Strong Westmeath presence on college hurling 15 of the week

The College Senior Hurling League Division 1 quarter finals took place this week.

We were present at some of these last eight encounters, and were in contact with spectators and players involved in the other ties. That is what we are basing the first in our series of College Hurling Team of the Week editions on. I.T Carlow defeated the Garda College on Tuesday to keep their hopes of a fourth successive Electric Ireland HE GAA Senior Hurling League Division 1 title alive. DJ Carey's side didn't have it all their own way, but eventually booked their places in the semi-finals of the competition after a 3-21 to 2-16 win over the Templemore based outfit. Laois senior net-minder Enda Rowland impressed in the goals for the home team, with his pinpoint distribution from puck-outs acting as the springboard for many of his side's attacks. Recent Christy Ring All-Star with Carlow, James Doyle, dominated the game from centre back. The St Mullins club man was named on the Christy Ring Champion 15 as full forward, but Carey prefers to use him as a defender/midfielder for his college. A left handed hurler, Doyle is tall, strong and athletic and he holds the centre well for his team. Doyle's club mate, the lively Martin Kavanagh pulled the strings at centre forward, involving others in the play and picking off a few scores himself. Behind Kavanagh, John Fitzpatrick from Dunnamaggin, Kilkenny, got on a world of ball around midfield, picking up crucial breaks and making some vital interceptions.

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DCU edged a titanic battle with Davy Fitzgerald's Limerick I.T after extra-time to book their place in the semi-finals of the competition. Dublin senior full back Eoghan O'Donnell was safe as a house at number 3, edging his tussle with Clare's Peter Duggan, who entered the game in scintillating form on the back of his club Clooney-Quin's run to the Clare senior final. The physical O'Donnell attacked each ball with speed and conviction, and this passion inspired his Glasnevin teammates. Duggan cut a frustrated figure on the inside line, and eventually ended his evening on the sideline after receiving two yellow cards. Beside O'Donnell, the stocky Westmeath senior Conor Shaw wasn't letting much past him at corner back, and this pair set a solid platform for DCU's attackers to prospers. Another Westmeath man, in Raharney's Killian Doyle was on song up front, and he finished his evening with five points from play from half forward. It was Waterford's Patrick Curran who landed the telling blows from full forward, raising two green flags and a couple of points in a solid evening's work. Meanwhile, for the Limerick college,Clare senior star David Reidy was at his typical buzzing best around the midfield. Excellent to get onto breaking ball and a great distributor, he also knocked over a few points from play.

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D.I.T shocked U.L in the Limerick side's back garden on Wednesday, winning out on a scoreline of 3-18 to 3-12. It was a Westmeath show for the away side, with Tommy 'Jogger' Doyle impressing at full back. Fresh from a trip to Scotland with the Ireland shinty team, the towering No.3 was a resolute block at the heart of D.I.T's defence. In front of Jogger, his Lake county, and Lough Lene Gaels teammate Derek McNicholas showed well at centre back, restricting the influence U.L's danger man Barry Nash. It really was a Westmeath show for the Grangegorman outfit, with Castletown Geoghegan star Niall O'Brien notching three fine points from play from half forward. O'Brien is in red-hot form at the moment, having scored 1-8 for his club in their loss to Kilcormac/Killoughey in the Leinster club, and making it onto the SportsJOE GAA Team of the Weekend. https://twitter.com/SportsJOEdotie/status/927811107959595008 It wasn't just Westmeath men doing the business for D.I.T. Wexford senior star Jack Guiney [pictured below] was a willing target man at full forward, and the possession he gained and favourable breaks he orchestrated were invaluable for the Dublin college. He also scored 1-7, and was reliable from placed balls. For U.L, former Clare minor star Colin Crehan had his eye in at wing forward, and caused trouble for the DIT rearguard.

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Cork I.T were convincing winners over N.U.I.G in Ballinasloe on Thursday evening. The travelling Cork side had 13 points to spare by the game's end, conceding only 0-8 and scoring 0-21. Their captain Waterford man Michael Kearney lead from the front at centre forward. While for N.U.I.G, were it not for free-taker Darragh Burke, they would have been further behind. https://twitter.com/corkitgaa/status/928702515264262145 Team of the week in full. The semi-finals of the competition will take place next Tuesday, with the fixtures as follows.

• Dublin Institute of Technology Vs IT Carlow, in Grangegorman at 14:30
• Cork Institute of Technology Vs DCU Dóchas Éireann, in Cork I.T at 19:00