First-half burst carries MTU Cork past ATU Donegal
A powerful first-half performance provided the catalyst at the National Games Development Centre in Abbotstown last night as MTU Cork kick-started their Sigerson Cup campaign with an accomplished victory over ATU Donegal.
In addition to Edward Myers and Alan Dunwoody amassing a combined haul of 0-7, Gabriel Rangers ace Keith O’Driscoll helped himself to a 1-1 salvo as the Leeside college laid down a marker for this year’s competition.
After an initially tentative start to the contest, MTU Cork eventually broke the deadlock when centre-forward Myers knocked over a 30-metre free on the stroke of 10 minutes. Playing with the aid of a strong breeze, MTU largely dominated the proceedings in the opening period and established a three-point advantage just past the first-quarter mark courtesy of unanswered points by Connor O’Neill and the industrious Dunwoody.
O’Driscoll also raised a white flag as the action progressed and the lively MTU corner-forward went on to secure the only goal of the game by palming a sweeping move to an empty net in the 21st minute.
While the Donegal side did have a number of scoring chances – both from open play and frees – they were struggling to find their target shooting into the elements.
Although their Cork counterparts also had some wayward efforts, central attackers Myers and Dunwoody added to their personal tallies to ensure MTU brought a commanding 1-6 to 0-0 cushion into the interval.
Despite facing a sizable deficit, the fact that ATU had the wind to their advantage on the resumption offered them hope of forging a dramatic fightback.
After substitute Luke McGlynn finally opened their account with a successful ‘45’ on 34 minutes, wing-forwards Reid Kelly and Daniel Marley contributed quickfire scores to give Maxi Curran’s outfit momentum for the very first time in the action.
MTU Cork didn’t panic, however, and they convincingly reinforced their authority when a Myers free was followed by an excellent point from close-range by their own impact player – Conor O’Hanlon.
Inside the final-quarter in Abbotstown, midfielders Neil Francis Boyle and Oisin Caulfield kicked impressive points either side of a similar score from Fionnan Coyle as ATU – whose Sigerson journey for 2025 isn’t at an end just yet – continued to battle in admirable fashion.
Yet MTU Cork maintained a firm stranglehold on the play and with the dependable duo of Myers and Dunwoody continuing to lead the way, they eased towards a seven-point triumph in the end.
K O’Driscoll 1-1, E Myers 0-4 (2f), A Dunwoody 0-3, C O’Neill, C Hanlon 0-1.
L McGlynn 0-1 (‘45’), R Kelly, D Marley, NF Boyle, O Caulfield, F Coyle 0-1 each.
S Kingston; C O’Donoghue, B Thompson, K Murphy; J O’Driscoll, C Deely, S Copps; S Browne, H Murphy; D O’Brien, E Myers, B Comerford; K O’Driscoll, A Dunwoody, C O’Neill.
C Hanlon for O’Brien (42), P Healy for Copps (47), A Myler for Deely, S Andrews for O’Donoghue (both 55), D Roche for Comerford (57).
D McGowan; C Bennett, J Kelly, C Brady; S Breen, C Gallagher, A Reel; NF Boyle, O Caulfield; D Marley, K McGettigan, R Kelly; D Gallagher, J Gallagher, K Feely.
F Coyle for McGettigan, O O’Connor for Brady, L McGlynn for Feely (all h-t), K Cooper for Marley (51), J Maguire for Kelly (58).
I Howley (Dublin).