McGrath Cup Quarter Final – Waterford 1-11 CIT 0-9

Waterford defeated the Cork Institute of Technology by 1-11 to 0-9 in the Quarter-Final of the McGrath Cup on Sunday January 11th at Clashmore.

Shane Ahearne sets the tone as Waterford edge students

By David Prendergast for the Irish Examiner newspaper

Waterford 1-11 CIT 0-09: Waterford’s Shane Ahearne banged over a point from 60 yards three minutes into this McGrath Cup game to set the tone for the home side. Playing with a strong wind, Tom McGlinchey’s men dictated the play for the opening 25 minute, leading ten minutes from the break 0-6 to 0-1.

In-form form Ahearne struck a further three points to solidify Waterford’s grip. Tommy Prendergast and Paul Whyte supplied the back-up with a point apiece from the Kilrossanty clubmen.

The students finally began to find their feet ten minutes before the break. A hat-trick of points from Darragh Treacy, Jason Loneragn, and Donal Óg Hodnett in the 26th, 27th, and 29th minute served as a warning for Waterford. Michael O’Halloran and Barry O’Mahoney then traded points for a half-time score of 0-7 to 0-5 in favour of Waterford.

CIT shot out of the blocks on the resumption and immediately went to work on overhauling the deficit, with Hodnett shooting four points to put them in front for the first time. That proved to be the students’ last score as former inter-county hurler Liam Lawlor entered the fray in the half-back line and helped shackle CIT’s dangermen.

Waterford Manager Tom McGlinchey was quick to praise Lawlor’s calming influence on the game: “Especially when we were under the cosh, I suppose the first 15 minutes of the second half, his experience told there. When we needed to slow down a bit and keep cool heads on the ball.

Full-forward Gavin Nugent cut the deficit to one before Ray Kelly tied up the game at 0-9 apiece on 60 minutes. The killer score came on 62 minutes. A high ball unsettled CIT goalkeeper Sean Barron and substitute Lorcan Ó Curraoin was on hand to score the goal Waterford craved. Ahearne and Whyte then added late points.

Scorers for Waterford: S Ahearne 0-5 (1f); L O Curraoin 1-0; P Whyte 0-2 (1f); T Prendergast, M O’Halloran, G Nugent, R Kelly 0-1.

Scorers for CIT: D Óg Hodnett 0-5 (5fs); B O’Mahoney 0-2; D Treacy, J Lonergan 0-1.

WATERFORD: S Enright; D Crowley, N Walsh, T O’Gorman; T Ó hUallachain, M O’Gorman, R Kelly; S Ahearne, T Prendergast; M Curry, M O’Halloran, P Whyte; P Hurney, G Nugent, D Grey.
Subs: L O Curraoin for Curry (HT); L Lawlor for Grey (42); S Prendergast on for Crowley (63); D Hallahan for Kelly (70).

CIT: S Barron (Waterford); TJ Brosnan (Cork), S Cahill (Limerick), M Taylor (Cork); P O’Sullivan (Kerry), B O’Sullivan (Kerry), D Leahy (Tipperary); K O’Connor (Cork), D Treacy (Limerick); S O’Flynn (Tipperary), J O’Connor (Cork), J Lonergan (Tipperary); P Crowley (Cork), D Og Hodnett (Cork), B O’Mahoney (Cork).
Subs: R Whelton on for Leahy (61); A O’Connor (Cork) for K O’Connor (63); D Daly (Cork) for J O’Connor (70); J O’Donoghue (Cork) for Brosnan (70).

Referee: D Grogan (Tipperary).