University of Galway 4-24

MTU Cork 1-14

UNIVERSITY OF GALWAY, runners-up for the past two years, advanced to the semi-finals of the Fitzgibbon Cup with an impressive victory on their home patch in Dangan.

Eleven players found the target for Jeff Lynskey’s side, who started with an all-Galway selection, nearly all of whom have tasted senior hurling for the county, even if many of them have yet to do it at championship level.

And while the visitors, with Cork’s Ciaran Joyce their key player at centre-back before moving upfield in a bid to mount a comeback, started well with the sides level three times in the opening six minutes, the Galway side recovered from a 0-7 to 0-5 opening quarter deficit to take control.

They outscored the Cork college by 1-7 to 0-3 in the second quarter of a game played in ideal conditions on the banks of the Corrib, with Colm Molloy crowning an impressive showing by finishing a move where the strong running of Shane Morgan was key.

That left University of Galway 1-12 to 0-10 ahead at the break and they continued to dominate after the restart with scores coming from all angles as they turned the screw in a serious show of strength.

Gavin Lee, enjoying a big start to 2024 with college and county, fired home their second goal within a minute of the restart and there was no way back for MTU Cork after that as they trailed by 2-19 to 0-12 at the end of the third quarter.

Newcestown clubman Ed Kenneally got in for a goal for MTU Cork but they only managed two points after that as the home side pushed on to crown their win with late goals from Shane Morgan and Niall Collins.

Scorers for University of Galway: Colm Molloy 1-5, Niall Collins 1-5 (0-4f), Gavin Lee 1-2, Tiernan Killeen 0-4, Alex Connaire 0-3, Shane Morgan 1-0, Ian McGlynn 0-1, Liam Leen 0-1, Greg Thomas 0-1, Dan Loftus 0-1, Oisin Flannery 0-1.

Scorers for MTU Cork: Brian Lynch 0-4f, Ciaran Joyce 0-4 (0-3f), Ed Kenneally 1-1, Sean Walsh 0-2, Evan Murphy 0-1, Barry Kehoe 0-1, James Mulcahy 0-1.

University of Galway

(All Galway unless stated)

• 1. Mark Hardiman
• 2. Darren Morrisey, 4. Kieran Hanrahan, 3. Eoin Lawless
• 5. Tiernan Killeen, 6. Dan Loftus, 7. Shane Morgan
• 8. Ian McGlynn, 9. Liam Leen
• 10. Alex Connaire, 11. Gavin Lee, 12. Conor Walsh
• 15. Niall Collins, 20. Greg Thomas, 13. Colm Molloy

Substitutes: 19. Phelim McCann for Morrissey (41); 14. Charlie Mitchell (Offaly) for Thomas (48); 31. Colm Cunningham for Leen (50); 29. Oisin Flannery for Molloy (52); 28. Jack O’Meara for Walsh (53).

MTU Cork

• 1. Cathal Wilson (Cork)
• 2. Paul O’Sullivan (Cork), 4. Stephen Keoghan (Kilkenny), 3. Dara Mason (Kilkenny)
• 5. Evan Murphy (Kerry), 6. Ciaran Joyce (Cork), 17. David O’Sullivan (Cork)
• 8. Sam Quirke (Cork), 9. Ronan Walsh (Kerry)
• 11. Barry Kehoe (Tipperary), 19. DJ Twomey (Cork), 12. Sean Walsh (Waterford)
• 13. James Mulcahy (Cork), 22. Ed Kenneally (Cork), 14. Brian Lynch (Cork)

Substitutes: 10. Rhys McCarthy (Cork) for Keoghan (50); 15. Mark Tobin (Cork) for Kenneally (50); 18. Colin Roche (Cork) for Twomey (54): 21. Colm O’Keeffe (Cork) for Mulcahy (58).

Referee: Johnny Murphy (Limerick)