Mary Immaculate College 2-11
Waterford IT 0-15

Páraic McMahon reports from Mary Immaculate College, Limerick

IT WAS TENSE off the field and equally as fiery on it as Mary I and WIT battled out for top spot in Group B of the Electric Ireland Fitzgibbon Cup today before goals from Clarinbridge’s Shane Ryan and Gary Cooney of O’Callaghans Mills were decisive for the home team in Limerick.

Mary Immaculate claimed the prize that was on offer of a home quarter-final but WIT came undone largely due to their wastefulness in front of goal which saw them total thirteen wides.

2016 Hurler of the Year, Austin Gleeson for the second game in succession was forced off with a knee injury. The Mount Sion man had to withdraw with nine minutes played.

Injury to Austin Gleeson early in the first-half at Mary I in their game with WIT in the Electric Ireland Fitzgibbon Cup.. pic.twitter.com/ZspBZR4LCg

— GAA Higher Education (@HigherEdGAA) January 23, 2020

Ironically the first and second quarter was when WIT were at their strongest putting together unanswered rallies of three and two points.

Stephen Condon was lively at times but inconsistent on frees, both he and Wexford’s Conall Flood led the way in giving the visitors a 0-8 to 0-6 half-time lead.

Mary I quietened their opponents on the restart when Gary Cooney won a free in his own half-back line, Eoghan Cahill took control of the placed ball which ended up with Shane Ryan raiding for the first goal of the game.

WIT’s Calum Lyons reduced the gap to a single point with ten minutes remaining. However Cooney stepped up to score his third goal in two games to swing the tie back in favour of the Limerick side.

WIT kept plugging away and could have forced a draw had Billy Nolan’s late free went under the crossbar.

Mary I beat the fog and WIT! See Gary Cooney's late goal and captain Darren Browne looking forward to next week's Limerick derby with UL in the @ElectricIreland Fitzgibbon Cup.. pic.twitter.com/o4G4oa8RjC

— GAA Higher Education (@HigherEdGAA) January 23, 2020

So far so good for Jamie Wall’s Mary I. They’ve three wins from three outings but this was definitely their toughest test showing up an issue in winning the aerial ball in attack especially from long puckouts. Their workrate and link-up play was superior, Cathal Bourke impressed up front with solid displays from Darragh Peters, Darren Browne, Jack Prendergast and Jason Gillane.

They’re on the road for the quarter-finals but WIT will have fire in their stomachs after this defeat. Their hand passing centred attacks saw them at their best but their failings up front were costly. Calum Lyons, Conall Flood and Mickey Daykin did well for Fintan O’Connor’s side.

Scorers Mary Immaculate: Cathal Bourke 0-7 (0-6f), Tim O’Mahony 0-3, Gary Cooney 1-0, Shane Ryan 1-0 each, D Ryan (0-01)

Scorers Waterford IT: Stephen Condon 0-7 (0-5f, 0-1 ’65), Conall Flood 0-3, Callum Lyons, Billy Nolan (0-2f) 0-2 each, Mikey Mahony 0-1.

Mary Immaculate College

1. Jason Gillane (Patrickswell, Limerick)

5. Craig Morgan (Kilruane MacDonaghs, Tipperary)
6. Darren Browne (Kanturk, Cork)
3. David Prendergast (Lismore, Waterford)

4. Darragh Lohan (Wolfe Tones na Sionna, Clare)
2. Darragh Peters (Kilruane MacDonaghs, Tipperary)
8. Diarmuid Ryan (Cratloe, Clare)

10. Eoghan Cahill (Birr, Offaly)
30. Éanna McBride (JK Brackens, Tipperary)

7. Tim O’Mahony (Newtownshandrum, Cork)
11. Gary Cooney (O’Callaghans Mills, Clare)
12. Shane Ryan (Clarinbridge, Galway)

15. Colin O’Brien (Liscarroll Churchtown Gaels, Cork)
13. Andrew Ormond (JK Brackens, Tipperary)
23. Cathal Bourke (Clonoulty-Rossmore, Tipperary)

Subs

29. Adam Ennis (Delvin, Westmeath) for Lohan (41)
22. Michael Corry (Clooney/Quin, Clare) for Morgan (51)
24. Phillip Wall (Kilbrittan, Cork) for S Ryan (59) (Inj)
14. Mícheál O’Loughlin (Clonlara, Clare) for Prendergast (61)

Waterford IT

1. Billy Nolan (Roanmore, Waterford)

18. Mickey Daykin (Mount Sion, Waterford)
3. Kevin Hassett (Drom & Inch, Tipperary)
20. Ross Smithers (Naomh Eoin, Carlow)

5. Calum Lyons (Ballyduff Lower, Waterford)
6. Mairtín de Paor (Ballyduff, Waterford)
31. Tommy Walsh (Tullaroan, Kilkenny)

19. Conall Flood (Cloughbawn, Wexford)
9. Austin Gleeson (Mount Sion, Waterford)

11. Jack Prendergast (Lismore, Waterford)
22. Mikey Mahony (Ballygunner, Waterford)
10. Tom Barron (Fourmilewater, Waterford)

15. Stephen Condon (Glanworth, Cork)
14. Ciaran Kirwan (Fenor, Waterford)
12. Robbie Flynn (Clonea-Power, Waterford).

Subs

8. Michael Whelan (Carrick Davins, Tipperary) for Gleeson (9) (Inj)
13. Eddie Meaney (De La Salle) for Flood (54)

Referee: Peter Carroll (Tipperary)

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