Electric Ireland Fitzgibbon Cup QF: Mary I advance:
Electric Ireland Fitzgibbon Cup Quarter-Final
Mary I 1-25 TUS Midwest 1-17
By Stephen Barry at MICL
A second Limerick derby defeat dumped TUS Midwest out of the Fitzgibbon Cup as Mary Immaculate College march on to a first semi-final since 2020.
The hosts had nine of the first 11 scores, but it was Shane Meehan’s goal just before half-time which ended this contest. 1-15 to 1-7 at that stage.
Meehan’s 1-2 was added to by impressive tallies from free-taker Devon Ryan (0-11, 9 frees) and Shane O’Brien (0-4). That pair were fouled for seven pointed frees between them while midfielder Cathal Quinn struck 0-3 and contributed five further assists.
Working out from defence, PJ Fanning excelled with two points from centre-back and Jason Gillane’s puck-outs were another potent weapon.
They had the luxury of resting their county stars once a further five-point streak stretched their lead to 12 before TUS, who lost to UL in the group stage, narrowed the final margin back to eight.
They returned 0-9 from inter-county footballer Kyle Shelly (7 frees, 1 65) and 1-2 from Seán Kenneally in an all-Tipperary forward line but worryingly, Eoghan Connolly exited at half-time with his left leg strapped.
Mary I were minus Galway forward Declan McLoughlin, who suffered a hand injury at the weekend. They targeted a fast start and they got it with Quinn driving forward at every opportunity and Ryan picking off his points.
They left the back door open at times as Kian O’Kelly claimed two towering catches for goal chances. He squared for Kenneally to bury the first, making it 0-6 to 1-1, but Gillane denied O’Kelly from the latter.
After leaking nine points in 11 minutes, TUS managed to slow Mary I’s progress and Kenneally pressed Gillane into another routine stop. Play was called back for a Shelly free which left three in the difference.
But Mary I produced the final 1-2 of the half, with Meehan’s goal coming after a super grab from Diarmuid Ryan’s high delivery.
Mary I added another five in a row soon after the restart, including three for O’Brien. Although Ger Browne slotted a pair in response, it was only a matter of how much the final deficit would tally.
Scorers for Mary I: Devon Ryan 0-11 (9fs) Shane Meehan 1-2, Shane O’Brien 0-4, Cathal Quinn 0-3, PJ Fanning, Conor Hennessy 0-2 each, Colin O’Brien 0-1 (f).
Scorers for TUS Midwest: Kyle Shelly 0-9 (7f, 1 65), Seán Kenneally 1-2, Ger Browne 0-3 (1f), Cian O’Dwyer, Jack Ryan, Niall O’Farrell 0-1 each.
Mary I: Jason Gillane (Limerick); Adam Hogan (Clare), Keith Ryan (Tipperary), Joe Caesar (Tipperary); Diarmuid Ryan (Clare), PJ Fanning (Waterford), Ronan Power (Waterford); Cathal Quinn (Tipperary), Conor Hennessy (Tipperary); Colin O’Brien (Cork), Devon Ryan (Tipperary), Fionn McDonagh (Galway); Daithí Lohan (Clare), Shane O’Brien (Limerick), Shane Meehan (Clare).
Subs: Vince Harrington (Limerick) for Fanning (49), Eoin Craddock (Tipperary) for S O’Brien (51), Oisín O’Farrell (Limerick) for Meehan (55), Shane Lowe (Tipperary) for Hogan (57), Ciarán Lloyd (Tipperary) for Diarmuid Ryan (59).
TUS Midwest: Enda Dunphy (Tipperary); Paddy Donnellan (Clare), Darragh Casey (Limerick), Thomas Collins (Galway); Jack McCullagh (Carlow), Eoghan Connolly (Tipperary), Darragh Keogh (Clare); Niall O’Farrell (Clare), Joseph Ryan (Offaly); Kyle Shelly (Tipperary), Cian O’Dwyer (Tipperary), Gearóid Ryan (Tipperary); Ger Browne (Tipperary), Seán Kenneally (Tipperary), Kian O’Kelly (Tipperary).
Subs: Jack Ryan (Tipperary) for Connolly (h-t, inj), Paddy Morrissey (Limerick) for Collins (37), Oisín Kavanagh (Clare) for O’Kelly (51), Michael Ryan (Limerick) for O’Dwyer (57).
Referee: Liam Gordon (Galway).