.Conor Keane about to score IT Tralee’s early goal. See coverage in tweet below.
THE IT Tralee footballers made the long trip to Belfast but came away empty-handed this afternoon, when they were knocked out of the Sigerson Cup.
The opposition was St Mary’s University College who beat Tralee by 1-15 to 1-10. An early goal for the visitors was soon cancelled out by a three-pointer by Niall Toner for St Mary’s who scored a further four points on the trot to lead 1-5 to 1-2 on 20 minutes.
IT Tralee replied though three frees from Jack Savage (who would eventually get nine points) and one from play from Dara Moynihan to lead at half time 1-6 to 1-5.
The sides traded scores throughout the second half but with the scores at 1-9 to 1-8 to St Mary’s, Tralee were reduced to 14 men when Dara Moynihan was shown a second yellow card.
St Mary’s outscored IT Tralee by six points to two in the remainder of the game to advance to face Maynooth in the quarter-finals. See brief highlights below…
IT Tralee students Dara Moynihan, Gavin Crowley and Jack Savage display the new hooded tops sponsored by Alan O’ Sullivan of Bathrooms 4U.
IT Tralee will make the long trip to Belfast this week in order to take on 2017 winners St. Marys University Belfast in round 3 of the 2019 Sigerson Cup. The game will take place on Wednesday at 2pm at the St. Teresa’s GAC, Belfast.
The IT Tralee lads started their campaign with a 1-13 to 1-08 defeat in round 1 to Sigerson Cup favourites Ulster University.
However, although defeated in the end, their performance gave them real hope as they really put it up to the Ulster team and lead for long periods of this game.
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In round 2 played last Wednesday, IT Tralee defeated IT Sligo on a scoreline of 6-20 to 1-09. IT Tralee played some great football on the day and were full value for their victory.
IT Tralee will once again come in to this game as underdogs as the St. Marys University can also call on a host of senior inter-county panellists with Jarlath Óg Burns of Armagh, Liam Devlin and Stephen McConville of Down, Derry forward Niall Toner aswell as Liam Rafferty who played for Tyrone on Sunday being the stand out players.
IT Tralee will once again be without star forward David Clifford who is ruled out through injury, while Austin Stacks Jack Morgan and Dr. Crokes Michael Potts are both serious doubts with injures of their own.
IT Tralee will be looking to Gavin Crowley (Templenoe) and Shane Cronin (Spa) to backbone a defence that has looked tight enough to date in the competition.
Liam Kearney (Spa) and Greg Horan (Austin Stacks) will once again form a formidable midfield partnership while new Kerry senior Dara Moynihan (Spa) along with Jack Savage (Kerins O Rahillys), Conor Keane (Killarney Legion) and Mark O’ Shea (Dr. Crokes) will be all hoping to do the business up front for the IT Tralee team.
If IT Tralee can bring the form they have shown to date in the competition then anything is possible in the outcome of this game. The winner of this game will move on to the Sigerson Cup quarter-finals on February 6th where they will play Maynooth University.
IT Tralee Panel to travel to Belfast (all Kerry unless stated):
Aaron McCarthy (Listry), Brian Fitzgerald (Dr. Crokes), Cillian Ferris (Ballysteen, Limerick), Conchuir Lynch (Ballingeary, Cork), Conor Byrne (Avondale, Wicklow), Conor Hurley (John Mitchels), Conor Keane (Killarney Legion), Conor Smith (Knockbride, Cavan), Daniel O’ Keeffe (Dromtarriffe, Cork), Dara Moynihan (Spa), Darragh Kennedy (Monaleen, Limerick), Darren O Doherty (Newcastlewest, Limerick), David Clifford (Fossa), DJ Murphy (Gneeveguilla), Gavin Crowley (Templenoe) – Captain, Gavin McFadden (Milford, Donegal), Greg Horan (Austin Stacks), Iarla Cortney (Ardfert), Jack Morgan (Austin Stacks), Jack Savage (Kerins O’ Rahillys), Jake Foster (Portarlington, Laois), James Duggan (John Mitchels), Killian Murray (Tadhg Mac Cathraigh, Cork), Liam Kearney (Spa), Mark O’ Shea (Dr. Crokes), Mark Quigley (St. Marys, Caherciveen), Michael Potts (Dr. Crokes), Paddy Gillespie (Aodh Ruadh, Donegal), Sean Kelliher (Beaufort), Shane Cronin (Spa) and Thomas Kearns (Ashford, Wicklow).
Management: Liam Brosnan, Eoin O Shea, Clive O Callaghan and Shane O’ Rourke.
• IT Tralee GAA Club would like to thank Alan O Sullivan from Bathrooms 4u for sponsoring Hooded tops, t-shirts and pants for the team. IT Tralee are delighted to be in partnership with this business and are very appreciative of the generosity shown by Bathrooms 4U.
.Eoin Kelliher Financia Services sponsored gear bags for the IT Tralee football team.
By Eamon Fitzgerald
IT Tralee will kick off their 2019 Sigerson Cup campaign with a home game against Ulster University this Sunday (January 20th). The game will take place at the John Mitchels GAA Pitch, Tralee and will have a throw in time of 1pm.
IT Tralee come in to this game as underdogs as the Ulster University can call on a host of senior inter-county panellists.
In fact, seven of the Tyrone senior panel – goalkeeper Benny Gallen, defenders Michael McKernan and Frank Burns, midfield pair Ben McDonnell and Brian Kennedy and forwards Lee Brennan and David Mulgrew will all miss Tyrones McKenna Cup final on Sunday as a result of their Sigerson commitments.
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They also have Donegal pair Ryan McHugh and Eoin Bán Gallagher aswell as Mayo man Patrick Durcan in their ranks just to name a few. It is no wonder that UU are being tipped by many to win the Sigerson Cup this year when you see all these names.
IT Tralee are once again managed by Liam Brosnan. Preparation for this game has been good despite the fact that the students were all doing exams before and after Christmas.
Liam Brosnan, Coach of IT Tralee accepts one of the gear bags sponsored by Eoin Kelliher (Financial Services). Also included is Kerry senior players David Clifford and Gavin Crowley.
They have played 10 games up to now and this is bound to help on Sunday. IT Tralee will be looking to a number of present and past Kerry senior panellists to lead their charge namely David Clifford (Fossa), Gavin Crowley (Templenoe), Jack Savage (Kerins O Rahillys), Dara Moynihan (Spa), Greg Horan (Austin Stacks), Michael Potts (Dr. Crokes) and Conor Keane (Killarney Legion).
The winner of this game will go straight to the quarter-finals on February 6th while the losers will get a second chance against the losers of the IT Sligo v Garda Training College. The losers round is currently scheduled for Wednesday 23rd or Thursday 24th of January.
The IT Tralee Panel: (All Kerry unless stated)
Aaron McCarthy (Listry), Brian Fitzgerald (Dr. Crokes), Cillian Ferris (Ballysteen, Limerick), Conchuir Lynch (Ballingeary, Cork), Conor Byrne (Avondale, Wicklow), Conor Hurley (John Mitchels), Conor Keane (Killarney Legion), Conor Smith (Knockbride, Cavan), Daniel O’ Keeffe (Dromtarriffe, Cork), Dara Moynihan (Spa), Darragh Kennedy (Monaleen, Limerick), Darren O Doherty (Newcastlewest, Limerick), David Clifford (Fossa), DJ Murphy (Gneeveguilla), Gavin Crowley (Templenoe) – Captain, Gavin McFadden (Milford, Donegal), Greg Horan (Austin Stacks), Iarla Cortney (Ardfert), Jack Morgan (Austin Stacks), Jack Savage (Kerins O’ Rahillys), Jake Foster (Portarlington, Laois), James Duggan (John Mitchels), Killian Murray (Tadhg Mac Cathraigh, Cork), Liam Kearney (Spa), Mark O’ Shea (Dr. Crokes), Mark Quigley (St. Marys, Caherciveen), Michael Potts (Dr. Crokes), Paddy Gillespie (Aodh Ruadh, Donegal), Paul Clarke (Dr. Crokes), Sean Kelliher (Beaufort), Shane Cronin (Spa) and Thomas Kearns (Ashford, Wicklow).
Management: Liam Brosnan, Eoin O Shea, Clive O’Callaghan and Shane O’Rourke.
• IT Tralee GAA Club would like to thank Eoin Kelliher Financial Services for sponsoring gear bags and Alan O Sullivan from Bathrooms 4u for sponsoring Hooded tops, t-shirts and pants for the team. IT Tralee are delighted to be in partnership with both these businesses.
Jack Savage, eyes up the goal for IT Tralee against Kerry in the McGrath Cup last month. Photo by Dermot Crean.
JACK SAVAGE continued an impressive start to 2015 when he scored all of IT Tralee’s points in a 0-7 0-10 defeat to Carlow IT in the Sigerson Cup yesterday.
The Kerins O’Rahilly’s man fired over three points from play and four frees in a match IT Tralee will be bitterly disappointed to lose at home, to a side traditionally seen as minnows.
The sides went in at four points apiece at half time, the winning of the game was in a dominant final quarter, where Carlow IT scored four points on the bounce to book themselves a place in the quarter-finals of the premier collegiate competition.
Jack Savage has been in dazzling form since the beginning of the year starring for the Kerry U21s in the pre-season Hastings Cup tournament.
The former Kerry minor is now putting himself in a great position to perhaps get a run out with the Kerry senior side before the end of this year’s league campaign. No doubt he will be on Eamonn Fitzmaurice’s radar.
Elsewhere in the Sigerson Cup, Na Gaeil’s Kerry Under 21 player, Jack Barry, was in action in midfield for UCD yesterday in their victory over Athlone IT.
