Gaelic Games

Flanagan’s goals help DIT to victory over IT Tralee

Cavan player’s two-goal salvo in second quarter secures Sigerson Cup last four spot

DIT manager Billy O’Loughlin’s side proved too strong for an outclassed IT Tralee. Photograph: Oisín Keniry/Inpho

Tue Feb 6 2018 - 21:56

IT Tralee 1-7 DIT 2-17

A two-goal salvo just before half time by wing back Enda Flanagan from Cavan ended this one-sided Sigerson Cup quarter-final clash at a damp Austin Stack Park Tralee.

DIT advanced to the semi-finals next week as IT Tralee were rudderless without their star man, David Clifford.

It was a savage blow for Tralee as Clifford who was having treatment on his hamstring out in Currow at Kerry training while his team-mates rued his absence.

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They missed two goal chances in the opening 20 minutes and three scorable frees so maybe the complexion of the game could have been different but DIT would still have proved too strong.

DIT made the better start to this game and led 0-5 to 0-2 with Flanagan, Cormac Howley and Seán Hurley kicking points as Tralee struggled to find their range. Without a free-taker and Clifford they just could not penetrate DIT who had 12 men behind the ball at times.

When Paul Clarke closed the gap to two after 22 minutes, Tralee were threatening but in the 26th minute Flanagan scored a cracking goal and from the kick out, he finished a second to the Tralee net. A Glen O'Reilly point saw DIT take a firm grip on proceedings to retire 2-7 to 0-3 at the interval.

IT Tralee withdrew Kerry player Gavin Crowley at half-time as he was carrying an injury and DIT just took over and ran riot in the second half with Shane Dempsey kicking five points and Andrew McGowan scoring a third goal.

The Tralee attack were toothless without Clifford although Daniel O’Keeffe got a late consolation goal for a disappointing home side.

Dublin's Brian Howard did not line out for DIT.

DIT: L Stacey; R Shanahan, B Power, A McGowan (1-1); D McAllister, R O'Brien, B Maher; T Corcoran (0-1), S Hurley (0-3, two frees); E Flanagan ( 2-1) Conor Loftus (0-1), C Howley (0-1); G O'Reilly (0-2), S Dempsey (0-5), C O'Reilly (0-2). Subs: C Pearson (Dublin) for D McAllister (h/t), K O'Gara for G O'Reilly (42), L Hughes for T Corcoran (50), C Madden for C O'Reilly (54), G O'Reilly for B Maher (60)

IT Tralee: C Hurley); E Marah, C Kearney, B Fitzgerald; J Morgan, G Crowley, D Spillane (0-1); S Cronin, G Bastible; A McCarthy, C Lowney, C O'Driscoll (0-4, three frees); S Cournane, P Clarke, D Kennedy. Subs: D O'Keeffe for G Crowley (h/t), Dl O'Keeffe (1-1) for Crowley (h/t), C Lynch for Kennedy (36), D Maher for Marah (43), C Smith for McCarthy (49), M Quigley for Cronin (49)

Referee: James Molloy (Galway)

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