UCD 2-13
Limerick IT 0-11
Former Tipperary boss Nicky English watched his UCD team get their Fitzgibbon Cup campaign off to a winning start today.
UCD got the better of Limerick IT in their Group C clash in Belfield by 2-13 to 0-11.
The winners lead by 0-8 to 0-7 at the end of a tightly-contested first-half.
But two goals in the third quarter from Kilkenny’s Michael Brennan and Wexford’s Jack Guiney essentially settled the game.
Brennan neatly despatched his shot to the net after racing clear of the LIT cover while Guiney fetched a long delivery before billowing the net.
LIT had competed strongly before then, particularly in the first-half as the Clare duo of Gary Guilfoyle and Sean Collins both shone in the scoring stakes. Yet with that duo combining 0-10 of their team’s overall total, LIT were too reliant on them to supply scores.
Guiney impressed in the opening-half for a UCD team who were forced to line out without the injured Kilkenny trio of Walter Walsh, Cillian Buckley and John Tennyson. And Guiney nearly grabbed a goal as well but LIT net minder Andrew Fahy pulled off a smart save.
UCD’s two-goal blast pushed them into the ascendancy early in the second-half as they moved into a 2-10 to 0-8 lead. Dublin footballer Rory O’Carroll demonstrated his hurling abilities with a good shift in defence for UCD while James Gannon also did well.
Davy Fitzgerald’s LIT team produced a spirited fightback with Alan Dempsey, John O’Keeffe and Collins all in impressive form yet UCD were too strong on the day.
Scorers for UCD: Jack Guiney 1-3, Noel McGrath 0-4 (0-3f), Michael Brennan 1-0, Paddy Murphy 0-2, Oisin Gough, Domhnall Fox, James Gannon, Garreth Sinnott 0-1 each.
Scorers for LIT: Gary Guilfoyle 0-6 (0-4f, 0-2 ’65), Sean Collins 0-4 (0-1f), Padraig Hickey 0-1.
Subs: Dillon Mulligan (Dublin) for Kenny, Bill O’Carroll (Dublin) for Allis, Matthew McCaffrey (Dublin) for Gough, Aidan O’Dowd (Kilkenny) for Norton.
Limerick IT: Andrew Fahy (Clare); Alan Dempsey (Limerick), Pat Begley (Limerick), Cathal Barrett (Tipperary); Paudie Ahern (Limerick), John O’Keeffe (Tipperary), Paul Flaherty (Galway); Paudie O’Brien (Limerick), Eoin O’Sullivan (Cork); Jamie Fitzgibbon (Clare), Sean Collins (Clare), Colin Madden (Limerick); Gary Guilfoyle (Clare), Sean O’Brien (Limerick), Padraig Hickey (Clare).
Subs: John Guilfoyle (Clare) for Madden, Padraig Greene (Tipperary) for O’Sullivan, Paddy Dalton (Tipperary) for O’Brien, Rory O’Shaughnessy (Limerick) for Guilfoyle.
UCD Fitzgibbon Cup manager Nicky English. Pic: INPHO/Lorraine O’Sullivan
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UCC 0-18
GMIT 0-14
Reigning champions UCC came from behind to grind out a victory against GMIT in their Group A clash in Carnmore Hurling Club this afternoon.
In blustery conditions, UCC trailed by 0-8 to 0-7 at the interval but managed to overturn that deficit in the second-half to claim success against a GMIT team who were inspired by the scoring prowess of Galway senior Tadhg Haran as he chalked up 0-12.
And in the second-half UCC took over as they moved 0-12 to 0-9 in front by the 40th minute mark and had extended that lead to 0-17 to 0-11 with ten minutes remaining.
St Ita’s clubman Seamus Harnedy was in magnificent scoring form as he struck 0-8 overall while Brian Murray and Willie Griffin were others to impact in that regard.
Scorers for UCC: Seamus Harnedy 0-8 (0-3f, 0-1 pen), Conor Lehane 0-3, Willie Griffin (0-2f), Brian Murray 0-2 each, Paul Haughney, Brian O’Sullivan, Dan McCormack 0-1 each.
Scorers for GMIT: Tadhg Haran 0-12 (0-8f), Aidan Lynch, Gary Brennan 0-1 each.
UCC: Darren McCarthy (Cork); Stephen Maher (Tipperary), David Glynn (Kilkenny), Killian Ryan (Clare); James Barry (Tipperary), Kieran Lane (Cork), William Egan (Cork); Brian Lawton (Cork), Paul Haughney (Cork); Dan McCormack (Tipperary), Seamus Harnedy (Cork), Willie Griffin (Limerick); Conor Lehane (Cork), Brian OSullivan (Waterford), B Murray (Cork).
Subs: Brian Hartnett (Cork) for Griffin.
GMIT: J Keane; B Hunt, S Coughlan, G OHalloran; M Donoghue, P Hoban, B Mulrooney; G Brennan, K Feeney; K Lane, J Kilkenny, A Lynch; C ODonnell, Conor Kennedy, T Haran.
Subs: S Lawless for Conor Kennedy, Cathal Kennedy for Lane.
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Mary Immaculate College 0-18
NUI Galway 0-18
Mary Immaculate College and NUI Galway played out an exciting draw in the other Group A clash this afternoon. The two sides met in Dangan and it was Galway senior Joseph Cooney who was the hero as he shot two late points to rescue a draw for NUI Galway.
The game essentially boiled down to a free taking shootout between Clare’s John Conlon (Mary Immaculate College) and Galway’s Niall Burke (NUI Galway).
The teams were level at 0-11 apiece at the break but inspired by Conlon, Mary Immaculate College went ahead by 0-18 to 0-15 and it took Cooney’s input to help save a point for NUI Galway.
Scorers for NUI Galway: Niall Burke 0-14 (0-13f, 1 ’65′), Joseph Cooney, Billy Lane 0-2 each.
Scorers for Mary Immaculate College: John Conlon 0-12 (0-10f), Killian Fitzgerald 0-2, Declan Hannon, Colm Galvin, Lar Considine, Eoin Hogan 0-1 each.
NUI Galway: Donal Tuohy (Clare); David Magner (Offaly), Brian Flaherty (Galway), Cormac Diviney (Galway); Shane McCormack (Tipperary), Kevin Moynihan (Clare), Liam Markham (Clare); Eamonn Glynn (Clare), Dean Higgins (Galway); Niall Burke (Galway), Joseph Cooney (Galway), Kevin Downes (Limerick); Gerard Donoghue (Galway), Aaron Cunningham (Clare), Billy Lane (Galway).
Subs: Daithi Burke (Galway) for Higgins, Barry Daly (Galway) for Moynihan, Niall Deasy (Clare) for Glynn.
Mary Immaculate College: Shane Nolan (Tipperary); Cillian Fennessy (Clare), Robert O’Donnell (Limerick), Darragh O’Carroll (Cork); Eanna Hogan (Tipperary), Declan Hannon (Limerick), Niall O’Meara (Tipperary); Jamie Wall (Cork), Killian Fitzgerald (Waterford); Colm Galvin (Clare), William Hickey (Limerick), Sean Curran (Tipperary); Brian O’Halloran (Waterford), John Conlon (Clare), Luke O’Farrell (Cork).
Subs: Eoin Hogan (Tipperary) for Hickey, Lar Considine (Limerick) for Fitzgerald.
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Waterford IT 1-11
Carlow IT 1-6
Waterford IT enjoyed a successful trip to Carlow IT in their Group B clash this afternoon. Waterford IT have struggled over the past two seasons in the Fitzgibbon Cup, failing to win a game in the group stages, but they got this year’s campaign off to a positive start.
With Cork IT the other team competing in this group, Waterford IT needed to start strongly and they did that as they lead by 0-6 to 0-3 at the break.
And there was a strong Déise theme to their defensive performance as well with Wayne Hutchinson strong at centre-back while the full-back line of Stephen O’Keeffe, Liam Lawlor and Noel Connors also impressed.
Scorers for Waterford IT: Martin O’Neill 1-2, Eoin Murphy 0-4 (0-3f), Luke Harney, Shane Roche, Mike Sheedy, Jake Dillon, Gavin O’Brien 0-1 each.
Scorers for Carlow IT: Stephen Maher 0-5 (0-4f), Paul Buggy 1-0, Mark Ellis 0-1.
WIT: Stephen O’Keeffe (Waterford); Stephen O’Keeffe (Waterford), Liam Lawlor (Waterford), Noel Connors (Waterford); Ciaran Haugh (Tipperary), Wayne Hutchinson (Waterford), James Dowling (Kilkenny); Luke Harney (Kilkenny), Shane Roche (Waterford); Harry Kehoe (Wexford), Mike Sheedy (Tipperary), Eoin Murphy (Kilkenny); Martin O’Neill (Waterford), Jake Dillon (Waterford), Gavin O’Brien (Waterford).
Subs: Pauric Mahoney (Waterford) for Murphy, Michael Power (Waterford) for Roche, Martin Gaffney (Kilkenny) for O’Neill.
IT Carlow: PJ Ryan (Kilkenny); David Buckley (Tipperary), Danny Kenny (Kilkenny), Barry Harding (Offaly); Conor Fogarty (Kilkenny), Mark Ellis (Cork), Sean Gardiner (Offaly); Ollie Walsh (Kilkenny), Peter Hally (Tipperary); Tom Carroll (Offaly), Joe Carroll (Tipperary), Stephen Maher (Laois); Maurice Sexton (Cork), Conor Kenny (Tipperary), Paul Buggy (Kilkenny).
Subs: Ian Byrne (Wexford) for Sexton; Cathal English (Kilkenny) for Buggy; Paddy Walsh (Kilkenny) for J Carroll.
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UL 2-19
St Pat’s-Mater Dei 0-7
UL issued a powerful statement of intent in their opening game in Group D as they cruised to an 18-point win at the UL grounds today. UL, who included former Clare great Brian Lohan, amongst their management team proved far too strong for their Drumcondra-based opponents.
With a team that included the likes of Kilkenny’s Michael Fennelly, Tipperary’s Paddy Stapleton and Kieran Morris, and Clare’s Conor Ryan, UL unleashed a particularly powerful display in the second-half.
The winners lead by 1-9 to 0-6 at the break with Clare player Niall Arthur leading the St Pat’s fightback while David Butler struck home UL’s goal. St Pat’s had no answer in the second-half as UL clinched victory with Waterford’s Eamonn Murphy firing home theirs second goal.
