UCC 2-21
Mary Immaculate 0-13
Tomas McCarthy reports from Waterford IT
UCC WON THEIR first Electric Ireland Fitzgibbon Cup since 2013 and their 39th in total after a one sided final in the WIT sunshine this afternoon.
Tipperary All-Ireland U21 winner Mark Kehoe scored 1-4 from play including a wonder goal in the first half. Conor Browne rifled in a second goal on 40 minutes as ten players contributed to the scoresheet. Limerick star Aaron Gillane nailed eight frees for Mary I but their attack rarely troubled a UCC back line where Chris O’Leary and Paddy O’Loughlin starred. Waterford senior Colm Roche had a productive first half with three points in as many minutes.
The sides traded two points each before Kehoe went on an unbelievable solo run. He weaved around four Mary I backs , withstood a hefty tackle from Philip Hickey and then blasted past Eoghan Cahill.
Kehoe and the rest of the inside line had the Mary I full backs in all kinds of bother. Three of them received yellows by half time while Seamus Downey was replaced on the quarter hour. Loose defender O’Loughlin and O’Leary lorded matters around the UCC half back division.
Three points in a row from Roche moved them seven clear by the 22nd minute. Mary I got the next three including two from Aaron Gillane. UCC finished the half with the last four points however, two Shane Conway frees, a long distance O’Leary effort and Kehoe from play.
Gillane and sub Colin English narrowed the gap to six but that was as close as Mary I got. They couldn’t handle Kehoe and UCC’s Premier forward added three points in the third quarter. On 40 minutes, Browne collected a Darragh Fitzgibbon pass, sped through the centre and fired to the bottom corner of the net. Game over. The runaway winners could afford to shoot twelve wides.
Even corner back Niall O’Leary got in on the act before the end. Cork forward Shane Kingston shot his first point of the day in injury time.
Scorers for UCC: Mark Kehoe 1-4, Shane Conway 0-6 (0-5f), Conor Browne 1-1, Colm Roche 0-3, Chris O’Leary 0-2 (0-2f), David Griffin, Darragh Fitzgibbon, Robbie O’Flynn, Niall O’Leary, Shane Kingston 0-1 each.
Scorers for Mary I: Aaron Gillane 0-8 (0-8f), Michael O’Loughlin, Luke Meade, Thomas Monaghan, Colin O’Brien, Colin English 0-1 each.
UCC
(Cork unless stated)
1. Jack Barry (Castlelyons)
32. Niall O’Leary (Castlelyons)
3. Eddie Gunning (Na Piarsaigh)
29. Killian Dwyer (Killenaule, Tipperary)
5. Chris O’Leary (Valley Rovers)
6. Eoghan Murphy (Sarsfields)
18. David Griffin (Carrigaline)
10. Mark Coleman (Blarney)
7. Paddy O’Loughlin (Kilmallock, Limerick)
8. Conor Browne (James Stephens, Kilkenny)
15. Shane Kingston (Douglas)
19. Colm Roche (Shamrocks, Waterford)
30. Mark Kehoe (Kilsheelan Kilcash, Tipperary)
14. Shane Conway (Lixnaw, Kerry)
11. Darragh Fitzgibbon (Charleville)
Subs
12. Robbie O’Flynn (Erins Own) for Murphy (15)
2. David Lowney (Clonakilty) for Dwyer (53)
4. Darragh Lynch (Passage, Waterford) for O’Leary (53)
20. Ross Donohue (Buffers Alley, Wexford) for Roche (58)
28. Dara Walsh (Eire Og Ennis, Clare) for Fitzgibbon (59)
Mary Immaculate
1. Eoghan Cahill (Birr, Offaly)
4. Seamus Downey (Clonlara, Clare)
3. David Prendergast (Lismore, Waterford)
2. Eoghan Ryan (Loughmore Castleiney, Tipperary)
7. Thomas Grimes (Na Piarsaigh, Limerick)
6. Darren Browne (Kanturk, Cork)
5. Craig Morgan (Kilruane McDonaghs, Tipperary)
9. Luke Meade (Newcestown, Cork)
15. Philip Hickey (Eire Og Nenagh, Tipperary)
8. Thomas Monaghan (Craughwell, Galway)
13. Gary Cooney (O’Callaghans Mills, Clare)
12. Colin O’Brien (Liscarroll, Cork)
10. Aaron Gillane (Patrickswell, Limerick)
14. Colin Guilfoyle (Newmarket on Fergus, Clare)
11. Michael O’Loughlin (Clonlara, Clare)
Subs
19. Brian Buckley (Dromina, Cork) for Downey (16)
22. Colin English (Fr Sheehys, Tipperary) for O’Loughlin (H-T)
20. Sean Burke (Grenagh, Cork) for Cooney (47)
28. Ray McCormack (Borris-Ileigh, Tipperary) for O’Brien (50)
Referee: James Owens (Wexford)
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