Quaid keeps Cork IT on roll
Cork IT 4-11
NUI Galway 1-10
CORK IT progressed to the semi-final after they built on a good start to see off NUI Galway at the CIT Sports Stadium yesterday.
Leading by 3-1 to 0-2 after 18 minutes, CIT had allowed their visitors back into contention by half-time but in the second half they ensured that they did enough to take the honours.
Niall Burke had put NUIG ahead with a second-minute free but CIT were awarded a penalty straight after and while Tommy Quaid opted to point that, he scored two goals in the next three minutes, profiting from creative play by midfielder Jamie Coughlan before poking home the loose ball after a Coughlan '65' wasn't dealt with.
John Cronin then added a third goal -- Coughlan again the creator -- but by half-time NUIG had reduced the gap to four points, 3-2 to 0-7, thanks largely to Burke points.
A strong start to the second half by CIT, with Cork star Paudie O'Sullivan impressing, settled them again, and while Caimin Morey's 39th-minute goal for NUIG reduced the gap to three points, they would not get closer to CIT than that.
Quaid continued to convert CIT frees and with three minutes left David Drake rubberstamped the victory with a fine goal to set up a last-four clash with Limerick IT on Friday week.
Scorers -- Cork IT: T Quaid 2-6 (0-5f, 0-1 pen), D Drake 1-2, J Cronin 1-0, S White, J Coughlan (1 '65'), P O'Sullivan 0-1 each. NUI Galway: N Burke 0-8 (7f), C Morey 1-0, R Shanahan, D Burke 0-1 each.
CORK IT -- K Roche; B Withers, S McDonnell, S Daniels; S White, L McLoughlin, P O'Connor; J Coughlan, M O'Sullivan; J Cronin, D Drake, C Casey; C Fennelly, P O'Sullivan, T Quaid. Subs: P Gould for Casey (h-t), N Kelly for O'Sullivan (47), J Sheedy for Quaid (51).
NUI GALWAY -- D Tuohy; S McCormack, E Fahy, C Diviney; P Gordon, D Kenny, P Kelly; M Kelly, JP O'Connell; C Morey, N Burke, D Burke; D Higgins, K Downes, R Shanahan. Subs: S Quinlan for Kelly (20), E Hayes for Shanahan (36).
Ref -- A Stapleton (Laois).
Irish Independent
