Mary Immaculate College 1-17
Waterford IT 1-15

MARY IMMACULATE COLLEGE made history this afternoon by reaching their first ever Fitzgibbon Cup final with a two-point victory in a dramatic semi-final clash at Carnmore in Galway.

The winners had to play the majority of the game with 14 men after Limerick senior Declan Hannon was shown a red card in the opening stages for what referee James McGrath deemed a reckless challenge.

But with Clare senior John Conlon and Cork senior Luke O’Farrell both in outstanding form as they notched a combined total of 1-13, Mary Immaculate prevailed.

Midfielder Colm Galvin, defender Robert O’Donnell and wing-forward Sean Curran were others to shine for the victors.

Waterford IT had produced a second-half comeback to tie the game in injury-time when Déise senior Paraic Mahony notched his sixth point of the game from a close-range free.

Yet Mary Immaculate College, trained by former Limerick and Offaly boss Eamonn Cregan, claimed the vital points in injury-time of a marathon second-half.

Galway’s Conor Cooney, introduced as a substitute despite pre-match doubts over his availability due to St Thomas appearance in the upcoming All-Ireland club final, launched over a huge free from distance before O’Farrell rifled over a shot from play to seal their win.

Mary Immaculate were under severe pressure early in the game as WIT poured forward and Kilkenny’s Eoin Murphy had his penalty attempt in the 4th minute blocked on the line by the Mary Immaculate rearguard.

Then Hannon was dismissed but the winners stood tall with Conlon inspiring them up front and he whipped a fierce drive to the net in the 17th minute to push them ahead by 1-4 to 0-3. Soon after WIT suffered the setback of seeing key defender Noel Connors go off injured.

Waterford IT’s Tomas Hamill rises highest. Pic: INPHO/James Crombie

It was Conlon who rounded off the first-half scoring to leave them in front by 1-7 to 0-8 at the interval and Mary Immaculate dominated the third quarter to at one juncture enjoy a 1-13 to 0-9 advantage.

WIT responded with Mahony, Murphy and Jake Dillon all in accurate shooting form while Michael Sheedy blasted home a vital goal. A late Mahony free looked set to send the game into extra-time before Cooney and O’Farrell clinched glory for the 14-man Mary Immaculate College side who advance to tomorrow afternoon’s final.

Scorers for Mary Immaculate College: John Conlon 1-9 (0-6f), Luke O’Farrell 0-4, Colm Galvin, Conor Cooney (0-1f), Brian O’Halloran, Sean Curran 0-1 each.
Scorers for Waterford IT: Paraic Mahony 0-6 (0-4f), Michael Sheedy 1-1, Eoin Murphy (0-2f), Jake Dillon 0-3 each, Gavin O’Brien, Martin O’Neill 0-1 each.

MARY IMMACULATE: Shane Nolan (Toomevara, Tipperary); Cilian Fennessy (Clonlara, Clare), Robert O’Donnell (Pallasgreen, Limerick), Andrew Ryan (Toomevara, Tipperary); Jamie Wall (Kilbrittain, Cork), Declan Hannon (Adare, Limerick),Eanna Hogan (Kilruane McDonaghs, Tipperary); Killian Fitzgerald (Passage, Waterford), Colm Galvin (Clonlara, Clare); Sean Curran (Mullinahone, Tipperary), Brian O’Halloran (Clashmore, Waterford), Niall O’Meara (Kilruane McDonaghs, Tipperary); William Hickey (South Liberties, Limerick), John Conlon (Clonlara, Clare), Luke O’Farrell (Midleton, Cork).

Subs: Conor Cooney (St Thomas, Galway) for Fitzgerald, Lar Considine (Patrickswell, Limerick) for Hickey.

WATERFORD IT: 1. Stephen O’Keeffe (Ballygunner, Waterford); 2. Stephen O’Keeffe (Ballygunner, Waterford), Liam Lawlor (Fourmilewater, Waterford), Noel Connors (Passage East, Waterford); Ciaran Haugh (Lorrha-Dorrha, Tipperary), Wayne Hutchinson (Ballygunner, Waterford), Tomás Hamill (Killea, Tipperary); Stephen Roche (Mount Sion, Waterford), Harry Kehoe (Cloughbawn, Wexford); Paraic Mahony (Ballygunner, Waterford), Michael Sheedy (Portroe, Tipperary), Eoin Murphy (Glenmore, Kilkenny); Martin O’Neill (Mount Sion, Waterford), Jake Dillon (De La Salle, Waterford), Gavin O’Brien (Roanmore, Waterford).

Subs: Shaun Murphy (Oulart-the-Ballagh, Wexford) for Connors (inj), Aidan McGrath (Loughmore-Castleiney, Tipperary) for 2. Stephen O’Keeffe, Martin Power (Piltown, Kilkenny) for Kehoe, Liam McGrath (Loughmore-Castleiney, Tipperary) for Murphy (inj).

Referee: James McGrath (Westmeath)

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