UCC 2-17
Mary Immaculate 2-12
UCC RETAINED THE Fitzgibbon Cup on Saturday, delivering a polished display to outfox first time finalists Mary Immaculate at Pearse Stadium, Galway.
Eddie Enright’s charges dealt with Mary Immaculate’s grit and determination and UCC eventually emerged convincing and deserving victors.
UCC had shaded a tight opening period going in at the break protecting a 0-9 to 0-7 interval advantage with Conor Lehane prominent for the holders.
Lehane struck six sweet points for UCC, who were being given a severe examination by a tidy Mary Immaculate outfit.
St Thomas’ attacker Conor Cooney clipped over three delightful points from distance during a first that was interesting throughout.
Still Lehane was efficient too at the opposite end and UCC, with Paul Haughney delivering in splendid fashion at centrefield, were two ahead at the interval.
John Conlon trimmed that the deficit with a free, but then UCC hit three scores from Lehane, Brian O’Sullivan, and William Egan to edge four in front.
Mary Immaculate responded with a Luke O’Farrell point, but then they were rocked in the 40th minute when UCC pounced for a goal.
Brian Hartnett crafted space for Lehane and Mary I custodian Shane Nolan was unable to save the Cork attacker’s powerful drive.
Then it was the underdogs’ turn to enjoy a small pocket of supremacy as Mary Immaculate hit 1-2 without reply.
Two Sean Curran points were followed by a Conlon goal from a 20 metre free and Mary Immaculate were back in the reckoning.
But scores from Seamus Harnedy and a Lehane free nudged UCC into a 1-14 to 1-11 lead with 10 minutes remaining.
Substitute Adrian Breen banged another point and then Harnedy punished a Mary defensive lapse to land the decisive blow.
Conor Cooney pinched a last gasp consolation goal from a free for Mary Immaculate, but UCC had inflicted sufficient damage.
Scorers:
UCC: Conor Lehane (1-9, 7fs), Seamus Harnedy (1-1), William Egan (0-2), Brian O’Sullivan (0-2), Paul Haughney (0-1), Adrian Breen (0-1), Dan McCormack (0-1).
Mary Immaculate: John Conlon (1-4, 1-3fs), Conor Cooney (1-3, 1-0f), Sean Curran (0-3), Luke O’Farrell (0-2).
UCC: Darren McCarthy (Ballymartle, Cork); Stephen Maher (Thurles Sarsfields, Tipperary), David Glynn (Dicksboro, Kilkenny), Killian Murphy (Erins Own, Cork); James Barry (Upperchurch-Drombane, Tipperary), Dara Fives (Tourin, Waterford), William Egan (Kilbrin, Cork); Brian Murray (Bishopstown, Cork), Paul Haughney (Midleton, Cork); Seamus Harnedy (St Ita’s, Cork), Dan McCormack (Borrisoleigh, Tipperary), Brian Lawton (Castlemartyr, Cork); Brian Hartnett (Midleton, Cork), Brian O’Sullivan (Ballygunner, Waterford), Conor Lehane (Midleton, Cork).
Subs: Barry Lawton (Castlemartyr, Cork) for Murray (46 mins), Adrian Breen (Na Piarsaigh, Limerick) for McCormack (50 mins), William Griffin (Adare, Limerick) for O’Sullivan (58 mins).
MARY IMMACULATE: Shane Nolan (Toomevara, Tipperary); Cilian Fennessy (Clonlara, Clare), Robert O’Donnell (Pallasgreen, Limerick), Andrew Ryan (Toomevara, Tipperary); Jamie Wall (Kilbrittain, Cork), Declan Hannon (Adare, Limerick),Eanna Hogan (Kilruane McDonaghs, Tipperary); Colm Galvin (Clonlara, Clare) Sean Curran (Mullinahone, Tipperary); Brian O’Halloran (Clashmore, Waterford) , William Hickey (South Liberties, Limerick), Conor Cooney (St Thomas’, Galway); Niall O’Meara (Kilruane MacDonaghs, Tipperary), John Conlon (Clonlara, Clare), Luke O’Farrell (Middleton, Cork).
Subs: Eoin Hogan (Burgess, Tipperary) for Hickey (50 mins), Lar Considine (Patrickswell, Limerick) for Eanna Hogan (55 mins).
Referee: B Kelly (Westmeath).
