Defeat at home to GMIT means away quarter-final for MTU Cork in Fitzgibbon Cup

MTU Cork 1-17

Galway-Mayo IT 1-19

MTU Cork will be away to UL in the quarter-finals of the Electric Ireland Fitzgibbon Cup after they lost at home to GMIT in their final Group C game on Wednesday evening.

With both sides in the three-team section having beaten Trinity College, this was a play-off for top spot though the visitors had a scoring-difference advantage, meaning that a draw would be sufficient for them. While they were holding on to a two-point advantage at the death as MTU sought a game-winning goal, there was little doubting GMIT’s superiority over the hour and they will now host TUS Midwest (formerly Limerick IT) in the last eight next week.

Kevin Cooney, who scored 11 frees for GMIT and two points from play, caught the eye on the scoring front while Donal Mannion impressed in a roving role, contributing two second-half points and centre-back Ciarán Fahy stood tall in defence along with corner-back Luke Prendergast. AJ Willis, who started in the half-forward line, moved to the half-back line for the second half and his searching deliveries were another positive factor for GMIT, for whom Seán McDonagh was always a willing outlet in the full-forward line.

MTU deserve credit for playing themselves back into the game in the second half, though they were aided in the fact that some wayward GMIT shooting prevented them from assembling an even more commanding lead. Alan Walsh’s goal on 51 minutes – after Paddy Creedon’s driving run was ended by a Fahy interception – brought them to within two points, 1-17 to 1-15, but they couldn’t come closer, even allowing for five GMIT wides in the final eight minutes.

Sam Quirke showed up well at midfield in the first half for the home side Creedon had a couple of nice points in the second half but overall their game didn’t have the fluency of the previous week against Trinity.

While Walsh and Quirke scored the first two points of the game for them, they didn’t lead again after Brendan Twomey put them 0-4 to 0-3 ahead after six minutes. Patrick Foley and Cooney had put GMIT in front before McDonagh showed lovely skill in the tenth minute and picked out Paddy Commins with a superb pass, allowing him to blast to the net.

By the time Cooney landed a pair of fine frees in the 20th and 22nd minute, they were 1-10 to 0-6 to the good, but they passed up chances to solidify their advantage. Tomás Howard and Liam O’Shea (free) had brought MTU back to within five points by half-time and they might have even had a late goal but Walsh snatched at his opportunity from a tight angle.

Cooney, sub Enda Egan and Mannion ensured that GMIT kept MTU at arm’s length in the opening stages of the second half and the home side were perhaps fortunate not to concede a penalty as McDonagh’s run was illegally halted close to goal but a free was awarded for an earlier foul.

Cooney converted for his tenth point to make it 1-15 to 0-11 but MTU replied with three on the trot from Creedon, Patrick O’Brien with a boomer and O’Shea. While a wonderful Mannion point had GMIT 1-17 to 0-14 ahead on 48, O’Shea’s eighth point was followed Walsh’s goal and, suddenly, a comeback looked viable. It was not to be, though.

Scorers for MTU: L O’Shea 0-8 (0-6f), A Walsh 1-1, P Creedon 0-2, B Twomey, S Quirke, T Howard, C Hickey, D Hanlon, P O’Flynn 0-1 each.

Scorers for GMIT: K Cooney 0-13 (0-11f), P Commins 1-1, D Mannion 0-2, P Foley, S McDonagh, E Egan 0-1 each.

MTU (Cork clubs unless stated): G Collins (Ballinhassig); B Murphy (Carrick Swan, Tipperary), W Hurley (Valley Rovers), L Ryan (Inniscarra); S Keoghan (Graigue-Ballycallan, Kilkenny), P O’Flynn (Bride Rovers), J Cranny (St Lazerian’s, Laois); B Twomey (Carrigtwohill), S Quirke (Midleton); T Howard (Dromtarriffe), L O’Shea (Lisgoold), A Walsh (Kanturk); B Kehoe (Kilsheelan-Kilcash, Tipperary), P Creedon (Thurles Sarsfields, Tipperary), J Mulcahy (Carrigtwohill).

Subs: C Hickey (Lisgoold) for Twomey (half-time), K Murphy (Sarsfields) for Cranny (41), D Hanlon (Blarney) for Mulcahy (49), E Collins (Newcestown) for O’Flynn (53), C O’Leary (Ballincollig) for Kehoe (56).

GMIT: D Fahy; L Prendergast, S Neary, K Meehan; A Clarke, C Fahy, J Forde; P Foley, A O’Shaughnessy; K Cooney, AJ Willis, C Gardiner; P Commins, S McDonagh, D Mannion.

Subs: E Egan for Meehan (half-time), E Duggan for McDonagh (40-42, temporary), Duggan for O’Shaughnessy (46), E Hunt for Cummins (56).

Referee: F Horgan (Tipperary).