UCC push past MTU Cork in fiery Freshers Hurling clash with two early red cards

UCC 2-23 MTU Cork 1-10 

A much-improved second-half showing from UCC did the trick as they defeated MTU Cork in the Electric Ireland Freshers 1 Hurling Championship Group C clash at MTU Cork on Thursday evening.

This win secures UCC’s passage into the knockout stages having comfortably defeated SETU Waterford in their first game last week. MTU will have to regroup as they head for the WIT sports campus next Wednesday for their second game against SETU Waterford, where a win for the Bishopstown college would send them through to the quarter-final.

UCC registered the first score as Brian Keating pointed from a free after 57 seconds, but a minute later, Keating and MTU’S Mark Linehan both received straight red cards for an off-the-ball incident. UCC were much better early on and by the 18th minute, led 1-6 to 0-1: Oran O’Regan with the green flag.

MTU slowly came into the game and slotted over five unanswered points, Adam Walsh playing an integral part. UCC got their first score in eight minutes courtesy of a Colin Walsh point before Walsh raised a green flag for the beaten team from a 20-metre free. O’Regan slotted over the last score of the half for UCC, as they held a slender 1-8 to 1-6 lead at the break.

On the resumption, Alex Sheridan reduced the lead down to a point, but the winners took control after that, and by the 55th minute led 1-17 to 1-9. Eoin O’Leary scored a super goal for UCC after 56 minutes, before the winners hit six of the final seven points to ease into the knock-out stages.

Scorers for UCC: W Buckley 0-6 (0-1 f), E O’Leary 1-2, O O’Regan 1-1, C Walsh, P McGarry, J Booth 0-3 each, D Stakelum 0-2 (0-1 f), B Keating (f), J Fogarty, J Enright (f) 0-1 each.

MTU Cork: A Walsh 1-3 (1-2 f), D Roche 0-2, A Sheridan, E O’Donovan 0-2 each, P Linehan 0-1 f.

UCC: D Joyce (Castlemartyr); C Doolan (St Finbarr’s), J O’Meara (Thurles Sarsfields), S Moore (Carrickshock, Kilkenny); R McEvoy (Lisdowney, Kilkenny), S Kingston (Ballinora), J Booth (Colligan, Waterford); D Stakelum (Thurles Sarsfields), M Howell (Douglas); O O’Regan (Erin’s Own), B Keating (Ballincollig), P McGarry (St Mary’s, Tipperary); W Buckley (St Finbarr’s), E O’Leary (Glen Rovers), C Walsh (Kanturk).

Subs: J Fogarty (Thurles Sarsfields, Tipperary) for R McEvoy (43), J Enright (Inniscarra) for P McGarry (59).

MTU CORK: G Bucinskas (Kanturk); A Dinan (Donoughmore), D Spillane (Castlelyons), R O’Sullivan (Bandon); F Madden (Whitegate, Clare), K Wallace (St Catherine’s), C Roche (Courcey Rovers); D English (Moyle Rovers, Tipp), P Linehan (Blackrock); E O’Donovan (Belgooly), A Sheridan (O’Loughlin Gaels), D Roche (Ballyhooly); M Tobin (Mallow), A Walsh (Bride Rovers), M Linehan (Inniscarra).

Sub: C McCarthy (Sarsfields) for K Wallace (32, inj).

Referee: Ciarán O’Regan (Ballyhea).