Star-studded DCU side march on as 2018 Fitzgibbon Cup finalists ease past CIT

DCU 0-23
Cork IT 0-12

Conor McKenna reports from DCU

LAST YEAR’S FINALISTS DCU overcame CIT to book their place in the next round of the Electric Ireland Fitzgibbon Cup, with Eoin Roche’s side assured to finish top of their group after two successive wins.

DCU possess a star-studded side and will be expected to go far in the competition, but it was the visitors who opened the scoring courtesy of a free from Josh Beausang.

The Glasnevin-based outfit responded with two frees courtesy of James Bergin and Paudie Foley, before Beausang levelled procedures with a place ball effort.

Foley restored his side’s advantage with a long-range free but four successive points gave CIT a three point-lead which was fully deserved.

DCU responded with three points of their own to level the game but CIT held the upper hand for large parts of the first half, as Beausang registered two further frees to give his side a two-point lead.

Roche’s charges pushed on before the interval though, and held a 0-11 to 0-9 lead at half time.

They had some serious talent available on their substitutes bench, with Wexford stars Damien Reck and Rory O’Connor coming on to influence the game and the bench played a huge part in the win, as DCU pulled away in the second half.

Damien Reck came off the bench. Oisin Keniry / INPHO Oisin Keniry / INPHO / INPHO

CIT opened the second-half scoring through Shane Cummins but that was as good as it got for the Cork college, as the home side added seven points in succession to all but end the game as a contest.

CIT’s Andrew Coffey registered the last point of the game, but it was no more than consolation as DCU eased to an eleven point victory.

The 2018 runners up have picked up two wins from their opening two games, defeating WIT in their other Group C encounter, while CIT face a crucial game against WIT next time out.

***

Elsewhere this afternoon in Group B, Clare star Peter Duggan inspired with 1-11 as LIT defeated Garda College on a scoreline of 4-24 to 0-12. Limerick trio Brian Fanning, Peter Casey and Oisin O’Reilly bagged their other goals.

Clare star Peter Duggan. Oisin Keniry / INPHO Oisin Keniry / INPHO / INPHO

Trinity College and IT Carlow’s clash at Santry Avenue finished 0-24 to 1-8 in favour of ITC.

Scorers for DCU: Killian Doyle 0-6 (2f), James Bergin (4f) and Paudie Foley (4f) 0-4 each, Rian McBride, Damien Reck and Sean Morrissey 0-2 each, Fergal Whitely, Donal Burke and Chris Crummey 0-1 each.

Scorers for CIT: Josh Beausang 0-5 (5f), Shane Cummins 0-2,  Patrick Collins  (1f), Eoin O’Shea, John Good, Brian Everard and Andrew Coffey 0-1 each.

DCU

1. Oisin Foley (Crossabeg/Ballymurn, Wexford)

2. Paddy Smyth (Clontarf, Dublin)
3. Eoghan O’Donnell (Whitehall Colmcilles, Dublin)
21. John Curran (Dungarvan, Waterford)

5. Paudie Foley (Crossabeg/Ballymurn, Wexford)
6. Conor Delaney (Erins Own, Kilkenny)
7. Chris Crummey (Lucan Sarsfields, Dublin)

8. Aaron Maddock (St. Martin’s, Wexford)
31. Rian McBride (St. Vincents, Dublin)

11. Donal Burke (Na Fianna, Dublin)
26. Killian Doyle (Raharney, Westmeath)
12. Fergal Whitely (Kilmacud Crokes, Dublin)

15. Sean Morrissey (Bennettsbridge, Kilkenny)
13. John Donnelly (Thomastown, Kilkenny)
14. James Bergin (Conahy Shamrocks, Kilkenny).

Subs

34. Damien Reck (Oylegate-Glenbrien, Wexford) for Maddock (23)
19. Darren Byrne (Blackwater, Wexford) for O’Donnell (h-t)
4. Conor Firman (St. Martins, Wexford) for Smyth (h-t)
33. Rory O’Connor (St. Martin’s, Wexford) for Donnelly.

CIT

1. Patrick Collins (Ballinhassig, Cork)

2. Eoin Healy (Ballymartle, Cork)
3. Daragh Fanning (Pallasgreen, Limerick)
4. Kevin Galvin (Clara, Kilkenny)

5. Daniel Harrington (Fr. O’Neills, Cork)
6. Enda Heffernan (Clonoulty Rossmore, Tipperary)
7. Conor Prunty (Abbeyside, Waterford)

8. John Good (Tracton, Cork)
9. David Noonan (Glen Rovers, Cork)

10.  Brian Everard (St. Mary’s Cork)
11. John Cooper (Eire Og, Cork)
12. Shane Cummins (Ballymartle, Cork)

13. Josh Beausang (Russell Rovers, Cork)
14. Joe Connolly (Clara, Kilkenny)
15. Eoin O’Shea (Eire Og, Cork).

Subs

29. Paul Geary (Ballymartle, Cork) for O’Shea (40)
22. Andrew Coffey (Nenagh Eire Og, Tipperary) for Beausang (40)
21. Ryan Walsh (Kanturk, Cork) for Connolly (40)
20. William Hurley (Valley Rovers, Cork) for Good (47)
23. Niall Fives (Tourin, Waterford) for Noonan (54).

Referee: Alan Kelly (Galway).

Just over a week out from the 2019 Six Nations openers, Murray Kinsella and Gavan Casey are joined by Bernard Jackman to look at Ireland’s bid for another Grand Slam:

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