UNIVERSITY OF LIMERICK march on. Back-to-back titles remain firmly on the table, a fourth Fitzgibbon Cup in five years edging closer with every outing.
From the eight minute until full-tiime they led University College Cork at a wet and wind lashed Maguire’s Field on Wednesday night.
The Fitzgibbon Cup holders absorbed what resistance UCC could muster, then moved through the gears to pull clear for a comfortable eight-point victory in the second half.
For a time, UCC kept it awkward. Playing into the elements, they rode out an early UL surge and began to settle, their second-quarter response leaving a half-time deficit of just two points. It was enough to suggest a foothold. But that footing did not last.
Worse again, both Eoin Downey and Michael Mullaney were shown late red cards, but before that they had already been put to bed by the hosts. UL nudged three clear on the restart, Joe Fitzgerald and the increasingly influential Darragh McCarthy on target, the latter dovetailing neatly with Adam Screeney.
Hugh O’Connor – wearing the same number 23 he donned on his Cork senior debut last weekend – fashioned a tidy response from play to leave it 0-10 to 0-7 after 35 minutes. It would be the here that UL turned up the heat and sent their opponents packing.
Tipperary star McCarthy began to exert greater control, clipping over a pair of frees to stretch the gap – though it could have been larger – UL were denied a goal when Paudie O’Sullivan produced an outstanding save to repel Oisín O’Donoghue early in the latter act.
UCC, missing both Ben Cunningham and Ed McDermott, struggled to build momentum in the final third. William Buckley, their only player to score more than two from play, struck two frees to reduce the margin to three after 41 minutes, but consistency deserted the College thereafter.
Wides accumulated – 13 in total by the end for the Skull and Crossbones – and UL capitalised. Another McCarthy free sparked a decisive four-point burst. Adam English split the posts with a superb effort, before Aidan O’Connor forced a turnover deep in his own half, carried the ball upfield and slipped Diarmuid Stritch through for his second from play.
Diarmuid Stritch points for UL. Laszlo Geczo / INPHO
Laszlo Geczo / INPHO / INPHO
That pushed the lead to six.
Brian Keating briefly offered hope for UCC, first with a point and then with a clever pass that sent Buckley clear on goal, but Darach Fahy stood firm, brilliantly denying Hugh O’Connor from close range after the St Finbarr’s man squared it to him.
Any lingering prospect of a late rally evaporated in the 54th minute when Downey was dismissed following an off-the-ball exchange with Colin Coughlan. UL continued to pull away, substitute Jack Leahy – freshly returned from injury and with just one boot on – firing
over a superb point.
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Further scores from Fintan Fitzgerald and English in added time completed UL’s scoring, while UCC’s night worsened when Mullaney was sent off three minutes from the end for a late challenge on Ciarmhac Smyth.
It was a first-half performance that suggested UCC could have taken something from this game, though.
Shane Kingston was particularly impressive at full-back, tasked with the unenviable job of a full-forward line comprised of three inter-county stars, while Brian Keating opened their account after a slick move involving Darragh Stakelum, Buckley and Darragh Flynn.
UL, though, always had another gear. McCarthy struck four frees and a point from play in the opening half alone, with Screeney adding a fine score of his own. Once their control sharpened after the break, the outcome followed the expected script.
UCC's Michael Mullaney is shown a red card. Laszlo Geczo / INPHO
Laszlo Geczo / INPHO / INPHO
*****
In tonight’s other Fitzgibbon Cup quarter-final, University of Galway defeated SETU Waterford by 1-21 to 1-14, pulling clear in the second half after moving in front 0-12 to 1-7 at half-time.
Earlier today there were wins for Mary Immaculate Limerick and DCU.
Scorers for UL: Darragh McCarthy 0-9 (0-7 f), Adam English, Adam Screeney, Diarmuid Stritch 0-2 each, Fintan Fitzgerald, Jack O’Neill, Aidan O’Connor, Joe Fitzgerald, Jack Leahy 0- 1 each.
Scorers for UCC: William Buckley 0-7 (0-4 f), Brian Keating, Hugh O’Connor 0-2 each, Colin Walsh 0-1.
University of Limerick
(Limerick clubs unless stated)
1. Darach Fahy (Ardrahan, Galway)
30. Aaron Morgan (Kilruane MacDonaghs, Tipperary), 4. John Conneally (Clooney-Quin,
Clare), 2. Ciarmhac Smyth (Midleton, Cork)
32. Killian Doyle (Emeralds, Kilkenny), 6. Mark Fitzgerald (Passage, Waterford), 5. Colin
Coughlan (Ballybrown)
8. Adam English (Doon), 19. Joe Fitzgerald (Monaleen)
21. Diarmuid Stritch (Clonlara, Clare), 11. Jack O’Neill (Clooney-Quin, Clare), 10. Oisin
O’Donoghue (Cashel King Cormac’s, Tipperary)
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Darragh McCarthy scores 0-9 in UL's Fitzgibbon Cup victory over UCC
University of Limerick 0-20
University College Cork 0-12
UNIVERSITY OF LIMERICK march on. Back-to-back titles remain firmly on the table, a fourth Fitzgibbon Cup in five years edging closer with every outing.
From the eight minute until full-tiime they led University College Cork at a wet and wind lashed Maguire’s Field on Wednesday night.
The Fitzgibbon Cup holders absorbed what resistance UCC could muster, then moved through the gears to pull clear for a comfortable eight-point victory in the second half.
For a time, UCC kept it awkward. Playing into the elements, they rode out an early UL surge and began to settle, their second-quarter response leaving a half-time deficit of just two points. It was enough to suggest a foothold. But that footing did not last.
Worse again, both Eoin Downey and Michael Mullaney were shown late red cards, but before that they had already been put to bed by the hosts. UL nudged three clear on the restart, Joe Fitzgerald and the increasingly influential Darragh McCarthy on target, the latter dovetailing neatly with Adam Screeney.
Hugh O’Connor – wearing the same number 23 he donned on his Cork senior debut last weekend – fashioned a tidy response from play to leave it 0-10 to 0-7 after 35 minutes. It would be the here that UL turned up the heat and sent their opponents packing.
Tipperary star McCarthy began to exert greater control, clipping over a pair of frees to stretch the gap – though it could have been larger – UL were denied a goal when Paudie O’Sullivan produced an outstanding save to repel Oisín O’Donoghue early in the latter act.
UCC, missing both Ben Cunningham and Ed McDermott, struggled to build momentum in the final third. William Buckley, their only player to score more than two from play, struck two frees to reduce the margin to three after 41 minutes, but consistency deserted the College thereafter.
Wides accumulated – 13 in total by the end for the Skull and Crossbones – and UL capitalised. Another McCarthy free sparked a decisive four-point burst. Adam English split the posts with a superb effort, before Aidan O’Connor forced a turnover deep in his own half, carried the ball upfield and slipped Diarmuid Stritch through for his second from play.
That pushed the lead to six.
Brian Keating briefly offered hope for UCC, first with a point and then with a clever pass that sent Buckley clear on goal, but Darach Fahy stood firm, brilliantly denying Hugh O’Connor from close range after the St Finbarr’s man squared it to him.
Any lingering prospect of a late rally evaporated in the 54th minute when Downey was dismissed following an off-the-ball exchange with Colin Coughlan. UL continued to pull away, substitute Jack Leahy – freshly returned from injury and with just one boot on – firing
over a superb point.
Further scores from Fintan Fitzgerald and English in added time completed UL’s scoring, while UCC’s night worsened when Mullaney was sent off three minutes from the end for a late challenge on Ciarmhac Smyth.
It was a first-half performance that suggested UCC could have taken something from this game, though.
Shane Kingston was particularly impressive at full-back, tasked with the unenviable job of a full-forward line comprised of three inter-county stars, while Brian Keating opened their account after a slick move involving Darragh Stakelum, Buckley and Darragh Flynn.
UL, though, always had another gear. McCarthy struck four frees and a point from play in the opening half alone, with Screeney adding a fine score of his own. Once their control sharpened after the break, the outcome followed the expected script.
*****
In tonight’s other Fitzgibbon Cup quarter-final, University of Galway defeated SETU Waterford by 1-21 to 1-14, pulling clear in the second half after moving in front 0-12 to 1-7 at half-time.
Earlier today there were wins for Mary Immaculate Limerick and DCU.
*****
Scorers for UL: Darragh McCarthy 0-9 (0-7 f), Adam English, Adam Screeney, Diarmuid Stritch 0-2 each, Fintan Fitzgerald, Jack O’Neill, Aidan O’Connor, Joe Fitzgerald, Jack Leahy 0- 1 each.
Scorers for UCC: William Buckley 0-7 (0-4 f), Brian Keating, Hugh O’Connor 0-2 each, Colin Walsh 0-1.
University of Limerick
(Limerick clubs unless stated)
1. Darach Fahy (Ardrahan, Galway)
30. Aaron Morgan (Kilruane MacDonaghs, Tipperary), 4. John Conneally (Clooney-Quin,
Clare), 2. Ciarmhac Smyth (Midleton, Cork)
32. Killian Doyle (Emeralds, Kilkenny), 6. Mark Fitzgerald (Passage, Waterford), 5. Colin
Coughlan (Ballybrown)
8. Adam English (Doon), 19. Joe Fitzgerald (Monaleen)
21. Diarmuid Stritch (Clonlara, Clare), 11. Jack O’Neill (Clooney-Quin, Clare), 10. Oisin
O’Donoghue (Cashel King Cormac’s, Tipperary)
15. Darragh McCarthy (Toomevara, Tipperary), 14. Aidan O’Connor (Ballybrown), 13. Adam Screeney (Kilcormac-Killoughey, Offaly)
Subs
University College Cork
(Cork clubs unless stated)
1. Paudie O’Sullivan (Fr O’Neill’s);
21. Eoin Guinane (Valley Rovers), 6. Shane Kingston (Ballinora), 25. Kevin Lyons (Ballygarvan)
5. James Dwyer (Ballincollig), 3. Eoin Downey (Glen Rovers), 35. Timmy Wilk (Cobh)
29. Oran O’Regan (Emeralds, Kilkenny), 9. Brian Keating (Ballincollig)
23. Hugh O’Connor (Newmarket), 12. Peter McGarry (St Mary’s Clonmel, Tipperary), 8.
Darragh Stakelum (Thurles Sarsfields, Tipperary)
13. William Buckley (St Finbarr’s), 14. Colin Walsh (Kanturk), 11. Darragh Flynn (Ballygiblin).
Subs
Referee: Liam Gordon (Galway)
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Fitzgibbon Cup Hurling Sharp Shooter UCC UL