Gaelic Games

Aaron Gillane stars as holders Mary I book semi-final spot

Bright Limerick prospect scores 2-10 against outgunned NUI Galway in comfortable win

Marys I’s Colm Galvin and NUIG’s Sam Conlon in action during the Fitzgibbon Cup quarter-final at Mary Immaculate Collage in Limerick. Photograph: Brian Arthur

Tue Feb 14 2017 - 17:40

Mary Immaculate College, Limerick 4-18 NUI Galway 1-16

Holders Mary Immaculate strolled into the last four of the Fitzgibbon Cup when they outgunned the semi-final hosts, NUIG, in Limerick yesterday,

The 11-point winning margin scarcely reflects the dominance of the Limerick side and when Gearóid Loughnane scored a goal for the visitors three minutes from the end it was but meagre consolation for the visitors.

The game's outstanding star was Aaron Gillane, the bright Limerick prospect, who gave new county manager John Kiely a further strong hint that he deserves a recall to the squad.

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In the previous round last week Gillane hit 3-9 against DIT while this time around he provided 2-10 of his side’s tally, including eight points in the first half, four of them from play. He added 2-2 in the second half before he departed the stage early with 15 minutes remaining.

Gillane was a member of the Limerick panel for the pre-season tournament but was then left out but his recent performances will surely win him a recall.

Mary I had their first goal courtesy of Tadhg Gallagher.

The Galway side kept in reasonable touch in the first half, thanks mainly to Gerry Hennelly, and were only six points behind at the interval, 2-11 to 0-11.

Mary I’s second goal after 23 minutes by Cork’s Liam Meade was a superb effort and once Gillane had his two second-half goals rattled in by the 46th minute the outcome was clear.

Gillane, Meade and Gallagher, Clare's Colm Galvin and Tipperary's Ronan Maher shone for Mary I with Hennelly being the pick of a disappointing NUIG outfit.

Mary Immaculate College: C Barrett; D Sweeney, R English, E Quirke; C Twomey, R Maher, A Flynn; C Galvin, S Cahill; D O'Donovan (0-2), M O'Neill (0-3), A Gillane (2-10, 0-4f, 0-2 65s); T Gallagher (1-0), C Lynch, L Meade (1-2). Subs: T Monaghan (0-1) for Gallagher (39), T Grimes for Gillane (45), C Stapleton for Twomey (49), T O'Mahony for Lynch (51), P O'Connell for O'Donovan (55).

NUIG: C Tuohy; C Ryan, G Fennelly, G Forde; S Moloney, C Cleary (0-1f), M Connelly; I Fox (0-1), O Donnellan (0-1); G Loughnane (1-0), K McHugo, C Whelan (0-3, 1f, 1 sl); G Hennelly (0-9, 6f, 1 65), S Conlon (0-1), A Helebert. Subs: N Mitchell for Helebert (39), J Commins for McHugo (44), C Cosgrove for Connelly (54), S Barrett for Loughnane (57).

Referee: Fergal Horgan (Tipperary)

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