University of Limerick 4-31
DCU St Pat’s 2-14
Jackie Cahill reports from DCU Sportsgrounds
CLARE’S BOBBY DUGGAN collected 12 points and Tipperary All-Ireland winner John McGrath added 1-8 as University of Limerick demolished DCU St Pat’s in this afternoon’s final round fixture in Group B of the Fitzgibbon Cup.
UL made it three wins from three in their pool in what was a dead rubber game on DCU’s all-weather pitch.
Kilkenny pair Billy Ryan and Sean Morrissey bagged a combined 2-11 for St Pat’s but they were comprehensively outclassed by last year’s runners-up and one of the favourites to lift silverware this year.
Fresh from his club heroics with Ballyea, Tony Kelly hit three points from play for UL before he was wisely taken off at half-time by manager Brian Lohan.
The writing was on the wall early on for St Pat’s as UL cruised into a six-point lead, before Morrissey finally managed an opening score for the hosts.
That was followed by Ryan’s first goal in the tenth minute, a blistering 20m free that evaded the massed UL ranks on the line.
But UL scored their opening goal in the 20th minute, Mike Mullins on hand to net after McGrath’s long-range free had struck the upright.
And UL’s second goal arrived on the stroke of half-time, McGrath taking a pass from Tom Morrissey before drilling home a rising drive.
Ryan scored his second goal for St Pat’s early in the second half but UL managed two more before the finish – subs PJ Scully and Lorcan Lyons both on target.
UL were already safely through as group winners even before throw-in – and can now look forward to a home quarter-final as they chase a second title in three seasons.
Scorers for UL: Bobby Duggan 0-12 (1f, 1 65), John McGrath 1-8 (0-6f, 0-1 65), Lorcan Lyons 1-2, PJ Scully 1-1, Mike Mullins 1-0, Tony Kelly 0-3, Adrian Morrissey, Jason Forde, Aidan McGuane, Ronan Lynch & John Paul Lucey 0-1 each.
Scorers for DCU St Pat’s: Billy Ryan 2-7 (1-7f), Sean Morrissey 0-4, Fearghal Curran 0-2, Christy Breathnach 0-1.
UL
16. Paul Maher (Moyne-Templetuohy, Tipperary)
26. Liam O’Connor (Newmarket-on-Fergus, Clare)
6. Brian Troy (Emeralds, Kilkenny)
4. Gearoid Ryan (Clarecastle, Clare)
21. Jordan Henley (Tallow, Waterford)
3. David Fitzgerald (Inagh/Kilnamona, Clare)
12. Jason Forde (Silvermines, Tipperary)
11. Tony Kelly (Ballyea, Clare)
7. Aidan McGuane (Kilmaley, Clare)
10. Tom Morrissey (Ahane, Limerick)
17. Bobby Duggan (Clarecastle, Clare)
22. John Paul Lucey (Shamrocks, Waterford)
18. David Gleeson (Ballinahinch, Tipperary)
14. Mike Mullins (Gort, Galway)
15. John McGrath (Loughmore-Castleiney, Tipperary)
Subs:
9. Lorcan Lyons (Monaleen, Limerick) for Kelly (half-time)
29. PJ Scully (Borris-in-Ossory/Kilcotton, Laois) for Mullins (half-time)
27. Pat Ryan (Doon, Limerick) for Fitzgerald (half-time)
23. Ronan Lynch (Na Piarsaigh, Limerick) for T Morrissey (half-time)
24. Adrian Morrissey (Liam Mellows, Galway) for McGrath (41)
DCU St Pat’s
1. Killian Dunphy (Mullinavat, Kilkenny)
2. Ruairí Tubrid (Fethard St Mogues, Wexford)
3. Bill McDowell (John Lockes, Kilkenny)
4. Darragh O’Shea (Windgap, Kilkenny)
5. Glen Malone (Shelmaliers, Wexford)
6. Niall Mullins (James Stephens, Kilkenny)
7. Ciaran Brady (Faughs, Dublin)
8. Jamie Barún (An Rinn, Waterford)
9. Robert Fitzpatrick (Dicksboro, Kilkenny)
10. Patrick Spellacy (Whitehall, Dublin)
11. Billy Ryan (Graigue-Ballycallan, Kilkenny)
12. Sean Morrissey (Bennettsbridge, Kilkenny)
13. Christy Breathnach (An Rinn, Waterford)
14. Martin Óg Storey (Oulart-the-Ballagh, Wexford)
15. Fearghal Curran (An Rinn, Waterford)
Subs:
26. Tom Devlin (St Judes, Dublin) for Breathnach (41)
18. Gary Kelly (O’Loughlin Gaels, Kilkenny) for Curran (41)
Referee: Gavin Quilty (Kilkenny)
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