Mary Immaculate College 3-20

Trinity College Dublin 3-12

Páraic McMahon reports from the University of Limerick

REIGNING FITZGIBBON CUP champions, Mary Immaculate College picked up their first win of the 2018 campaign overcoming a stubborn Trinity College.

Despite notching a tally of 3-20, it was a far from perfect Mary I display. Their frustration with the Trinity challenge was evident with regular complaints amongst teammates over the supply of ball and concession of soft goals prominent throughout.

Goals from the Corry cousins, Brian and Michael plus a green flag from Newtownshandrum’s Tim O’Mahony kept some distance between the sides.

Former Dublin Camogie boss, Shane O’Neill was in charge of Trinity and his spirited outfit were led by the impressive Fionn Ó Riain Broin who finished with 0-9.

Having lost all six of their defenders from last year, Mary I did look shaky at the back and Trinity’s goals could have been easily prevented. The leaking defence plus the twelve wides up front are the two big areas of concern for the holders.

Put to the pin of their collar for the opening thirty, with only five points between the sides, it was only when Cian Lynch began to find his groove that Mary I began to dominate.

It’s now a winner takes all game for Mary I when they host NUIG on 1 February. Manager Jamie Wall will be confident of having Limerick’s Aaron Gillane back to full fitness for this tie. Worryingly for him, Clare senior panellist, Gary Cooney was carried off the field in the first half.

Trinity on the other hand will finish off their campaign welcoming IT Carlow to the capital.

Scorers Mary I: Mícháel O’Loughlin 0-8 90-7f, 0-1’65), Brian Corry 1-1, Cian Lynch 0-4, Tim O’Mahony, Michael Corry 1-0 each, Eoghan Cahill (0-2f), Pat Ryan 0-2 each, Thómas Grimes, Luke Meade, James Mackey 0-1 each.

Scorers TCD: Fionn Ó Riain Broin 0-9 (0-8f), Conor O’Carroll 2-0, Donncha Butler 1-0, John Walsh, Sean O’Connor 0-1 each.

Mary I

1. Eoghan Cahill (Offaly)

2. Chris McCullagh (Tipperary)

3. David Prendergast (Waterford)

4. Darragh Peters (Tipperary)

5. Tim O’Mahony (Cork)

6. Shane Taylor (Clare)

7. Thomas Grimes (Limerick)

8. James Mackey (Tipperary)

9. Pat Ryan (Tipperary)

10. Micháel O’Loughlin (Clare)

11. Cian Lynch (Limerick)

12. Luke Meade (Cork)

13. Gary Cooney (Clare)

14. Colin Guilfoyle (Clare)

15. Brian Corry (Clare)

Subs:

Michael Corry (Clare) for Cooney (25) Inj

Niall Heffernan (Tipperary) for Mackey (48)

James Hardiman (Offaly) for Meade (52)

Trinity College

1. Eoin Skelly (Dublin)

2. Ciarán Henry (Dublin)

3. Darragh O’Donoghue (Galway)

4. Donncha Ryan (Dublin)

5. Eoghan McNamara (Limerick)

6. Luke Corcoran (Dublin)

7. Manus Malone (Clare)

8. Mark O’Keeffe (Dublin)

9. Jack O’Neill (Dublin)

10. Fionn Ó Riain Broin (Dublin)

11. Sean O’Connor (Cork)

12. Cian Ó Riain Broin (Dublin)

13. John Walsh (Dublin)

14. Conor O’Carroll (Kilkenny)

15. Cian O’Sullivan (Dublin)

Subs:

Conall Ó Ceallaigh (Dublin) for O’Neill (39)

Donncha Butler (Dublin) for Walsh (39)

Cormac Keating (Tipperary) for Henry (53)

Ross Gorey (Galway) for C Ó Riain Broin (54)

Cillian Heeney (Dublin) for O’Keeffe (57)

Kevin Wade (Dublin) for F Ó Riain Bron (60)

Referee: John Keane (Galway)

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