Cork IT 1-12 GMIT 0-7:Cork star Ciarán Sheehan contributed a tally of 1-4 to help his local IT reach the Sigerson Cup quarter-finals in demanding conditions on Leeside yesterday.
Cork always looked the more likely side despite having to cope with frequent sleet showers on a bitterly cold day.
The Connacht visitors could muster just one point from play, Darren Durkan obliging in first-half injury-time, when they played into the wind, only for it to change direction on the resumption.
Sheehan pounced for the only goal after 22 minutes following a flowing move, instigated by midfielder Brendan O’Sullivan, to help Cork IT to a 1-5 to 0-1 lead, though GMIT responded by scoring the closing two points of the half.
A couple of early scores from Colin Lyons and the impressive Michael Vaughan helped Cork IT settled immediately as GMIT relied on the free-taking of captain John Ryan to stay in touch.
GMIT kept battling but the goal they needed proved elusive and Cork closed out the game with the last three points to set-up a quarter-final away to Athlone IT.
CORK IT: A O’Donoghue; P Kilkenny, M Griffin, N Galvin, captain; C Lyons (0-1), S O’Donoghue, P Daly (0-1); B O’Sullivan, J Walsh; C Sheehan (1-4), S Finn, D Leahy; K Hallisey (0-2, 0-1 free), P Joy, M Vaughan (0-3). Subs: D Crowley for Finn (half-time), D Treacy (0-1) for O’Sullivan and E Byrne for Kilkenny (both 55 mins), B O’Regan for Leahy (58 mins).
GMIT: P Mannion; M Kelly, A McCormack, B Sheridan; C Sweeney, J Duane, R Shanahan; S Bohan, S Boyle; E Monahan, J Ryan (0-3, frees), captain, D Durkan (0-1); C Kelly, A Walsh (0-2, frees), O Warde (0-1, free). Subs: T Costello for Bohan (half-time), T Tighe for Boyle (51 mins). Referee: M Meade (Limerick)
