University of Limerick (UL) 1-23
University College Dublin (UCD) 2-9
BRIAN LOHAN’S UNIVERSITY of Limerick produced a powerful display to crush University College Dublin by eleven points in this afternoon’s Irish Daily Mail Fitzgibbon Cup Group B clash.
Clare’s 1995 and 1997 All-Ireland SHC medallist witnessed a polished display from his side as UL put themselves in pole position for a place in the quarter-finals right from the start.
Lohan’s fellow Banner County native Podge Collins was in impish form for UL against a disappointing UCD outfit.
Collins clipped over three points from play on a day when Tipperary star Jason Forde top scored for the hosts with seven points, including five from frees.
Another Tipp man, Nenagh’s Tommy Heffernan, bagged 1-2 on a day when UL had scoring contributions from ten players.
UCD, in contrast, were reliant on the free-taking of Wexford star Jack Guiney, who notched all but two points of his 1-6 haul from placed balls.
Thankfully the rain stayed away and it was UL who led by 1-11 to 1-4 at half-time, thanks in main to a run of 1-6 without reply after the four-time winners had fallen 0-1 to 0-3 behind early on.
Heffernan netted in the 15th minute but UCD rallied when Galway’s Cathal Keane raised a green flag seven minutes before half-time.
Guiney scored UCD’s second goal from a 20m free six minutes after the break but UL were always in control of this pivotal opening round clash between two of the traditional competition heavyweights.
Scorers for UL: Jason Forde 0-7 (5f), Tommy Heffernan 1-2, Podge Collins & Cathal Malone 0-3 each, Brian Stapleton & Johnny Glynn 0-2 each, Thomas Ryan, Conor Ryan, Padraic Walsh & Tommy O’Brien 0-1 each.
Scorers for UCD: Jack Guiney 1-6 (1-4f), Cathal Keane 1-1, Paddy Murphy 0-2.
UL: Shane Hassett (Tipperary); Paul Flanagan (Clare), Jack Sheehan (Cork), Jack Browne (Clare); Thomas Ryan (Limerick), Dan Morrissey (Limerick), Conor Ryan (Clare); Bill Maher (Tipperary), Padraic Walsh (Kilkenny); Cathal Malone (Clare), Podge Collins (Clare), Brian Stapleton (Tipperary); Jason Forde (Tipperary), Johnny Glynn (Galway), Tommy Heffernan (Tipperary).Subs: Seadna Morey (Clare) for Sheehan (38), Tommy O’Brien (Limerick) for Heffernan (49), Mikey O’Neill (Clare) for Stapleton (50), Martin Boran (Kilkenny) for Maher (55), Daire Quinn (Tipperary) for Flanagan (58).
UCD: Billy Leydon (Kilkenny); Bill O’Carroll (Dublin), William Phelan (Kilkenny), James Gannon (Kilkenny); Barry Coughlan (Waterford), Matthew O’Hanlon (Wexford), William Egan (Cork); Conor O’Shea (Galway), Cillian Buckley (Kilkenny); Paddy Murphy (Tipperary), Domhnal Fox (Galway), Garrett Sinnott (Wexford); Cathal Keane (Galway), Jack Guiney (Wexford), Walter Walsh (Kilkenny).Subs: Conor O’Shea (Kilkenny) for Conor O’Shea (Galway, h/t), David Higgins (Westmeath) for Fox (45), Jack McDowell (Kilkenny) for O’Carroll (45), Sean Murphy (Wexford) for Coughlan (49), Michael Brennan (Kilkenny) for Keane (58).
Referee: Fergal Horgan (Tipperary).
Some team ul have Sedna morey on the bench!
Thays not a bad UCD team, on paper anyway!
Seen them against the Dubs thought they were poor. They have 2 lads over 6ft in walsh amd guiney and dont use them right
UL led at half time not UCD.
Thanks, Kev.
Players like collins and kelly where very influencial to clare this year and without them clare would have won nothing, even though conlon was good this year clare would have got over the line without him in my opinion. I know your opinion is all that matters so i probably shouldn’t even post this.
No everyone is entitled to their own opinion. I never said Clare would have won without Kelly or Collins did I? I just said they were not the most vital vogs and in my opinion not 2 of the 3 best hurlers last year. They wouldn’t even have been 2 of the best 5 Clare hurlers of the year. They would be Dillon, Bugler, McInerney, Conor Ryan and Donnellan. Much like the Clare team of the 90′s this team is built from the backs and midfield. Overall their forwards are better now than they were in the 90′s. But again overall they wouldn’t come close to the Clare team of the 90′s.
UCD always seem to have a good team on paper but as they say paper players win paper trophies!
I went for UL at the start of the year and this impressive victory shows they mean business.
Jessus mike podge collins starred again as usual
Podge is a decent college hurler in fairness. Well in his comfort zone at this level. Conor Ryan is a better college and county hurler though.
@ mike neil why do you have to comment on every single story that remotely relates to a clare hurler and then go on about how useless they are even though they’ll have achieved more in 2013 than you ever would in a century, grow up and get a life with your fcukin annoyin posts
I’ve praised plenty of Clare hurlers in my comments. As you can clearly see above I praised Conor Ryan. I’ve often praised McInerney, Bugler and Conlon too. I don’t like players from any county who are overrated.
If you don’t like what I say stop reading my comments. I doubt there is anyone there forcing you to read them is there?? If there is ring the guards, they will help you I’m sure.
What happened you down in Clare Mike. Share with us & maybe we’ll find the root of your anti-Clare bitterness.
I have nothing wrong with Clare. I have praised many Clare hurlers on here. I don’t have to like all of them. Do you like all players from other counties? I’m sure you have had some choice words to say about them!!
Mike think your a dub and been such a KNOWLEDGEABLE hurling analyst I dont really know you around dublin hurling circles. What club are you? Dont think you ever played much club hurling and definitely no inter county ..
One of them armchair supporters
No mention of our boys in cork yet lads. …… ucc. Nice side again this year….. I think we are in for a long summer on the county scene with 3 to 4 new faces in the forward lines. Mon the rebels…. anyone that reckons that podge Collins isn’t in clares top 5 hurlers speaks volumes on his knowledge of the game. A absolute live wire. Great player. That’s from a cork man who’s heart was broken because of him in Septembers games.