Cork IT 1-12
Limerick IT 0-10
A WIN AWAY to GMIT next week will guarantee Cork IT a home draw in the quarter-finals of this year’s Fitzgibbon Cup after they recorded a five-point victory at home to Limerick IT tonight.
While the final outcome looks definitive, this game was nip-and-tuck for long periods, with CIT only pulling clear in the final quarter, thanks largely to a goal from David Drake in the 51st minute.
That score put the hosts 1-9 to 0-7 clear after they had opened up a two-point advantage for the first time in the game up until then. With Cork panellists Jamie Coughlan and Mark Ellis performing well for them in the closing stages after coming on as subs, they closed out the game well.
It was far from a classic game, however. An often bad-tempered first half yielded just six points, three for each team. Clare’s Tony Kelly was on form from dead balls for LIT but was well-marshalled by CIT wing-forward Conor Hammersley, who dropped deep to mark him.
CIT struggled in attack for large periods in the opening period but the introduction of Coughlan in the 21st minute improved them. They seized the upper hand in the second half as Tipperary’s John O’Dwyer found his range from frees.
Captain John Cronin also did well for the hosts following the resumption and when O’Dwyer and Coughlan pointed in quick succession they led by 0-9 to 0-7. Drake’s goal, after winning Micheál Russell’s ball, gave them breathing space for the first time and they held on to claim the points.
Scorers for Cork IT: John O’Dwyer 0-6 (five frees), David Drake 1-0, Jamie Coughlan 0-2, John Cronin, Conor Hammersley, Daniel Dooley, Kevin Hallissey 0-1 each.
Scorers for Limerick IT: Tony Kelly 0-4 (two frees, one 65), Jamie Shanahan 0-3 (two frees), Alan Dempsey, Seanie O’Brien, Cathal McInerney 0-1 each.
CORK IT (Cork unless stated): Stephen Nyhan; Stephen Murphy, Alan Dennehy, Tomas Lawrence; Eoin Keane, Micheál Russell, Padraig Butler; William Murphy, Michael O’Sullivan; John O’Dwyer (Tipperary), John Cronin, Conor Hammersley (Tipperary); Michael O’Brien (Tipperary), Daniel Dooley, David Drake.
Subs: Jamie Coughlan for O’Brien (21), Kevin Hallissey for Dooley (37), Mark Ellis for W Murphy (43).
LIMERICK IT (Clare unless stated): Aaron Murphy (Limerick); Alan Dempsey (Limerick), Martin Minehan (Tipperary), Cian Nolan; Paul Flaherty (Galway), Barry O’Connell (Limerick), Enda Boyce; Seanie O’Brien (Limerick), Jamie Shanahan; Tony Kelly, Patrick Begley (Limerick), Philip Ivors (Tipperary); Oisin Hickey, Cathal McInerney, Shane McGrath.
Referee: Fergal Horgan (Tipperary).
