Limerick IT cruise past IT Carlow to seal Fitzgibbon Cup semi-final place

Limerick IT 1-15 IT Carlow 0-14

A quarter-final that finally got the green light saw Davy Fitzgerald’s Limerick IT ease through to the last four at the expense of IT Carlow in a fiery quarter-final at Limerick IT on Tuesday.

The hosts will face neighbours University of Limerick in the semi-finals on Friday – but Fitzgerald has called on the GAA’s third-level chiefs to grant his team some breathing space. Fitzgerald said: “You see what that knocked out of our bodies – we weren’t able to walk after it. To expect us to go out again is going to be a big ask. I’d encourage them (Comhairle Ardoideachais) to see common sense.

“We’re always going on about player welfare and hopefully they can look at it. And I don’t think we’d have a chance if we played again on Friday, with the effort that we’ve put in today. UL will have had no game for a week and a half – it’s a very big ask.”

Fitzgerald insisted weekend hosts LIT could juggle their arrangements to accommodate a final in the middle of next week. He said: “For me it should be about the players – LIT will host it any time they want.”

David Reidy scored 1-8 for LIT in a tie that saw both sides reduced to 14 players.

LIT had midfielder Alan Dempsey red carded before Charles Dwyer, also sent off for Laois against Waterford last Saturday, followed before half-time.

LIT led by 1-9 to 0-5 at half-time and went on to book their place in another finals weekend as IT Carlow’s Ian Byrne saw his late penalty saved.

LIMERICK IT: A Murphy; M Kiely, N O'Connor, K Bennett; W Ryan, B O'Connell (0-1), S O'Halloran, J Campion (0-1), A Dempsey (0-1); M Fitzgerald, S O'Brien (0-1), P Flaherty (0-3), D Reidy (1-8, 0-5 frees, 0-1 65, 0-1 pen), P Killeen, D Dempsey. Subs: P Fitzgerald for M Fitzgerald (37 mins), M Gennery for D Dempsey (52 mins), S Mcgrath for Campion (54 mins).

IT CARLOW: C Clancy; C Doyle, M Ryan, J Gannon; W Young, C Doughan (0-3, 2f, 1 65), D Palmer; A Fogarty, I Byrne; M Kavanagh (0-1), M Harney, C Dwyer; J Fagan (0-1), K Kelly (0-8, frees), C Bolger (0-1). Subs: B Staunton for Palmer (h-t), J Doyle for Harney (42 mins), K Hannifin for C Doyle (42 mins), C Dunford for Kavanagh (48 mins), G Keegan for Kelly (54 mins). Referee: A Kelly (Galway)