UL knock out CIT to advance to Sigerson quarter-finals
A strong closing quarter - during which the hosts outscored CIT by 0-6 to 0-2 - booked UL their spot in the quarter-finals of the Sigerson Cup, writes .
Indeed, the winners finished both halves purposefully, registering 1-3 without reply on the run in to the interval to turn 1-5 to 0-3 deficit into a 1-6 to 1-5 half-lead.
Conor Finucane provided UL’s opening goal and they had a second shortly after the restart, James Naughton converting from the penalty spot after Keelan Sexton had been upended.
Their second major sent the hosts 2-6 to 1-5 clear, but instead of the Limerick University pulling away at that juncture, CIT rallied to kick four of the next five scores to reduce the margin to the deficit.
Daniel Dineen was to the fore during this spell for CIT, landing two frees either side of his first from play.
They would go scoreless, however, between the 44th and 59th minute, during which Niall McDermott (0-2), Sexton, Gearoid Hegarty (the Limerick senior hurler was sent off for a second yellow card offence in injury-time) and Finucane found the target to put UL within one hour of a third successive Sigerson Cup semi-final appearance.
Scorers for UL: J Naughton (1-0 pen, 0-2 frees), C Finucane (1-2 each); N McDermott (0-5, 0-4 frees); K Sexton (0-2); G Hegarty, F McDonagh (0-1 each).
Scorers for CIT: D Dineen (0-6, 0-5 frees); M Bradley (1-1); K Murphy (0-2); S O’Sullivan, K Browne (0-1 each).
UL: B Redmond (Mayo); S Courtney (Kerry), L Boland (Tipperary), D Quinn (Donegal); C O’Dea (Clare), P Lillis (Clare), S Okunbar (Kerry); F O Cunaigh (Galway), G Hegarty (Limerick); E O’Connor (Limerick), D Daly (Kerry), J Naughton (Limerick); C Finucane (Clare), K Sexton (Clare), N McDermott (Cavan)
Subs: J Mason (Mayo) for Boland (48); N Rabbitt (Longford) for Daly, D Bohannon (Clare) for O Cunaigh (both 55); E Lawless (Kildare) for Finucane (57); F McDonagh (Mayo) for O’Connor (59); J Lyons (Mayo) for O’Dea (bc, 62).
CIT: A Casey (Cork); D Meaney (Cork), S Cahill (Limerick), A McCarthy (Cork); K Fahey (Tipperary), P O’Sullivan (Kerry), E Lavers (Cork); K O’Hanlon (Cork), C Kingston (Cork); K Browne (Cork), C O’Shea (Kerry), S O’Sullivan (Kerry); M Bradley (Cork), K Murphy (Kerry), D Dineen (Cork).
Subs: M Collins (Cork) for Murphy (50); T Sheehy (Kerry) for Bradley (55); C Jordan (Kerry) for Lavers (57).
Referee: J Gilmartin (Sligo).
