MTU Kerry too strong for TUS Midlands in Sigerson opener

Keith Evans of Mid Kerry and MTU Kerry. Pic: Domnick Walsh © Eye Focus LTD.

Sigerson Cup: TUS Midlands 2-12 (2-1-10) MTU Kerry 2-18 (2-0-18) 

Despite his best efforts, a tour de force from Westmeath’s Matthew Whittaker couldn’t compensate for MTU Kerry’s much greater all-round strength in a Sigerson Cup first-round tie that was far more one-sided than the final margin of six points would suggest.

Jack Foley, Evan Boyle and Keith Evans put in tremendous shifts in the middle third, particularly in the early stages when the home side simply couldn’t get their hands on the ball. 

Boyle was a strong aerial presence, but Foley, Armin Heinrich and Donagh O’Sullivan all showed up strongly in the contest for breaks, and as a result, the MTU Kerry attackers were given ample supply of good ball. 

Evans, Boyle and Hanlon kicked early points before a ninth-minute goal from Darragh O’Connor, opened up by Odhran Ferris’ darting run and pass, put distance between the sides.

That TUS Midlands weren’t completely out of contention at half-time was entirely down to Whittaker, who kicked 1-2 – including a superb goal from a seemingly impossible angle – and assisted one of the Athlone college’s two other points in the opening half.

The first score after half-time saw the Tubberclair club man hoist over a monstrous two-pointer to make it 1-6 to 1-10 and MTU Kerry might have wondered how they were suddenly in a contest, but pretty soon, it wasn’t.

Evans now moved back into the full-forward line, where he became the chief scoring threat immediately, hitting two points and then settling the game with a goal after 42 minutes, scrambling it over the line from close range after his first effort was parried by Niall Curran.

The lead was out to 12 points with ten minutes to play before TUS Midlands gave themselves something to build on in advance of a last-chance backdoor tie against DKIT. 

Despite losing Jack Dowd to a black card, Seán Birmingham found the net and Conor Melia also had to make a smart save to prevent a third goal for the midlanders, while points from Josh Kenny and Warren Seoige left the final score much tighter than it could have been.

Scorers for TUS Midlands: M Whittaker (1-5, 1tp), S Birmingham (1-0), B Cooney (0-2, two frees), J Duncan (0-2, one free), L Glennon, W Seoige, J Kenny (0-1 each).

Scorers for MTU Kerry: K Evans (1-5), D O’Connor (1-4, two frees), E Boyle (0-3), D Hanlon, D O’Sullivan (0-2 each), J Foley, O Ferris (0-1 each).

TUS MIDLANDS (Westmeath unless stated): N Curran (Drung, Cavan); J Kenny (Athlone), J Dowd (Annaghdown, Galway), D McVann (Summerhill, Meath); C Coughlan (The Downs), C Redmond (Garrycastle), O Kenny (Rathcline, Longford); M Whittaker (Tubberclair), L Glennon (Carrickedmond, Longford); A Egan (Ferbane, Offaly), D Kenny (Pádraig Pearses, Roscommon), B Cooney (Coralstown-Kinnegad); D Flynn (Ferbane, Offaly), J Duncan (Milltown, Kildare), S Quinn (Ballymahon, Longford).

Subs: W Seoige (Naomh Anna, Galway) for Quinn (28), S Birmingham (Headford, Galway) for Egan (28), J Carroll (Garrycastle) for Flynn (50), T McCann (Kenagh, Longford) for McVann (54).

MTU KERRY (Kerry unless stated): C Melia (Bracknagh, Offaly); C McEneany (St. Pat’s Blennerville, Monaghan), J Nagle (Austin Stacks), S Brosnan (Ardfert); D O’Sullivan (Dromid Pearses), Armin Heinrich (Austin Stacks), J Foley (Kerin’s O’Rahilly’s); E Boyle (Ballyduff), P O’Leary (Gneeveguilla); O Ferris (Ardfert), K Evans (Keel), C Horan (Austin Stacks); D Bryant (Shamrocks, Offaly), D Hanlon (Buttevant, Cork), D O’Connor (Kerin’s O’Rahilly’s).

Subs: C O’Brien (Bantry Blues, Cork) for Foley (17-18, blood), O McGibney (Churchill) for Bryant (54), O’Brien for McEneany (56), D O’Leary (Gneeveguilla) for Ferris (58).

Referee: I Monaghan (Roscommon).