Waterford IT 2-21
Limerick IT 3-17
JAKE DILLON HIT the winning point for WIT in the seventh minute of extra-time to put them through to the Fitzgibbon Cup final after today’s epic semi-final at Queen’s University playing fields in Belfast.
Ballygunnar’s Pauric Mahony hit an incredible 0-16, all but one from placed balls, with 12 of those points coming in normal time for WIT.
But it was full-forward Jake Dillon who hit the winning point for WIT three minutes before the end of extra-time.
LIT led by 1-15 to 0-8 after 39 minutes and looked totally comfortable. Cathal McInerney got the only goal of the first-half after 25 minutes to give LIT a 1-12 to 0-6 lead at half-time.
Even though the Waterford college had the wind in the second-half, LIT stretched their lead further with points from Alan Dempsey, Philip Ivors and Paul Flaherty to take a commanding nine point lead with 21 minutes to go.
WIT sprang to life and hit 1-7 without reply in the second-half. Harry Kehoe got the first of two goals for WIT in the 46th minute to ignite the fightback and with Mahony punishing every LIT foul with unerring free-taking, WIT drew level at 1-15 each with two minutes remaining.
In an exciting finish, there was still time for two late goals before the game went to extra-time.
Clare’s Cathal McInerney thought he’d won it for LIT when he kicked the ball into the net with only 51 seconds remaining but after a long puck out, Harry Kehoe scored a goal from 30 yards seconds before the hooter sounded.
The sides still could not be separated at half-time in extra-time, Tony Kelly with LIT’s third goal drawing them level at 3-16 to 2-19 at the break.
The sides traded points before Dillon’s late winner put WIT through to the final.
Scorers for WIT: Pauric Mahony 0-16 (0-13f, 0-2 ‘65s’), Harry Kehoe 2-1, Eoin Murphy 0-2, Cathal Kenny, Jake Dillon 0-1 each.Scorers for LIT: Tony Kelly 1-5 (0-4f), Cathal McInerney 2-2, Jamie Shanahan, Alan Dempsey 0-3 each, Paul Flaherty 0-2, Philip Ivors, Pat Begley 0-1 each.
WATERFORD IT: Stephen O’Keeffe (Waterford); Ger Teehan (Kilkenny), Pauric Gahan (Kilkenny), Jerome Maher (Waterford); Thomas Hamill (Tipperary), Joe O’Dwyer (Tipperary), Shaun Murphy (Wexford); Stephen Roche (Waterford), Cathal Kenny (Kilkenny); Harry Kehoe (Wexford), Pauric Mahony (Waterford), Eoin Murphy (Kilkenny); Liam McGrath (Tipperary), Jake Dillon (Waterford), Gavin O’Brien (Waterford)
Subs: Jack Langton (Kilkenny) for Kenny (44).
LIMERICK IT: Aaron Murphy (Limerick); Sean O’Gorman (Clare), Martin Minehan (Tipperary), Cian Nolan (Clare); Paul Killeen Galway), Enda Boyce (Clare), Barry O’Connell (Limerick); Alan Dempsey (Limerick), Paul Flaherty (Galway); Tony Kelly (Clare), Pat Begley (Limerick), Mark Gennery (Tipperary); Philip Ivors (Tipperary), Cathal McInerney (Clare), Jamie Shanahan (Clare).
Subs: Shane McGrath (Clare) for Killeen (46), Padraig Hickey (Clare) for Gennery (59).
Referee: Brian Gavin (Offaly).