University of Limerick (UL) 1-23
University College Dublin (UCD) 2-9
BRIAN LOHAN’S UNIVERSITY of Limerick produced a powerful display to crush University College Dublin by eleven points in this afternoon’s Irish Daily Mail Fitzgibbon Cup Group B clash.
Clare’s 1995 and 1997 All-Ireland SHC medallist witnessed a polished display from his side as UL put themselves in pole position for a place in the quarter-finals right from the start.
Lohan’s fellow Banner County native Podge Collins was in impish form for UL against a disappointing UCD outfit.
Collins clipped over three points from play on a day when Tipperary star Jason Forde top scored for the hosts with seven points, including five from frees.
Another Tipp man, Nenagh’s Tommy Heffernan, bagged 1-2 on a day when UL had scoring contributions from ten players.
UCD, in contrast, were reliant on the free-taking of Wexford star Jack Guiney, who notched all but two points of his 1-6 haul from placed balls.
Thankfully the rain stayed away and it was UL who led by 1-11 to 1-4 at half-time, thanks in main to a run of 1-6 without reply after the four-time winners had fallen 0-1 to 0-3 behind early on.
Heffernan netted in the 15th minute but UCD rallied when Galway’s Cathal Keane raised a green flag seven minutes before half-time.
Guiney scored UCD’s second goal from a 20m free six minutes after the break but UL were always in control of this pivotal opening round clash between two of the traditional competition heavyweights.
Scorers for UL: Jason Forde 0-7 (5f), Tommy Heffernan 1-2, Podge Collins & Cathal Malone 0-3 each, Brian Stapleton & Johnny Glynn 0-2 each, Thomas Ryan, Conor Ryan, Padraic Walsh & Tommy O’Brien 0-1 each.
Scorers for UCD: Jack Guiney 1-6 (1-4f), Cathal Keane 1-1, Paddy Murphy 0-2.
UL: Shane Hassett (Tipperary); Paul Flanagan (Clare), Jack Sheehan (Cork), Jack Browne (Clare); Thomas Ryan (Limerick), Dan Morrissey (Limerick), Conor Ryan (Clare); Bill Maher (Tipperary), Padraic Walsh (Kilkenny); Cathal Malone (Clare), Podge Collins (Clare), Brian Stapleton (Tipperary); Jason Forde (Tipperary), Johnny Glynn (Galway), Tommy Heffernan (Tipperary).Subs: Seadna Morey (Clare) for Sheehan (38), Tommy O’Brien (Limerick) for Heffernan (49), Mikey O’Neill (Clare) for Stapleton (50), Martin Boran (Kilkenny) for Maher (55), Daire Quinn (Tipperary) for Flanagan (58).
UCD: Billy Leydon (Kilkenny); Bill O’Carroll (Dublin), William Phelan (Kilkenny), James Gannon (Kilkenny); Barry Coughlan (Waterford), Matthew O’Hanlon (Wexford), William Egan (Cork); Conor O’Shea (Galway), Cillian Buckley (Kilkenny); Paddy Murphy (Tipperary), Domhnal Fox (Galway), Garrett Sinnott (Wexford); Cathal Keane (Galway), Jack Guiney (Wexford), Walter Walsh (Kilkenny).Subs: Conor O’Shea (Kilkenny) for Conor O’Shea (Galway, h/t), David Higgins (Westmeath) for Fox (45), Jack McDowell (Kilkenny) for O’Carroll (45), Sean Murphy (Wexford) for Coughlan (49), Michael Brennan (Kilkenny) for Keane (58).
Referee: Fergal Horgan (Tipperary).
