Sport

Flurry of late goals sees impressive Limerick into the last four

UL 3-18 Carlow IT 0-14: UNIVERSITY of Limerick, boasting a number of high profile senior county stars, proved far too strong…

Thu Feb 23 2012 - 00:00

UL 3-18 Carlow IT 0-14:UNIVERSITY of Limerick, boasting a number of high profile senior county stars, proved far too strong for IT Carlow, outscoring the home side by 3-10 to 0-7 in the second half of this Fitzgibbon Cup quarter-final at the IT Carlow grounds yesterday evening.

A brace of goals in the 48th and 49th minutes killed off the Carlow challenge – both scored by substitute Mikey Heffernan. Another Tipperary man, Joe Gallagher added a third UL goal with the game in its dying minutes.

At that stage the Limerick students were well in control and, with gaps appearing in the home defence, the visitors took full advantage.

The sides were level seven times throughout an even first half in which both defences excelled. It was apparent from the start that the UL defence was a very strong unit, anchored by the immaculate Brendan Bulger at centre back. The Clare man gave Kilkenny’s TJ Reid little scope from play over the hour. Bugler was flanked by two excellent hurlers in Lester Ryan and Padraig Maher.

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The major difference between the sides lay in the respective attacks. UL had pacey, clever forwards who could pick off their scores from play while Carlow struggled throughout, depending largely on Reid.

Carlow competed well enough to stay in contention throughout the third quarter. Whenever ball did find its way into the Carlow full forward line, however, the UL full back line of Paddy Stapleton, Michael Walsh and Conor Fogarty proved impossible to penetrate.

UL: T Lowry; P Stapleton, M Walsh, C Fogarty; L Ryan, B Bugler, P Maher; L Markham (0-3, 0-1 free, 0-1 65), M Walsh (0-1); B Beckett (0-1), D Butler (0-2), P Walsh (0-2); D Walton (0-2), D Butler (0-2), C McGrath (0-4, 0-3 frees). Subs: M Heffernan (2-0) for Walton (39); Joe Gallagher (1-1) for Beckett (46); T O’Brien for Butler (51); P Kelly for McGrath (57); P Flanagan for Stapleton (59).

IT CARLOW: E Mealey; D Shaw, D Kenny, J Carroll; B Harding, R Doyle, J Rigney (0-1); P Hally, O Walsh; C Kenny (0-1), TJ Reid (0-7, 0-6 frees), J Maher (0-2); T Carroll (0-3), P Walsh, TJ Lawlor. Subs: C English for P Walsh (h/t); E Fitzpatrick for Lawler (36); C O’Donovan for Carroll (51).

Referee: B Kelly (Westmeath).