University of Limerick overcome 13-man MTU Cork to progress to Fitzgibbon Cup final
RED MIST: A red card for Alan Connolly (Blackrock) MTU Cork for a dangerous tackle against defender Michael Corcoran UL in the Fitzgibbon Cup semi-final: Cork MTU v University of Limerick, UL at Mallow. Pic Larry Cummins
UL’s bid for a swift return to the Fitzgibbon summit rolls onwards and upwards. For MTU Cork, red regret. Emphasis on both red and regret.
Where the MTU Cork dressing-room was saturated in ruefulness at full-time, this semi-final fixture as a whole was saturated by a nagging sense of what if.
What if Alan Connolly had not been sent off on 15 minutes. What if his midfield teammate Mikey Finn had not received the same colour card four minutes later.
Whatever about pulling off an upset with 14 students, MTU Cork’s bid to reach a first Fitz final in 11 years stood no chance at all with only 13 men stood inside the whitewash.
Let’s deal with Connolly’s red first. It was far more cut and dry than the dismissal that followed. The challenge of the inside Cork forward on UL corner-back Michael Corcoran was high. It was a challenge that ended Corcoran’s evening. There can have been no complaints from the dismissed.
There were plenty of complaints surrounding Mikey Finn’s dismissal. The Midleton clubman met Aaron Morgan with a shoulder as the UL corner-back emerged from a ruck. Referee Thomas Walsh in no way liked Finn’s challenge. The red card was reached for again.
Nineteen minutes elapsed and MTU Cork were decimated. One of the game’s leading green-flag hunters and an All-Ireland U20 winning midfielder now sat in the stand.
The outcome, as you’d expect, took on an inevitability hereafter. That inevitable outcome, mind, took a while to manifest.
MTU Cork, while disgusted with their reduced personnel, had to have been content with the interval scoreboard difference of just two points (0-8 to 0-6). Considering they were forced to operate with 14 men from the quarter-hour mark on, and 13 men from the 19th minute on, there was relief in the fact that there was still a contest at all heading into the change of ends.
That there was a contest swung more towards Limerick wastefulness than Cork belligerence. Brian Ryan’s charges finished the half with 10 wides and an 11th white flag attempt dropped short. Not even their five-in-a-row between the 14th and 26th minute could be deemed that impressive considering the diminished opposition in front of them, not to mind the number of opportunities hit aimlessly wide during this period.
The early laxness and looseness to UL's shooting only heightened upon the pair of red cards. The Limerick students were guilty of complacency in this regard.
Within two minutes of the restart, MTU Cork were level at 0-8 apiece. Alan Walsh, who suffered rough treatment throughout, was fouled for a Jack Cahalane converted free. Walsh dispossessed Ciarmhac Smyth in the ensuing play and Diarmuid Healy nailed the target.
There were opportunities to hit the front. Jack Cahalane, twice, and Michael Mullins registered wides. Their challenge disappeared thereafter. UL outgunned them 1-20 to 0-2 thereafter.
The goal came part of an unanswered 1-7. Aidan O’Connor floated possession across the large rectangle. Colm O’Meara arrived to flick to the net. They finished with a sequence of 11-in-a-row to win by 21 points.
O’Meara finished with 1-2 from play. A tally exclusive to the second half. Half-back Colin Coughlan clipped four second-half points. Jack Leahy went for one less in that same second period. Brian O’Sullivan swung three from midfield. Subs Sean Rynne, Sean O’Hanlon, and Diarmuid Hanniffy all got in on the act.
It was an act, mind, easy to get in on. There was no premium on space against 13 men.
UL head for Bekan and the Connacht GAA Centre this Saturday. There they’ll meet a DCU side chasing the college’s maiden crown. The Limerick University are themselves chasing a third in four years, a ninth overall, and most pertinently, atonement for last year’s decider defeat.
G O’Connor (0-5, 0-3 frees); C O’Meara (1-2); C Coughlan, J Leahy (0-4 each); B O’Sullivan (0-3); A O’Connor, A English, S Rynne, S O’Hanlon (0-2 each); K Doyle, D Hanniffy (0-1 each).
J Cahalane (0-4 frees); A Walsh (0-2); A Connolly (0-1 ‘65), D Healy, R Walsh, S Walsh (0-1 each).
D Fahy (Ardrahan, Galway); A Morgan (Kilruane McDonaghs, Tipperary), J Conneally (Clooney-Quin, Clare), M Corcoran (Silvermines, Tipperary); K Doyle (Emeralds, Kilkenny), M Fitzgerald (Passage East, Waterford), C Coughlan (Ballybrown); B O’Sullivan (Kanturk, Cork), A English (Doon); G O’Connor (Moyne/Templetuohy, Tipperary), C O’Meara (Clonlara, Clare), P Crotty (Scarriff, Clare); J Leahy (Dungourney, Cork), A O’Connor (Ballybrown), P O’Donovan (Effin).
C Smyth (Midleton, Cork) for Corcoran (17 mins, inj); E O’Leary (Ahane) for Morgan (19-23, temporary); D Hanniffy (Oranmore/Maree, Galway) for A O’Connor (43); S Rynne (Inagh/Kilnamona, Clare) for Crotty (46); S O’Hanlon (Turloughmore, Galway) for English (48); J Fitzgerald (Na Piarsaigh) for G O’Connor (53).
C Wilson (Newcestown); F O'Connell (St Catherine's), E Varian (Glen Rovers), Darragh O'Sullivan (Ballinhassig); R Walsh (Kilmoyley, Kerry), C Joyce (Castlemartyr), S Fitzgerald (Clashmore/Kinsalebeg, Waterford); M Mullins (Whitechurch), M Finn (Midleton); D Healy (Lisgoold), B Lynch (Ballinhassig), S Walsh (Fourmilewater, Waterford); A Walsh (Kanturk), A Connolly (Blackrock), J Cahalane (St Finbarr's).
R McCarthy (Carrigaline) for Lynch (43); D O’Sullivan (Ballincollig) for Fitzgerald (50); R O’Sullivan (Newcestown) for Healy, M Kelleher (Dicksboro, Kilkenny) for Mullins (both 55); K Wallace (St Catherine’s) for Cahalane (61).
T Walsh (Waterford).
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