Cormac Dineen (Cork).