Five goal IT Tralee power past St Marys
RYAN CUP HURLING IT Tralee 5-16 St Marys Belfast 1-11 IT Tralee had a comprehensive win over St Mary's Belfast in the Ryan Cup at O'Moore Park Portlaoise yesterday, although it was slightly more difficult that the scoreline suggests.
IT Tralee jumped into an early 0-5 to 0-3 but two points from Mikey Kiely pushed them five clear and really they never looked in any trouble after this.
St Marys got their first two points to close the gap but then suffered a major body blow, when they lost their centre half back Conor Devlin, who pulled a hamstring and that, seemed to unsettle them.
Tralee finished the first half strongly, with Eoin Ryan scoring a fine point from a his own sixty five, to leave Tralee leading by double scores 0-8 to 0-4.
St Marys had no answers to a rampant Tralee side at this stage with Stephen Guilfoyle outstanding at fullback, while Eoin Ryan was clearing his lines at centre back to telling effect.
Tralee's midfield pairing of Nicky Quaid and Thomas Downs ruled the roost, while up front Mikey Kiely, Fergus Kennedy and James O'Riordan carried too much firepower for the St Marys defence.
Further points from Padraig O'Connor, Kennedy with his second and Nicky Quaid with his second point, along with a brace from Kiely; saw Tralee comfortably in front at the interval, leading 0-14 to 0-4.
While it was St Mary's who opened the scoring on resumption, Eoin Ryan with another massive long range free, and Fergus Kennedy from play, ensured that Tralee were not going to allow the Northerners any glimmer of hope.
Then Kennedy raced through for the first of his three goals after a Quaid assist and with only five minutes gone in the half that signalled the end of any comeback hopes that St Mary's may have harboured. Kennedy then blasted home his second goal so that by the three quarters stage Tralee led 215 to 0-8.
Tralee then used their bench with five substitutes coming in (including Jason Leahy of Causeway) but they still had time to score three more goals, Fergus Kennedy completed his hat-trick while Padraig O'Connor added two more goals.
Overall despite starting without Mark Deegan and Denis Crowley, this was a comprehensive win for IT Tralee.
