By John Keogh Limerick Leader Sports

UL are into the knockout stages of their 2023 Fitzgibbon Cup following a 2-24 to 1-13 victory over Limerick rivals TUS Midwest at Maguire’s Fields.

A purple patch of seven points to one at the end of the first half helped Brian Ryan’s to a six-point half time lead and they never looked back from there.

Second half goals from Sean Twomey and Mark Rogers ensured that UL were never in any danger of facing a comeback from TUS Midwest. Tipperary’s Gearoid O’Connor top scored for UL with 0-12.

It was all square at 0-6 apiece after 18 minutes but four Gearoid O’Connor points and two from Cathal O’Neill, as well as one courtesy of Robers, saw UL go in at the break 0-13 to 0-7 ahead. Robin Mounsey was scorer in chief for TUS with five points.

The game was effectively over as a contest three minutes into the second half when Michael Kiely and O’Neill combined for Twomey’s goal; a close range finish.

The second goal followed 11 minutes later. A long Killian Sampson delivery was taken in by Twomey and his pass set Rogers away to finish past Cian Broderick. That saw UL 2-17 to 0-12 in front.

Colin Coughlan sent over two trademark points after being moved to midfield from wing back as UL powered to victory. Mounsey did get a consolation goal late on for TUS but it was UL that cruised to victory.

UL have now booked a home quarter final, while TUS Midwest could still reach the knockout stages with a victory over ATU Galway next week.

Scorers – UL: Gearoid O’Connor 0-12 (4 frees, 3 ’65s), Sean Twomey 1-2, Mark Rogers 1-1 each, Cathal O’Neill 0-3, Colin Coughlan 0-2, Cian Galvin, Bryan O’Mara, Killian Sampson and Jamie Power 0-1 each.

Scorers TUS MIDWEST: Robin Mounsey 1-7 (5 frees), Aron Shanagher 0-2, Brian Og O’Dwyer, Darragh Tynan, Kevin McCarthy and Alan Tynan 0-1 each.

UL: Dean Mason (Ballyhale Shamrocks, Kilkenny); Padraic Dunne (The Harps, Laois), TJ Brennan (Clarinbridge, Galway), Conor Flaherty (Claregalway-Carnmore, Galway); Colin Coughlan (Ballybrown, Limerick), Bryan O’Mara (Holycross-Ballycahill, Tipperary), Darragh Corcoran (Ballyhale Shamrocks, Kilkenny); Rory Duff (Mungret St Pauls, Limerick), Cian Galvin (Clarecastle, Clare); Cathal O’Neill (Crecora-Manister, Limerick), Gearoid O’Connor (Moyne-Templetuohy, Tipperary), Sean Twomey (Courcey Rovers, Cork); Mark Rogers (Scarriff, Clare), Michael Kiely (Abbeyside, Waterford), James Power (Clonea, Waterford).

SUBS: Killian Sampson (Shinrone, Offaly for Galvin (36 mins), Brian O’Sullivan (Kanturk, Cork), for Duff (43 mins), Cian Darcy (Kilruane McDonagh’s for Twomey (52 mins), Killian McDermott (Clarecastle, Clare) for Corcoran (55 mins), Ian Byrne (Glenmore, Kilkenny) for O’Neill (56 mins).

TUS MIDWEST: Cian Broderick (Clarecastle, Clare); David Tuohy (Clarecastle, Clare), Darragh Casey (Granagh-Ballingarry, Limerick), Ger Grant (Upperchurch-Drombane, Tipperary); Darragh Tynan (Roscrea, Tipperary), Sean Long (Na Piarsaigh, Limerick), Cathal O’Mahony (Fethard, Tipperary); Evan Fitzpatrick (Roscrea, Tipperary), Paddy Donnellan (Broadford, Clare); Brian Og O’Dwyer (Tipperary), Aron Shanagher (Wolfe Tonnes, Clare), Alan Tynan (Roscrea, Tipperary); Robin Mounsey (Ruan, Clare), Eric Killeen (Rathdowney Errill, Laois), David McCarthy (Toomevara), Tipperary).

SUBS: Conor Doughan (Shinrone, Offaly) for Tuohy (h-t), Michael Ryan (Murroe-Boher, Limerick) for Killeen (48 mins), Gearoid Ryan (Cappawhite, Tipperary) for McCarthy (48 mins), Kevin Morrissey (Ahane, Limerick) for Og O’Dwyer (59 mins).

REFEREE: Johnny Murphy (Limerick).