MTU Kerry 4-15

Maynooth University 0-7

Murt Murphy reports from Tralee

INSPIRED BY THEIR captain Tony Brosnan, MTU Kerry Campus reached their first Sigerson Cup semi-final since 1999 when they completed that historic three in a row, after outclassing Maynooth University in this quarter-final clash at the North Campus Pitch on Tuesday afternoon.

The football was fast, controlled and committed with a defensive setup that completely shut out the Maynooth attack. Then with Mark O’Shea lording matters at midfield, the MTU Kerry attack shredded a porous Maynooth defence with Kerry players Dara Moynihan and Jack Savage weaving their magic. The off the ball running of Paul O’Shea and Tomás Ó Sé created the chances that captain Tony Brosnan finished.

The game was as good as over at half time as MTU Kerry despite falling behind to an early Sam McCormack point were dominant in every sector with Greg Horan again excelling in his sweeper role, while Mark Ryan playing his first game was a revelation around the middle.

Dara Moynihan was everywhere and after levelling the contest in the fifth minute, moments later Mark O’Shea set up Jack Savage for a well-taken goal. At the end of the first quarter, Dara Moynihan and Tony Brosnan added points before Brosnan sent in a ball over the top for Tomás Ó Sé to score a goal and MTU Kerry were now racing clear, leading by 2-3 to 0-1.

Dara Moynihan. Ryan Byrne / INPHO Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO

It was all one way traffic as Brosnan and Moynihan added two more points before Shane O’Sullivan converted a Maynooth free for only their second score in 25 minutes with the wind.

By half time MTU Kerry had one foot in the semi-finals with points from Ó Sé and Brosnan as the Kerry side led 2-7 to 0-2.

The second half was just a stroll for MTU Kerry as Tony Brosnan and Jack Savage kicked points for fun with Maynooth being completely outclassed and two Tony Brosnan goals put the icing on the cake for Tralee.

Scorers for MTU Kerry: Tony Brosnan 2-7 (0-3f); Jack Savage 1-4 (0-2f); Tomás Ó Sé 1-1, Dara Moynihan 0-3.

Scorers for Maynooth University: Shane O’Sullivan 0-4 (0-4f); Billy Maher, Sam McCormack, Eoin Conneff (0-1 each).

MTU Kerry

(All Kerry unless stated)

Keith O’Leary (Kilcummin)

Dean Carew (Upperchurch-Drombane, Tipperary), Tomás O’Connor (Ballymacelligott), Michael Potts (Dr Crokes)

Evan Looney (Dr Crokes), Fionan Mackessy (Ardfert), Darragh Lyne (Legion)

Mark O’Shea (Dr Crokes), Mark Ryan (Rathmore)

Greg Horan (Austin Stacks), Jack Savage (Kerins O’Rahilly’s), Dara Moynihan (Spa)

Paul O’Shea (Kilcummin), Tony Brosnan (Dr Crokes), Tomás Ó Sé (An Ghaeltacht)

Subs

Ryan O’Grady (Legion) for Ó Sé (47)

Gary Vaughan (Spa) for Mackessy (50)

Eoghan Carroll (Austin Stacks) for O’Connor (52)

Emmett O’Shea (Fossa) for Moynihan (52)

Jake Foster (Portarlington, Laois) for Brosnan (55)

Maynooth University

Cian Burke ( Kildare)

Colm Hartnett ( Kildare), Kieran Doran ( Offaly), Kieran Dwyer ( Kerry)

James Coffey ( Westmeath), Colin Walsh ( Roscommon), Keith Murphy ( Offaly)

Sam McCormack ( Kildare), Darragh Warnock ( Dublin)

Paddy McDermott ( Kildare), Dan Lynam ( Kildare), Diarmuid Egan ( Offaly)

Shane O’Sullivan ( Kildare) Conor Chawke ( Dublin), Jack Darcy ( Offaly)

Subs

Donal Conlan (Geevagh, Sligo) for Coffey (14 mins)

Ciaran Burns (Tullamore, Offaly) for Murphy (24)

Billy Maher (Allenwood, Kildare) for Lynam (38)

Eoghan Mulhall (Kilcock, Kildare) for Conlan (47)

Eoin Conneff (Eadestown) for Chawke (55)

Referee: J Hayes (Limerick).