IT Carlow 1-16
UCD 1-17
IT TOOK EXTRA time to separate these sides in a thrilling and highly combative Fitzgibbon Cup hurling quarter final played in horrendous conditions at the IT grounds in Carlow tonight.
In the end, UCD edged home, thanks primarily to a 75th minute goal from left half forward Colm Cronin who availed of a piece of sloppiness in the home defence to find the Carlow net and send the Dublin students into a 1-17 to 1-13 lead.
The game ebbed and flowed in normal time, with UCD building up a 0-7 to 0-1 lead before a Jack Fagan goal from Carlow on the half hour brought them right back into contention with wind advantage to come.
Carlow went two points clear in the second half but UCD refused to buckle and defiant hurling from the likes of Pat Hannon, Cian O’Callaghan, Conor O’Shea, Padraic Guinan, Colm Cronin and Oisín O’Rourke saw them force extra time (0-13 to 1-10).
In the opening minute of extra time, a foul on Carlow’s James Doyle in the large square saw James Owens award a penalty but ‘keeper Rowland’s effort was wide.
UCD availed of this let-off to go 0-16 t 1-11 at half-time of extra-time. Cronin’s goal was the crowning glory for the visitors as they just held out in the face of strong Carlow pressure in the final minutes as the leeway was cut to a point. Waterford star Colin Dunford received a straight red card for a high tackle on an opponent on 58 minutes.
UCD scorers: O O’Rourke 0-8, 0-6 frees, 0-1 65, C Cronin 1-3, J Maher, P Guinan 0-2 each, C O’Shea (free), C Devitt 0-1 each.
IT Carlow scorers: E Rowland 0-5, 0-4 frees, 0-1 65, S Maher 0-5, 0-4 frees, J Fagan 1-0, M Russell, C Dwyer 0-2 each, C Dunford, K Kelly 0-1 each.
UCD
Darragh Holohan (Dicksboro, Kilkenny)
Pat Hannon (Athenry, Galway)
Sean Murphy (Buffers Alley, Wexford)
Eoin Conroy (Naomh Eanna, Wexford)
James Madden (Ballyboden St Enda’s, Dublin)
Cian O’Callaghan (Cuala, Dublin)
Conor O’Shea (Clara, Kilkenny)
Huw Lawlor (O’Loughlin Gaels, Kilkenny)
Sean Moran (Cuala, Dublin)
James Maher (St Lachtain’s, Kilkenny)
Conor Devitt (Kilanerin, Wexford)
Colm Cronin (Cuala, Dublin)
Patrick Guinan (Drumcullen, Offaly)
Oisin O’Rourke (Kilmacud Crokes, Dublin)
Jack O’Connor (St Martin’s, Wexford)
Subs:
Cian McGabhann (Kilmacud Crokes, Dublin) for Moran (52)
Jake Malone (Cuala, Dublin) for Madden (64)
J Phelan for Cronin (injured) (76).
IT Carlow
Enda Rowland (Abbeyleix, Laois)
Kevin Hannafin (St Brendan’s, Kerry)
William Young (Clonaslee, Laois)
Ross Brown (Colligan, Waterford)
Damien Healy (Longwood, Meath)
Micheal Harney (Bunmahon, Waterford)
Dwane Palmer (Camross, Laois)
Mark Russell (Lattin-Cullen, Tipperary)
Kevin Kelly (St Patrick’s, Kilkenny)
Charlie Dwyer (Ballinakill, Laois)
James Doyle (St Mullins, Carlow)
Stephen Maher (Clough-Ballacolla, Laois)
Colin Dunford (Colligan, Waterford)
Jack Fagan (Rathmoylan, Meath)
Chris Bolger (Clara, Kilkenny)
Subs:
Tommy Nolan (Drom-Inch, Tipperary) for Maher (27)
Stephen Maher for Nolan (34)
Tommy Nolan for Bolger (50)
Martin Kavanagh (St Mullins, Carlow) for Nolan (79).
Referee: J Owens (Wexford).