HISTORY WAS MADE in the Fitzgibbon Cup yesterday while the competition’s market leaders also triumphed.

In Coolock, Mary Immaculate College advanced to their first ever Fitzgibbon Cup semi-final with a 1-18 to 0-15 win against Dublin IT.

While in the Mardyke, the reigning champions UCC were 1-13 to 1-11 victors over local rivals Cork IT.

Those two sides can now look forward to the Fitzgibbon Cup finals weekend, which is hosted this year by GMIT, and commences on Friday week, March 1st.

This afternoon the identity of their semi-final opponents will be revealed. Mary Immaculate College will await the outcome of the quarter-final clash in Carriganore while UCC will watch on with interest the developments of the quarter-final tie in Belfield.

Fitzgibbon Cup quarter-final
Waterford IT v Limerick IT, Carriganore, 2.30pm, (Ref: Anthony Stapleton, Laois)

• Waterford IT last featured in the finals weekend in 2010, when they ultimately lost out in the decider after extra-time against NUI Galway in Pearse Stadium in Salthill.
• Limerick IT will be aiming to advance to their fourth successive Fitzgibbon Cup finals weekend. The side coached by Clare boss Davy Fitzgerald reached the semi-final in 2010 and 2012 while in 2011 they lost out to UL in the final which was played in Carriganore.
• Waterford IT topped Group B to qualify for the last eight with a 1-11 to 1-6 success over Carlow IT and a 3-15 to 2-8 victory over Cork IT. There is a strong Déise influence to their team with Liam Lawlor and Noel Connors in defence while Martin O’Neill and Jake Dillon shine in attack. Watch out as well for Eoin Murphy, Kilkenny’s senior sub goalkeeper last year, who shot 1-8 in attack in WIT’s last game.
• Limerick IT welcomed back Tipperary’s Seamus Callanan from injury for their last game and he shot 1-9 in their victory over DCU. That helped them atone for an opening 2-13 to 0-11 loss to UCD with Tipperary’s John O’Keeffe and the Clare duo of Sean Collins and Cathal McInerney also key figures today.
• Remember the 2008 Fitzgibbon final? These third-level outfits produced a classic with WIT winning out after two periods of extra-time by 1-29 to 1-24 despite Galway’s Joe Canning striking 1-16 for LIT.

WIT players celebrate at the final whistle of the 2008 final while the LIT players are devastated. Pic: INPHO/Lorraine O’Sullivan

Fitzgibbon Cup quarter-final
UCD v UL, Belfield, 2.30pm, (Ref: Brian Gavin, Offaly)

• It’s six years since UCD reached the final of the Fitzgibbon Cup and 12 years since they won the competition. In recent years they have been thwarted frequently at the quarter-final stage.
• UL were crowned champions two years ago when Tommy O’Brien bagged a dramatic late goal to see off Limerick IT. They have featured at the weekend stage for the last four years.
• UCD finished top of Group C after the team trained by former Tipperary All-Ireland winner Nicky English enjoyed victories over Limerick IT and DCU.
• UL, who include former Clare defensive great Brian Lohan in their management ranks, were runners-up in Group D after losing out to DIT by three points and heavily defeating St Patrick’s Mater Dei.
• These teams clashed in the 2011 quarter-final with UL triumphing by 0-15 to 0-12. Survivors from the UL side that day are Paddy Stapleton, Michael Walsh, Kieran Morris and Paul Kelly while Noel McGrath, Domhnall Fox, Conor Allis, Shane Norton and Oisin Gough featured for UCD. Interestingly current UCD player Paddy Murphy was then in action for UL.

Fitzgibbon Cup: UCC edge out local rivals CIT

Fitzgibbon Cup: Mary Immaculate College book semi-final berth