Regional Hurling Competitions - Walsh & Kehoe Cup, Waterford Crystal Cup etc

[youbetterbelieveit]

Hurling Roundup

Brian Moroney of WIT and Cork's Tadhg Og Murphy battle it out in the Waterford Crystal Cup quarter-final at Pairc Ui Rinn
11 January 2009


There were eight hurling games across two competitions as Waterford IT, Clare and University of Limerick claimed Waterford Crystal Cup wins, while DCU, Roscommon, Down, Wicklow and Fingal were victorious in the Kehoe Cup.

Reigning Fitzgibbon Cup champions Waterford IT made life difficult for Cork at Páirc Uí Rinn as a totally new look Rebels outfit succumbed to a five-point defeat.

Gerald McCarthy's side, minus all of last years panel finished on the wrong end of a 0-14 to 0-9 score-line in a game which saw the students take control from the off.



A more clinical WIT led by 0-6 to 0-4 at the interval, however Cork showed moments of brilliance, in particular at the back through their inspirational goalkeeper Alan Kennedy.

But Kennedy's positive showing, and those of captain Barry Johnson, who top-scored with seven points weren't enough as WIT fired on all cylinders.

As he had done the previous week Timmy Hammersley was again to the fore for WIT, with three excellent scores from play, while James Gahan also made some excellent contributions to secure a five-point win.

Across the province a second half yellow card for Joe Canning proved costly as Clare claimed a 0-13 to 0-12 win over Limerick IT.

Amazingly the students held a 0-8 to 0-4 lead at the interval and even looked to be coasting to victory at this stage, but the Banner firmly put LIT on the back foot on the restart.

Some familiar names came to the fore with Tony Carmody, Mark Flaherty and Tony Griffin powering the Banner comeback.

It was a 67th minute point from Carmody which proved to be the match winner in a game which was highly entertaining throughout.

Limerick IT may have failed to advance to the semi-finals, but their cross-city student breathern in University of Limerick ensured some Limerick interest in the next round, thanks to a 0-14 to 1-8 win over Cork IT.

Offaly's Brian Carroll was in superb form with nine points, but it was Cork IT who held a 0-6 to 0-5 interval lead in this Newtownshandrum encounter.

Despite a red card for substitute James Heffernan, following a second yellow card Carroll continued to steady the ship for UL, and although leaking a Ryan Clifford penalty goal, UL held out for victory.

In the Kehoe Cup, torrid weather conditions made it hard for both DCU and Mayo to get to grips with their game at DCU Sportsgrounds, but a convincing final quarter display earned the students a 1-13 to 0-9 win over their Western counterparts.

DCU may have been minus talented Offaly hurler Diarmuid Horan but they dug deep to grind out victory against a Mayo side who were missing star performers Keith Higgins and Adrian Freeman.

Deadlocked at 0-6 apiece at the end of a keenly contested first half it was Alex Steinson (0-5) who was scorer in chief for the visitors, who held a 0-09 to 0-06 lead 18 minutes after the restart.

However good displays by Offaly's Colm Coughlan and Waterford native Tadhg O hUallachain paved the way for a DCU win.

Elsewhere there was good results for sides from outside the province with Roscommon accounting for neighbours Longford by 3-8 to 1-10 at Pearse Park, while Down were 2-16 to 1-12 winners over Meath at Páirc Tailteann.

Meanwhile Wicklow ground out a 1-19 to 2-5 win over Trinity College Dublin at Bray Emmetts, and Fingal were 3-9 to 1-8 winners over neighbours Louth at Fingallians