Alan Walsh netted a hat trick for the Cork outfit
TUS MIDWEST 1-17
MTU CORK 4-18
Despite a strong first half performance which saw them lead by five at half time, TUS Midwest saw their season end as they suffered a 4-18 to 1-17 defeat against MTU Cork in Moylish on Thursday evening.
A hat trick from Kanturk man Alan Walsh was the major difference in the end as the Cork side produced an impressive 3-10 in the second half to turn the game around and win convincingly.
Alan Connolly also had a productive evening, scoring 0-7 as well as setting up MTU’s second and fourth goal, the latter a terrific one-handed pass which found Jack Cahalane in space to seal the deal – the St Finbarr’s native finishing strong with 1-3 from play.
TUS will be disappointed to have only scored four points overall in the second half and none from play, albeit they did play into a strong breeze coming down the final stretch.
The Limerick college enjoyed a terrific start and held an eight point lead after the opening 17 minutes with Kyle Shelly on form early on with 1-5 of his tally being mostly from placed balls including a penalty after just two minutes when Eoghan Varian committed a foul just inside the box with Shelly duly converting.
Despite having a lot of opportunities to steady the ship, MTU were not taking their chances and were predominantly being kept alive by placed balls from Cork Senior hurler Alan Connolly.
What was soon turning into essentially a free competition between Kyle Shelly and Alan Connolly suddenly got interesting as Brian Lynch found himself through on goal before laying it off to Kanturk’s Alan Walsh who batted his effort first time into the bottom corner to reduce the gap to just four coming up to half time.
Shelly then added another point from play to further extend the hosts lead to five, with Niall O’Farrell, Sean Canning and Tipperary’s Paddy McCormack their only other scorers from play.
MTU would have been disappointed with their shooting accuracy having struck seven first half wides compared to their opponents only having two.
Alan Walsh finished with 1-1 before the break to leave TUS with a five point advantage at the break.
Alan Connolly was brought out the field to try and navigate a score and did so with immediate effect as his floating ball found Alan Walsh inside the 13 yard box and he towered over keeper Rory Brislane to fire into an empty net to make it a one point game after 36 minutes gone.
The sides were level for the first time in the 40th minute with Darragh O’Sullivan’s score but Kyle Shelly soon restored his side’s lead with a free shortly afterwards.
MTU soon found their mojo and took the lead with Alan Walsh completing his hat trick after a darting run from Diarmuid Healy saw him break numerous tackles in the process.
From there, it was only going to be one winner as Diarmuid Healy, Alan Connolly and Darragh O’Sullivan added further scores to make the scoring difference that little bit more secure for the Cork side as they now advance to a final four meeting with either UL or UCC.
Scorers:
TUS MIDWEST: Kyle Shelly 1-12 (10 f, 0-1 65, 1-0 penalty), Niall O’Farrell 0-2, Sean Canning, Paddy McCormack and James Mahon (0-1 f) 0-1 each
MTU CORK: Alan Walsh 3-1, Alan Connolly 0-7 (0-5 f), Jack Cahalane (1-3), Mikey Finn & Darragh O’Sullivan 0-2 each, Rhys McCarthy, Diarmuid Healy and Sam Fitzgerald 0-1 each
Teams: TUS MIDWEST: Rory Brislane (Toomevara/Tipperary); David Fitzgerald (Kildimo/Pallaskenry/Limerick), Evan Maxted (Clooney Quin/Clare), James Mahon (Kilcormac Killoughey/Offaly); Jack McCullagh (Bagnelstown Gaels/Carlow), Paddy Donnellan (Broadford/Clare), Stephen Walsh (Moycarkey Borris/Tipperary); Darragh Casey (Granagh Ballingarry/Limerick), Robert Doyle (Clonoulty Rossmore/Tipperary); Niall O’Farrell (Broadford/Clare), Paddy McCormack (Borrisoleigh/Tipperary), Cian O’Dwyer (Clonakenny/Tipperary); Kyle Shelly (Moycarkey Borris/Tipperary), Kian O’Kelly (Kilruane McDonaghs/Tipperary); Sean Canning (Padraig Pearses/Roscommon)
Subs: Eoghan Cuddy (Camross/Laois) for McCullagh (47), Darragh Guinan (Lorrha/Tipperary) for Casey (47), Barry Adams (Ballybrown/Limerick) for Canning (55)
MTU CORK: Cathal Wilson (Newcestown/Cork); Fionn O’Connell (St Catherine’s/Cork), Eoghan Varian (Glen Rovers/Cork), Darragh O’Sullivan (Ballinhassig/Cork); Sam Fitzgerald (Clashmore/Kinsalebeg, Waterford), Ciaran Joyce (Castlemartyr/Cork), Ronan Walsh (Kilmoyley, Kerry); Mikey Finn (Midleton/Cork), Michael Mullins (Whitechurch/Cork); Rhys McCarthy (Carrigaline, Cork), Brian Lynch (Ballinhassig/Cork), Diarmuid Healy (Lisgoold/Cork); Alan Walsh (Kanturk/Cork), Alan Connolly (Blackrock/Cork); Jack Cahalane (St Finbarr’s/Cork).
Subs: David O’Sullivan (Ballincollig/Cork) for McCarthy (58), Richard O’Sullivan (Newcestown/Cork) for Lynch (58), Mark Tobin (Mallow/Cork) for Fitzgerald (63)
Referee: Shane Hynes (Galway)