UNIVERSITY of Limerick got their first win of the Ryan Cup with a high scoring 2-18 to 1-16 win over old rivals University College Cork.
This was UL’s first home game of the season as they were looking to respond after an opening round defeat to MTU Kerry last time out.
The two 2025 Sigerson Cup finalists played in very wet and windy conditions in Maguire’s Grass as Storm Austen closes in on the country.
The weather did not affect an overall very high standard of football which was also played under the proposed new rules.
Some of these trialled new rules include four points for a goal, a ban on fisted points, a limit on consecutive handpasses to three and a backcourt rule where a team cannot play the ball back across the halfway line into their own half.
The Cork College got off to a good start with an early goal (four pointer) after some sloppy defending from UL.
The Sigerson holders responded soon after with a goal of their own after Paddy Lane finished cooly into the net.
UCC were playing with the aid of a strong breeze in the first half and made it count as they led by three at the short whistle, 1-8 to 1-11.
SECOND HALF COMEBACK
It was the Conal Dawson show at the start of the second half, as he arrowed over three exceptional two pointers off his left foot to get UL well in contention.
The key score of the game came in the 50th minute, as Paddy Lane persisted and bagged his second goal of the game to put UL four points to the good.
The game finished with another fine two pointer, this time by midfielder Daniel Kirby after good work by Sligo man Tommy Ross to seal a satisfactory six-point victory.
Ross alongside Laois man Ben Dempsey were tigerish in defense, while Daniel Kirby and Niall O’Donnell worked well in the middle.
Kerry duo Daithí Hogan and goalscorer Paddy Lane were equally impressive in the forwards.
The star of the show however was Mayo County panelist Conal Dawson, whose three two-pointers dragged UL back level in the second half when they were trailing.
Next up for University of Limerick is MTU Cork who lost out to MTU Kerry on Tuesday, and no doubt David Power’s men will be looking to build on this win.