MTU Kerry dump 14-man UCC out of Sigerson Cup

SHOCK: Eddie Healy MTU Kerry Campus and Hugh O'Connor UCC in action at the MTU Sports Campus Tralee. Pic: Domnick Walsh © Eye Focus LTD. 

Sigerson Cup Round 2: MTU Kerry 2-15 UCC 2-8

MTU somehow recovered from a seventeen point drubbing at the hands of DCU last week to resurrect their Sigerson Cup campaign with a seven point win over raging favourites UCC at the North Campus GAA pitch on Tuesday.

It was a game that MTU dominated from the outset and was never led by the Cork students but it was also a game full of incident and controversy with UCC feeling aggrieved at some of the match official’s decisions.

Firstly, on the stroke of half time, Hayes issued a black card to Kerry underage star Killian Falvey for dissent as he blew for half time with Falvey in possession.

Then, in the 43rd minute, with MTU Kerry 1-8 to 0-5 in front, UCC wingback Neil Lordan and MTU Kerry’s Eddie Horan contested a ball in mid air and Lordan saw red for what the referee deemed to be endangering an opponent.

MTU dominated the opening half with their midfield diamond of Eddie Healy, Sean O’Brien, Evan Boyle and Eddie Horan on top and UCC were unable to deal with the pace of Keith Evans. Joey Nagle was a colossus at the back and only Killian Falvey and Cathal O’Beaglaoich appeared up for the fight for the Cork students.

MTU Kerry raced 0-6 to 0-1 clear by the end of the opening quarter thanks to points from Sean O’Brien, Eddie Horan (2), Keith Evans and two Darragh O’Connor efforts.

Falvey had kicked an early point for UCC and Hugh O’Connor and Falvey added one apiece. But after another Darragh O’Connor point and a Keith Evans special, MTU Kerry retired 0-8 to 0-4 in front but UCC had lost Falvey to that black card.

Any hopes of a UCC comeback were dashed in the 32nd minute when Sean O’Brien sent Keith Evans through and after he went by his marker Dara O’Callaghan, he blasted the ball into the UCC net and at 1-8 to 0-4, there was no way back for the Cork side.

MTU continued to dominate with wholehearted endeavour and O’Connor from placed balls, Evans with pacey runs and a brilliant 48th minute goal from Conor O’Sullivan, had the home side 2-10 to 0-6 clear and the game was over a contest.

UCC never gave up with 14 players and sub Cian McMahon found the Tralee net but two late Eddie Healy points just emphasised the difference between the sides despite a late Killian Falvey goal that just put a more respectable look on the scoreboard.

Scorers for MTU Kerry: K Evans (1-3), D O’Connor (0-5, 4fs), C O’Sullivan (1-0), E Healy and E Horan (0-2 each), S O’Brien, D O’Sullivan and C Horan (0-1 each).

Scorers for UCC: K Falvey (1-2), C McMahon (1-0), C O Beaglaoich and H O’Connor (0-2 each), C Daly (1f) and D Phelan (0-1 each).

MTU Kerry (Kerry unless stated): C Melia (Offaly); S Brosnan, J Nagle, M Nee (Galway); A Heinrich, E Healy, D Buckley; S O’Brien, E Boyle; D O'Sullivan, E Horan, C Horan; D O’Connor, K Evans, C O’Sullivan.

Subs: L Brosnan for C O’Sullivan (55), C McEneaney (Monaghan) for C Horan (56), D Bryant (Offaly) for D O’Connor (57), S McCarthy for D O’Sullivan (59).

UCC: A Murphy (Kerry); T O’Mahony (Cork), D O’Callaghan (Kerry), D Murray (Cork); J O’Neill (Cork), D Phelan (Cork), N Lordan (Cork); C O Beaglaoich ( Kerry), D Desmond (Cork); K O’Reilly (Cork), H O'Connor (Cork), K Falvey (Kerry); O Corcoran (Cork), C Daly (Cork), A Crowley (Kerry).

Subs: C McMahon (Kerry) for A Crowley (38), H Aherne (Cork) for D Desmond (38), C Kenneally (Cork) for J O’Neill (39), F O’Brien (Kerry) for K O’Reilly (52), D Peet (Cork) for D O’Callaghan (61).

Referee: J Hayes (Limerick).