Mary Immaculate College, Limerick 4-18
NUI Galway 1-16
Jackie Cahill reports from MICL Grounds
LIMERICK’S AARON GILLANE continued his rich vein of scoring form, registering 2-10, as holders Mary Immaculate College cruised into the semi-finals of the Fitzgibbon Cup today.
Mary I enjoyed an 11-point victory over visitors NUI Galway, the Fitzgibbon finals weekend hosts who bow out of the competition.
In glorious weather conditions, the champions were excellent on home soil and Gillane provided Limerick senior manager John Kiely with another timely reminder of his talents.
Scorer of 3-9 against DIT last week, Gillane hit another massive individual tally and will be hoping for a possible Limerick recall.
A member of the winter training panel, Gillane featured in the pre-season Co-Op Superstores.ie Munster senior hurling League before being cut from the squad.
Gillane had eight points on the board by half-time – including four from play – before bagging two classy second half goals.
But the best goal of the game was knocked home by Cork’s rising star Luke Meade, who brilliantly controlled Tadhg Gallagher’s delivery from the right touchline on his stick before batting to the net close range.
That was Mary I’s second goal of the game, in the 20th minute, after Gallagher had found the net himself in the fourth minute, pouncing from close range after Colm Galvin rattled the crossbar with a fierce shot.
NUIG were heavily reliant on Gerry Hennelly’s free-taking to remain in touch and they were six points behind at half-time – 0-11 to 2-11.
The Galway college were missing Tribesmen seniors, Padraic and Cathal Mannion, who play for their club Ahascragh-Fohenagh in the All-Ireland intermediate hurling final in Croke Park next Saturday.
A star-studded Mary I showed that it will take a good team to stop them retaining their Fitzgibbon crown with an assured second half display.
Gillane rattled home their third goal, and his first, in the 35th minute from a Darragh O’Donovan assist.
And Gillane, who was narrowly off-target with another effort, added his second goal in the 41st minute.
There was a consolation goal for NUIG three minutes from time when Loughnane was on hand to find the net after Fennelly’s free was blocked.
Mary Immaculate College now advance to a semi-final meeting with Limerick IT or UCD on Friday 24 February.
Scorers for Mary I: Aaron Gillane 2-10 (0-4f, 0-2 65s), Luke Meade 1-2, Tadhg Gallagher 1-0, Michael O’Neill 0-3, Darragh O’Donovan 0-2, Thomas Monaghan 0-1.
Scorers for NUI Galway: Gerry Hennelly 0-9 (6f, 1 65), Gearoid Loughnane 1-0, Conor Whelan 0-3 (1f, 1 sl), Conor Cleary (f), Ian Fox, Oisin Donnellan & Sam Conlon 0-1 each.
Mary Immaculate
1. Ciaran Barrett (Clonmel Óg, Tipperary)
2. David Sweeney (Kiladangan, Tipperary)
3. Richie English (Doon, Limerick)
4. Eoin Quirke (captain) (Whitegate, Clare)
5. Conor Twomey (Newtownshandrum, Cork)
6. Ronan Maher (Thurles Sarsfields, Tipperary)
7. Alan Flynn (Kiladangan, Tipperary)
8. Colm Galvin (Clonlara, Clare)
9. Stephen Cahill (Thurles Sarsfields, Tipperary)
10. Darragh O’Donovan (Doon, Limerick)
11. Michael O’Neill (Kilmaley, Clare)
12. Aaron Gillane (Patrickswell, Limerick)
17. Tadhg Gallagher (Kiladangan, Tipperary)
14. Cian Lynch (Patrickswell, Limerick)
22. Luke Meade (Newcestown, Cork)
Subs
13. Thomas Monaghan (Craughwell, Galway) for Gallagher (39)
18. Thomas Grimes (Na Piarsaigh, Limerick) for Gillane (45)
29. Colm Stapleton (Borris-in-Ossory Kilcotton, Laois) for Twomey (49)
25. Tim O’Mahony (Newtownshandrum, Cork) for Lynch (51)
26. Paul O’Connell (Clare) for O’Donovan (55)
NUI Galway
1. Cathal Tuohy (Tommy Larkins, Galway)
2. Conor Ryan (Nenagh Éire Óg, Tipperary)
3. Ger Fennelly (Ballingarry, Tipperary)
4. Ger Forde (Ardrahan, Galway)
5. Shane Moloney (Rahoon-Newcastle, Galway)
6. Conor Cleary (captain) (Kilmaley, Clare)
7. Mike Connelly (Liam Mellowes, Galway)
8. Ian Fox (Sarsfields, Galway)
9. Oisin Donnellan (Feakle, Clare)
10. Gearoid Loughnane (Loughrea, Galway)
11. Kevin McHugo (Tommie Larkins, Galway)
12. Conor Whelan (Kinvara, Galway)
13. Gerry Hennelly (Ardrahan, Galway)
14. Sam Conlon (Roscrea, Tipperary)
15. Aiden Helebert (Gort, Galway)
Subs
17. Niall Mitchell (Clonkill, Westmeath) for Helebert (39)
18. Jack Commins (Gort, Galway) for McHugo (44)
19. Conor Cosgrove (Galway) for Connelly (54)
22. Stephen Barrett (Galway) for Loughnane (57)
Referee: Fergal Horgan (Tipperary)
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