LAST YEAR’S FINALISTS, Mary Immaculate College and University of Limerick, both got their Fitzgibbon Cup campaigns off to winning starts.
Record winners UCC are also up and running after seeing off UCD for a six-point victory, 0-29 to 1-20, at the Mardyke.
The Leesiders outgunned their visitors by 0-15 to 1-3 in the final 21 minutes.
Lining up without their Sarsfields contingent of Colm and Cathal McCarthy, Luke Elliott, and Daniel Hogan, plus the injured Eoin Downey, they finished with 12 different scorers, led by five points from brilliant Ballincollig midfielder Brian Keating.
The game had been level 10 times before that UCC surge.
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Westmeath danger-man David Williams had a shot at goal saved by Paudie O’Sullivan in the first minute but his three points helped UCD to a 0-13 to 0-12 half-time lead. Free-taker Diarmaid Ó Dúlaing also popped over five points.
William Buckley struck the crossbar from UCC’s only goal chance but they had seven points from defenders in Michael Mullaney (0-3), Timmy Wilk (0-2), Ethan Twomey, and James Dwyer (0-1 each).
Into the second half, Cian Ó Cathasaigh helped to move UCD three ahead but UCC hit seven points on the spin with three from Keating and two Ben Cunningham frees from inside his own half.
From a long ball, Thomastown’s Luke Connellan pounced for a 55th-minute goal to make it a one-score game, 0-24 to 1-18, but UCC rifled over the next three and never looked back.
A similarly strong finish saw defending champions Mary I return successful from their trip to ATU Galway with a narrow two-point win; 0-22 to 2-14.
Mary I, spearheaded by Oisín O’Farrell’s 0-5 among 11 different scorers, led 0-12 to 0-10 at half-time.
However, they had fallen three behind by the 40th minute when Nathan Earner found the net for ATU. Darragh Donohoe also added eight frees for the Galwegians.
But Mary I, with Young Hurler of the Year Adam Hogan coming off the bench, struck the next seven points in a row and that gave enough of a cushion even after Darren O’Shaughnessy found the net with a late goal.
Elsewhere, UL secured a healthy home victory over SETU Waterford, winning by 3-24 to 1-17.
The four goals all arrived in the first half with Jack Leahy firing the opener before Ruben Halloran, who finished with 1-10, pushed the Waterford college back in front.
The UL reply was instant, with Adam English rattling the net before Leahy’s second made it 3-9 to 1-10 at the interval.
Even after English’s departure with a knock, UL kept padding out their lead for a 13-point win.
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Record Fitzgibbon Cup winners UCC produce late surge for win over UCD
LAST YEAR’S FINALISTS, Mary Immaculate College and University of Limerick, both got their Fitzgibbon Cup campaigns off to winning starts.
Record winners UCC are also up and running after seeing off UCD for a six-point victory, 0-29 to 1-20, at the Mardyke.
The Leesiders outgunned their visitors by 0-15 to 1-3 in the final 21 minutes.
Lining up without their Sarsfields contingent of Colm and Cathal McCarthy, Luke Elliott, and Daniel Hogan, plus the injured Eoin Downey, they finished with 12 different scorers, led by five points from brilliant Ballincollig midfielder Brian Keating.
The game had been level 10 times before that UCC surge.
Westmeath danger-man David Williams had a shot at goal saved by Paudie O’Sullivan in the first minute but his three points helped UCD to a 0-13 to 0-12 half-time lead. Free-taker Diarmaid Ó Dúlaing also popped over five points.
William Buckley struck the crossbar from UCC’s only goal chance but they had seven points from defenders in Michael Mullaney (0-3), Timmy Wilk (0-2), Ethan Twomey, and James Dwyer (0-1 each).
Into the second half, Cian Ó Cathasaigh helped to move UCD three ahead but UCC hit seven points on the spin with three from Keating and two Ben Cunningham frees from inside his own half.
From a long ball, Thomastown’s Luke Connellan pounced for a 55th-minute goal to make it a one-score game, 0-24 to 1-18, but UCC rifled over the next three and never looked back.
A similarly strong finish saw defending champions Mary I return successful from their trip to ATU Galway with a narrow two-point win; 0-22 to 2-14.
Mary I, spearheaded by Oisín O’Farrell’s 0-5 among 11 different scorers, led 0-12 to 0-10 at half-time.
However, they had fallen three behind by the 40th minute when Nathan Earner found the net for ATU. Darragh Donohoe also added eight frees for the Galwegians.
But Mary I, with Young Hurler of the Year Adam Hogan coming off the bench, struck the next seven points in a row and that gave enough of a cushion even after Darren O’Shaughnessy found the net with a late goal.
Elsewhere, UL secured a healthy home victory over SETU Waterford, winning by 3-24 to 1-17.
The four goals all arrived in the first half with Jack Leahy firing the opener before Ruben Halloran, who finished with 1-10, pushed the Waterford college back in front.
The UL reply was instant, with Adam English rattling the net before Leahy’s second made it 3-9 to 1-10 at the interval.
Even after English’s departure with a knock, UL kept padding out their lead for a 13-point win.
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Fitzgibbon Cup GAA Wrap