UCD 1-13
Maynooth University 0-10

Jackie Cahill reports from Belfield

NICKY ENGLISH WATCHED his complacent UCD sweat it out before booking their place in the quarter-finals of the Fitzgibbon Cup in freezing Belfield this evening.

UCD began in the knowledge that any kind of victory would do them after Limerick IT’s win over UCC earlier in the day.

But English’s players seemed to let that affect them as Maynooth produced their most competitive display of the Group A campaign to give the hosts a real fright.

Maynooth trailed by 0-2 to 1-7 at half-time but with Paul Winters in excellent form, they cut the gap back to just three points in the second half.

UCD nerves were jangling but Padraic Guinan settled them with his side’s opening score of the second half.

It was a night when UCD hit countless wides but Oisin O’Rorke, guilty of some poor misses, landed his third pointed free to establish a five-point gap.

Niall Kenny cut the deficit to four again and while UCD hit back with a brace of scores to move six clear, two Winters frees had Maynooth still in touch down the home straight.

Late scores finally got UCD over the line but English will realise that a performance similar to this won’t suffice against IT Carlow in next week’s quarter-final away from home.

UCD can thank Ciaran Prendergast for a goal five minutes before half-time that finally put some real daylight between the sides as the winners operated with the breeze in the opening half.

James Maher was arguably UCD’s man of the match, however, contributing four points from play.

Scorers for UCD: James Maher & Oisin O’Rorke (4f) 0-4 each, Padraic Guinan 0-2, Ciaran Prendergast 1-0, Eoin Conroy, Sean Moran (f) & Jack O’Connor 0-1 each.

Scorers for Maynooth: Paul Winters 0-8 (6f), David Burke & Niall Kenny 0-1 each.

UCD

1. Darragh Holohan (Dicksboro, Kilkenny)

2. Pat Hannon (Athenry, Galway)
3. Sean Murphy (Buffers Alley, Wexford)
7. Conor O’Shea (Clara, Kilkenny)

5. James Madden (Ballyboden St Enda’s, Dublin)
6. Cian O’Callaghan (Cuala, Dublin)
18. Cian MacGabhann (Kilmacud Crokes, Dublin)

9. Sean Moran (Cuala, Dublin)
10. James Maher (St Lachtain’s, Kilkenny)

19. Padraic Guinan (Drumcullen, Offaly)
15. Jack O’Connor (St Martin’s, Wexford)
31. Eoin Conroy (Naomh Eanna, Wexford)

13. Ross King (Rathdowney, Laois)
14. Oisin O’Rorke (Kilmacud Crokes, Dublin)
11. Ciaran Prendergast (Clara, Kilkenny)

Subs:

22. Tomas O’Leary (Buffers Alley, Wexford) for Prendergast (38)
8. Huw Lawlor (O’Loughlin Gaels, Kilkenny) for Conroy (43)
28. Cathal Keane (Athenry, Galway) for King (52)
17. Conor Devitt (Kilanerin, Wexford) for Moran (58)

Maynooth University

1. Robert Fitzgerald (Carnew Emmets,Wicklow)

2. Ciaran Breen (Barrow Rangers, Kilkenny)
3. Eoin McLoughlin (St Jude’s, Dublin)
28. Michael Campion (Roscrea, Tipperary)

27. David Hennessy (James Stephens, Kilkenny)
6. Paddy Deegan (O’Loughlin Gaels, Kilkenny)
7. Tom Stafford (Naomh Eanna, Wexford)

5. Kevin Sheridan (Oulart the Ballagh, Wexford)
14. Ross Donohoe (Buffers Alley, Wexford)

10. David Burke (O’Loughlin Gaels, Kilkenny)
11. Paul Winters (St Brigids, Dublin)
23. Brian Molloy (Kilnadeema-Leitrim, Galway)

15. Eoin Kenny (Slieverue, Kilkenny)
13. Ayrton Gleeson (Naomh Brid, Carlow)
12. Niall Kenny (Celbridge, Kildare)

Sub:

20. David Sweeney (Tullaroan, Kilkenny) for Molloy (18).

Referee: Alan Kelly (Galway)

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