Mary Immaculate College 2-20

Cork Institute of Technology 0-12

Páraic McMahon reports from Mary Immaculate College

1-10 IN EACH half was enough for a dominant Mary I to overcome CIT in the Electric Ireland Fitzgibbon Cup quarter-final in Limerick on Thursday afternoon.

Mary I’s victory sets up a semi-final showdown next week with NUI Galway, who saw off Limerick IT today.

CIT’s lack of a goal threat ensured the result was never in doubt. Their opponents had no such issues as the first and last scores were both goals.

Gary Cooney fired to the net with the game less than two minutes old while outstanding footwork from Luke Meade saw him shimmy past the CIT defence and launch a rocket to the top left corner of Patrick Collins’ goal.

Although they were never put to the pin of their collar, Mary I were guilty of easing up as the game progressed, a trait that will be punished in the last four clash in four days’ time. They were also boosted by a vocal home support.

As the game entered the final quarter, CIT did reduce the gap to six points but ultimately left Eoghan Cahill largely redundant in the Mary I goal.

Some fine link-up play accompanied the Limerick college’s fourteen point win. Darren Browne and Thomas Grimes impressed in their half-back line while Meade and Thomas Monaghan were driving forces at midfield.

Of concern to Jamie Wall and his management will be the hamstring injury sustained by lively attacker Cooney.

Scorers MIC: Aaron Gillane 0-8 (0-5f, 0-1 65, 0-1 sideline), Thomas Monaghan 0-4, Gary Cooney 1-1, Luke Meade 1-1, Phil Hickey 0-2, Colin O’Brien 0-1, Thomas Grimes 0-1, Colin Guilfoyle 0-1, Mícheál O’Loughlin 0-1.

Scorers CIT: Josh Beausang 0-6 (0-5f), Shane Cummins 0-2, Brian Everard 0-1, Andrew Coffey 0-1, William Hurley 0-1, Ryan Walsh 0-1.

Mary Immaculate College

1. Eoghan Cahill (Offaly)

4. Seamus Downey (Clare)
3. David Prendergast (Waterford)
5. Craig Morgan (Tipperary)

2. Eoghan Ryan (Tipperary)
6. Darren Browne (Cork)
7. Thomas Grimes (Limerick)

9. Luke Meade (Cork)
15. Phillip Hickey (Tipperary)

14. Colin Guilfoyle (Clare)
10. Aaron Gillane (Limerick)
12. Colin O’Brien (Cork)

13. Gary Cooney (Clare)
8. Thomas Monaghan (Galway)
11. Mícheál O’Loughlin (Clare)

Subs:

19. Brian Buckley (Cork) for Ryan (37)
20. Sean Burke (Cork) for O’Loughlin (51)
26. Eimhin Kelly (Offaly) for Cooney (54) Inj
23. Stephen Farrell (Kilkenny) for O’Brien (56)

Cork Institute of Technology

1. Patrick Collins (Cork)

3. Daragh Fanning (Limerick)
2. Eoin Healy (Cork)
4. Kevin Galvin (Kilkenny)

5. Daniel Harrington (Cork)
6. Enda Heffernan (Tipperary)
7. Conor Prunty (Waterford)

9. David Noonan (Cork)
8. John Good (Cork)

12. Shane Cummins (Cork)
21. Ryan Walsh (Cork)
10. Brian Everard (Cork)

13. Josh Beausang (Cork)
22. Andrew Coffey (Tipperary)
11. John Cooper (Cork)

Subs:

20. William Hurley (Cork) for Cooper (ht)
24. Kevin Duggan (Kilkenny) for Good (55)
19. John Elsted (Waterford) for Walsh (57)

Referee: Thomas Walsh (Waterford)

Subscribe to our new podcast, The42 Rugby Weekly, here: