Limerick University score four goals in win over Carlow to reach last eight of Sigerson Cup

University of Limerick reached the last eight of the Sigerson Cup after a second half blitz against Causeway Carlow.

Four ahead at the interval, UL finally began to find the net, as they had threatened to do in a dominant opening half.

After letting a huge lead slip last Thursday, this collapse was not to be a repeat for the Limerick outfit, with impressive performances from Emmett McMahon, Eoghan McLaughlin and Brian McNamara.

Carlow ultimately had no answers and two column Hulton points they had to show for their first 30 minutes. UL had scores from captain Emmett McMahon, Paul Keeney and Mark Lennon as Aaron Griffin was denied good defensive work in search of a successful green flag. Two points in a minute from McMahon put them clear, the second set up by an incredible catch of a Carlo kick out from Brian McNamara of Clare.

They found it during the third quarter, as Eoghan McLaughlin’s driving run saw him feed forward to Clare, and he finished with confidence. Ul, now seven clean, can breathe. Further targets came quickly. Ciaran Downes caught two of these with SETU’s Carlo struggling to find any rhythm.

Despite getting the first score of the second half, Carlo didn’t have the quality to unlock the UL defense. Under the guidance of Declan Browder for a second season, they look determined to do one better than when they were knocked out in the final.

Tommy Griffin flagged off for the visitors but they were well-beaten at this stage. Another UL goal came in response. Mallow man, Sean McDonnell netted to ensure safe passage after losing to TU Dublin last weekend.

Billy O’Loughlin’s Carlow was out after two losses in three games.

scorer

University of Limerick: Sea Downs 2-1; E McMahon 0-5 (1f); A’s Griffins 1-0; P Keeney 0-2 (1f, 1’45); M Lenehan, J Hayes 0-1 each.

Setu Carlo: C Hulton 0-3; T Griffin 1-0; C Farrell 0-1 (45).

scorer

University of Limerick: C Flaherty; C Moriarty, M Dempsey, D Casey; D Cashman, D Walsh, E McLaughlin; B McNamara, P Keeney; C Downes, E McMahon, M Lenehan; P Walsh, J Coyne, A Griffin.

sub: S McDonnell in for P Walsh (HT); J Hayes (41) for McLaughlin, C Glennon (41) for Keeney, O’Looney (47) for Downes, J O’Brien (48) for Coyne.

Causeway Dublin: M Byron; P O’Shea, J Donohue, P Deering; C Maher, E Murtagh, C Doyle; E Hackett, D McDermott; J Moore, C Farrell, S Cassidy; P O’Driscoll, C Hulton, O Barrie.

sub: A horse for Cassidy (HT), M Lynam for Maher (HT), O Barry for O’Shea (inj – 35), Maher for Donohue (35), S Hallahan for O’Driscoll (53)

reference – Si Maguire (Claire)