Mary Immaculate College 0-19
Limerick IT 0-14
Fintan O’Toole reports from Dangan
THE CHAMPIONS ARE back in this year’s Fitzgibbon Cup final after another brilliant point-scoring display by Aaron Gillane and the midfield class of Clare’s Colm Galvin, helped ensure Mary Immaculate College triumphed in today’s second semi-final tie.
Limerick’s Gillane hit 0-12 – eleven from placed balls – as he was again instrumental to Mary Immaculate’s success and was denied adding a goal to that tally by a superb save from a penalty in the first half by Limerick IT goalkeeper Eibhear Quilligan.
Galvin chipped in with 0-3 from play and exerted a major influence in the game, particularly in the second half as Mary Immaculate pushed clear after being ahead narrowly 0-8 to 0-7 at the interval.
The success puts Mary Immaculate into their third Fitzgibbon Cup final in five years with Galvin the sole survivor from the team that lost their first decider in 2013 in Pearse Stadium, the venue for tomorrow’s clash with IT Carlow.
The opening period was fiercely contested today and largely boiled down to a battle of the freetakers between Gillane and LIT’s Paul Killeen.
Yet Mary I took charge after the interval with Galvin, Tipperary All-Ireland winner Ronan Maher and Michael O’Neill adding points to supplement Gillane’s contribution.
It meant the team managed by Jamie Wall were in control as they ahead 0-15 to 0-11 entering the final quarter.
Quilligan again denied them from adding a goal to that tally with his good reaction save from a low shot by Darragh O’Donovan, yet a trio of converted Gillane frees put seven points between the teams.
Davy Fitzgerald saw his LIT team – who lost Waterford senior Shane Bennett through injury in the second half – pour forward in the closing stages but they couldn’t find a way to raise a green flag.
Peter Duggan blasted a 20-yard free over the bar, Maher got back on the line to flick a drive from substitute Sean Ryan over the bar and then goalkeeper Ciaran Barrett did excellently to block a shot that David Dempsey smashed in.
Stephen Cahill hit the insurance point as the title holders clinched a five-point success at the finish.
Scorers for Mary Immaculate College: Aaron Gillane 0-12 (0-10f, 0-1 ’65), Colm Galvin 0-3, Stephen Cahill, Darragh O’Donovan, Ronan Maher, Michael O’Neill 0-1 each.
Scorers for Limerick IT: Paul Killeen 0-8 (0-8f), Peter Duggan (0-2f), Willie Connors 0-2 each, Sean Ryan, David Dempsey 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)
29. Colm Stapleton (Borris Kilcotton, Laois) for English (43)
15. Sean Burke (Grenagh, Cork) for O’Neill (54)
Limerick IT
1. Eibhear Quilligan (Feakle, Clare)
2. Oisin O’Brien (Clonlara, Clare)
3. Kieran Bennett (Ballysaggart, Waterford)
4. Cian Nolan (Smith O’Brien’s, Clare)
5. Willie Ryan (Clonakenny, Tipperary)
6. Barry O’Connell (Kildimo-Pallaskenry, Limerick)
7. Diarmaid Byrnes (Patrickswell, Limerick)
8. David Reidy (Éire Óg, Clare)
9. Willie Connors (Kiladangan, Tipperary)
12. Shane Bennett (Ballysaggart, Waterford)
10. Paul Killeen (Tynagh Abbey-Duniry, Galway)
13. Jason McCarthy (Inagh-Kilnamona, Clare)
13. Jamie Shanahan (Sixmilebridge, Clare)
11. Peter Duggan (Clooney-Quin, Clare)
15. David Dempsey (Na Piarsaigh, Limerick)
Subs
20. Sean Ryan (Sean Tracey’s, Tipperary) for Bennett (41)
24. Michael O’Malley (Kilmaley, Clare) for Connors (45)
18. Andrew La Touche Cosgrave (Monaleen, Limerick) for McCarthy (45)
Referee: Paud O’Dwyer (Carlow)
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