UL advance to Fitzgibbon Cup semi final after Limerick side's win over Cork students

THE University of Limerick booked their place in the semi finals of the Fitzgibbon Cup with victory over Munster TU Cork this Tuesday evening.

UL were 2-22 to 1-19 winners to reach the last four, where they will play IT Carlow after their win over UCC.

UL were set on their way by two early goals in this Higher Education Senior Hurling Championship quarter final, which was played on the astro-turf surface due to a water-logged grass pitch in UL.

Waterford's Michael Kiely had the first in the third minute and then on 11-minutes came another green flag for Mark Rodgers.

Those scores helped UL in to a 2-5 to 0-3 lead.

Liam O'Shea kept Munster TU Cork (formerly CIT) in touch but the lead was soon 2-9 to 0-7 with Gearoid O'Connor and Niall Brennan in fine attacking form for the Limerick side.

Managed by former Limerick senior hurling selector Brian Ryan, Brian O'Grady (Kilteely-Dromkeen) is the only local in the UL starting line-up. Rory Duff (Mungret) and Conor O'Grady (Hospital-Herbertstown) were both introduced as subs.

By half time, UL were 2-11 to 0-9 ahead.

Brennan had two early second half points to edge the lead out to 11-points.

Then Cork battled back with O'Shea, Alan Walsh and Paddy Creedon points.

O'Connor, Kiely and Brian O'Grady hit back to ensure no foundation for a late Cork fightback.

Substitute Declan Hanlon did score a late Cork goal but there was no denying UL a passage into the semi finals.

SCORERS: UL: Gearoid O'Connor 0-8 (4frees), Michael Kiely 1-2, Niall Brennan 0-5, Mark Rodgers 1-1, Billy Power, Ciaran Connolly, Killian Sampson, Brian O'Grady, Ross Hayes and Conor Flaherty 0-1 each. MTU Cork: Liam O'Shea 0-9 (6frees), Declan Halon 1-1, Tomas Howard 0-3, Alan Walsh 0-2, Brendan Twomey, Barry Kehoe, Andrew O'Connell and Paddy Creedon 0-1 each.

UL: Eoin Davis (St Catherines, Cork); Daniel Treacy (Scarriff, Clare), TJ Brennan (Clarinbridge, Galway), Michael Gough (Smith O’Briens, Clare); Killiam Sampon (Shinrone, Offaly), Bryan O’Mara (Holycross-Ballycahill, Tipperary), Cian Galvin (Clarecastle, Clare); Brian O'Sullivan (Kanturk, Cork) Ciaran Connolly (Loughmore Castleiney, Tipperary); Niall Brennan (Lisdowney, Kilkenny), Gearoid O’Connor (Moyne Templetuohy, Tipperary), Brian O’Grady (Kilteely-Dromkeen, Limerick); Billy Power (Clonea, Waterford), Mark Rodgers (Scarriff, Clare), Michael Kiely (Abbeyside-Ballinacourtney, Waterford). Subs: Subs: Rory Duff (Mungret, Limerick) for Brian O'Sullivan (h-t), Conor Flaherty (Carnmore-Claregalway, Galway) for Cian Galvin (h-t), Ciaran Comerford (The Harps, Laois) for Ciaran Connolly (45mins), Ross Hayes (Crusheen, Clare) for Killian Sampson (49mins), Conor O'Grady (Hospital-Herbertstown, Limerick) for Niall Brennan (55mins).

MUNSTER TU CORK: Ger Collins (Ballinhassig, Cork); Billy Murphy (Carrick Swan, Tipperary), William Hurley (Valley Rovers, Cork), Liam Ryan (Inniscarra, Cork); Stephen Keoghan (Graigue-Ballycallan, Kilkenny), Patrick O’Flynn (Bride Rovers, Cork), Jake Cranny (St Lazerians, Laois); Brendan Twomey (Carrigtwohill, Cork), Sam Quirke (Midleton, Cork); Tomas Howard (Dromtarriffe, Cork), Liam O’Shea (Lisgoold, Cork), Alan Walsh (Kanturk, Cork); Barry Kehoe (Kilsheelan-Kilcash, Tipperary), Paddy Creedon (Thurles Sarsfields, Tipperary), James Mulcahy (Carrigtwohill, Cork). Subs: Andrew O'Connell (Doughlas, Cork) for James Mulcahy (28mins), Eoghan Collins (Newcestown, Cork) for Jake Cranny (37mins), Declan Hanlon (Blarney, Cork) for Barry Kehoe (50mins), Conor O'Leary (Ballincollig, Cork) for Brendan Twomey (52mins), Cathal Hickey (Lisgoold, Cork) for Patrick O'Flynn (53mins).