SETU Carlow into last four of Ryan Cup
SETU centre back Kevin McDonald clear his lines Photo: Pat Ahern
SETU Carlow advanced to the semi-final of the Higher Education Colleges Ryan Cup after a stop-start victory over MTU Kerry Campus on Tuesday at the South Carlow Campus.
The visitors had taken a seven goal pasting from Queen’s University in a group game so coming to Carlow they were playing not just for a place in the last four of the competition but also looking to regain lost honour. They may have failed in one of their objectives but they left the field heads held high as they battled every inch of the way in monsoon like conditions.
The home side played against the strong wind and drizzly rain in the opening half. Michael Dundon took a leadership role scoring three points from frees Mount Leinster Rangers representative, Kyle Nolan, also landed two points from play. Josh O’Brien, Kevin McDonald and Alex Bell raised white flags.
The Kerry side probably didn’t use the wind to their advantage often opting to go short instead of delivering in high and see what damage that would cause in tricky conditions.
Both goalkeepers brought off smart saves in that opening period but, in truth, neither side created too many goal chances. Michael Clear scored all the MTU points in the first half as Carlow led 0-10 to 0-4 at the break.
Any notion that the Kerry side would die away in the second half against the elements never materialised. Clear continued to pick off frees but they were reduced to fourteen when Oisin Guinan picked up a second yellow in the third quarter.
Yet they dug in and didn’t allow Carlow to pull away. Tommy Cogley landed a nice point for the visitors but after this they were reduced to thirteen when Jack Hehir also picked up two yellows.
The space Carlow were looking for never became apparent as MTU upped the ante. They scored the only goal of the game with the Carlow defence going asleep when faced with a 20 metre free out on their right. Points from Dundon and Bell did erase any thoughts of a late, late comeback by the away side but Carlow will need to improve if they are to keep their Ryan Cup hopes alive for 2026.
There was a Carlow connection in the Kerry side with Aaron Gordon playing at full-back. The Burren Rangers defender did well on the night against more experienced opponents.
M Dundon 0-8 (6fs), A Bell, J O’Brien 0-3 each, K Nolan 0-2, K McDonald, C Corcoran 0-1 each.
M Clear 1-6 (all frees), T Cogley, R Murphy 0-1 each.
Daniel Power; Stephen Power-Kellet, Cathal Keegan, Lee Doyle; Paddy Ryan, Kevin McDonald, Zak Egan; Callum Corcoran, Tim Brennan; Aaron Byrne, Daithí Dennehy, Michael Dundon; Josh O’Brien, Kyle Nolan, Alex Bell.
Subs: Ben Asple for Corcoran (43), Mark Gunner for Byrne (45), Jack McCullagh for Nolan (47), Paddy Redmond for Ryan (48).
Barry Ryan; Conor Heenan, Aaron Gordon, Diarmuid Hogan; Liam Burke, Tommy Cogley, Jack Condon; Sean Brosnan, Eoin Lally; Michael Clear, Oisin Guinan, Eoin Geary; Ethan Earle, Gavin Quigley, Cian Bailey.
Subs: Garth Long for Guinan (43), Rory Murphy for Burke (45), Jack Hehir.
Gearoid McGrath (Wexford).
