University of Limerick 0-19
SETU Waterford 0-16

Tomás McCarthy reports from SETU Arena

TIPPERARY ATTACKER GEAROID O’Connor shot 13 points as University of Limerick squeezed past SETU Waterford in a hard fought Fitzgibbon Cup semi-final at Carriganore.

A Dean Mason double save in the second half was a big moment for the defending champions while Limerick defender Colin Coughlin also stepped up with three points from play and a goal saving hook.

Sam and Josh Fitzgerald defended heroically for SETU while Déise senior Padraig Fitzgerald scored four points from play as seven second-half wides proved costly.

The home side led 6-3 after nine minutes. Reuben Halloran hit three points with Gavin Fives, Paul Cody and Padraig Fitzgerald also on target. The champions responded with five unanswered points.

Gearoid O’Connor converted five frees before Diarmuid Hannify struck their first from play. Limerick senior Colin Coughlin shot a screamer from 70 metres while Tipperary’s Bryan O’Mara landed another from distance to make it 0-8 to 0-6.

Off the puckout, Sean Walsh set off on a solo run and split the posts tight to the sideline. Three Halloran frees edged the locals back in front.

University of Limerick's Ian Byrne and Billy Nolan of SETU Waterford react to the final whistle. Tom Maher / INPHO Tom Maher / INPHO / INPHO

Padraig Fitzgerald fired his second point before Billy Nolan belted over a monster free from inside his own half. With it 0-12 to 0-8 to Fintan O’Connor’s men after 26 minutes, Gearoid O’Connor dragged his level at the break with four points in a row, including a huge free.

Six minutes into the second period, UL shot stopper Dean Mason made an amazing double save from Gavin Fives and Sean Walsh. Bryan O’Mara pointed at the other end to put the champions 14-13 in front. A game changer.

O’Connor added two more points to his tally, Halloran missed two frees for the hosts before Colin Coughlin hooked Paul Cody as he advanced on goal. Coughlin then lashed over his second point from play (0-17 to 0-13). Padraig Fitzgerald got SETU’s first point in 13 minutes.

SETU twice narrowed the gap to two in the last quarter but Coughlin and O’Connor replied. Billy Nolan saw an injury time free saved on the line as UL held on.

Scorers for UL: Gearoid O’Connor 0-13 (11fs), Colin Coughlin 0-3, Bryan O’Mara 0-2, Diarmuid Hannify 0-1.

Scorers for SETU Waterford: Reuben Halloran 0-8 (7fs), Padraig Fitzgerald 0-4, Billy Nolan (f), Sean Walsh, Paul Cody, Gavin Fives 0-1 each.

UL

Dean Mason (Kilkenny)

Mark Fitzgerald (Waterford)
TJ Brennan (Galway)
Mike Gough (Clare)

Colin Coughlin (Limerick)
Bryan O’Mara (Tipperary)
Darragh Corcoran (Kilkenny)

Brian O’Sullivan (Cork)
Killian Sampson (Offaly)

Adam English (Limerick)
Gearoid O’Connor (Tipperary)
Sean Twomey (Cork)

Diarmuid Hannify (Galway)
Michael Kiely (Waterford)
James Power (Waterford).

Subs:

Shane Staunton (Kilkenny) for Gough (39)
Ian Byrne (Kilkenny) for Hannify (51)
Cian Darcy (Tipperary) for English (55).

SETU Waterford (Waterford unless stated)

Barry Hennessy (Limerick)

Conor Ryan
Sam Fitzgerald
Josh Fitzgerald

Mark O’Brien
Billy Nolan
Sean Purcell (Kilkenny)

Jack Prendergast
Jamie Harkin (Kilkenny)

Paul Cody (Kilkenny)
Gavin Fives
Sean Walsh (Cork)

Padraig Fitzgerald
Reuben Halloran
Alan Kirwan.

Referee: James Owens (Wexford)