Davy Fitzgerald with the LIT players
It's the final round of Fitzgibbon Cup group games on Tuesday, with quarter-final places up for grabs. LIT, GMIT, UL and Mary I have all booked their places so far, with a further three games to take place this evening.
Click here for previews to the remaining Fitzgibbon Cup matches, which will take place at 7pm
INDEPENDENT.IE FITZGIBBON CUP GROUP A: UCC 1-14 LIMERICK IT 2-15
By Denis Hurley at the Mardyke
Limerick IT finished strongly to top Group A of the Fitzgibbon Cup – and possibly eliminate UCC – at the Mardyke on Tuesday afternoon.
With UCD expected to beat Maynooth University in their evening game, the hosts needed to win by at least two points to ensure qualification for the knockout stages. Having been second-best for much of the second half, Alan Cadogan’s goal put them 1-13 to 1-12 in front in the 52nd minute, but they were unable to build on that.
LIT had an emphatic response, with Peter Duggan pointing before David Dempsey got their second goal from David Reidy’s fine pass. UCC sub Barry Lawton sought another goal but Eibhear Quilligan touched his shot over the bar and LIT pushed on to win by four, Duggan bringing his tally to 1-4 and sub Alan Dempsey nailing a fine effort.
In the first half, frees by Rob O’Shea and two good efforts by Cormac Murphy helped UCC to lead for much of the proceedings, but Diarmaid Byrnes’ free and a Duggan point put LIT 0-7 to 0-6 in front before O’Shea levelled on the whistle.
From the second-half throw-in, Cathal Barrett gained possession for LIT and launched a delivery towards the UCC goal. When the defence couldn’t clear, Duggan was able to touch the ball to the net for a 1-7 to 0-7 lead and though UCC replied with two O’Shea frees, they found parity difficult to achieve.
When Cadogan fired home from Niall McCarthy’s shot, it appeared that the day might yet hold something for them, but LIT dashed their hopes.
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**Scorers for LIT: **P Duggan 1-4 (2f), D Dempsey 1-2, D Byrnes 0-3 (3f), M O’Malley 0-2, A Dempsey 0-2, C Barrett, D Reidy 0-1 (1f)
Scorers for UCC: R O’Shea 0-7 (7f), A Cadogan 1-0, C Murphy 0-2, B Lawton 0-2, N McCarthy 0-1, J Power 0-1, T Devine 0-1
**LIT: **Eibhear Quilligan (Feakle, Clare); N O’Connor (Newmarket-on-Fergus, Clare), K Bennett (Ballysaggart, Waterford), O O’Brien (Clonlara, Clare); C Nolan (Smith O’Briens, Clare), W Ryan (Clonakenny, Tipperary), D Byrnes (Patrickswell, Limerick); J Campion (Borris-Kilcotton, Laois), C Barrett (Holycross-Ballycahill, Tipperary); J Shanahan (Sixmilebridge, Clare), M O’Malley (Kilmaley, Clare), D Dempsey (Na Piarsaigh, Limerick); N Maher (Doon, Limerick), P Duggan (Clooney-Quin, Clare), D Reidy (Éire Óg Ennis, Clare). Subs: A Dempsey (Na Piarsaigh, Limerick) for Campion (36), W Connors (Kildangan, Tipperary) for Nolan (46), S Gleeson (Cratloe, Clare) for Maher (58).
UCC: K Hogan (Clooney-Quin, Clare); C Gleeson (Fourmilewater, Waterford), M Breen (Ballina, Tipperary), S Roche (Shamrocks, Waterford); R Cahalane (Ballymartle, Cork), D Morrissey (Ahane, Waterford), G O’Brien (Roanmore, Waterford); J Barron (Fourmilewater, Waterford), C Murphy (Mallow, Cork); T Devine (Modeligo, Waterford), N McCarthy (Carrigtwohill, Cork), R O’Shea (Carrigaline, Cork); A Cadogan (Douglas, Cork), S O’Donnell (Éire Óg Ennis, Clare), J Power (Carrickshock, Kilkenny). Subs: B Lawton (Castlemartyr, Cork) for Cahalane (39), DJ Foran (Portlaw, Waterford) for Devine (48, injured), E Finn (St Finbarr’s, Cork) for Power (58).
Referee: F Horgan (Tipperary)
Declan Hannon
INDEPENDENT.IE FITZGIBBON CUP GROUP C: DIT 0-5 MARY IMMACULATE 1-20
By Jackie Cahill at Parnells GAA, Coolock
A big victory for Mary Immaculate College against DIT this afternoon proved good enough for Eamonn Cregan’s side to top Group C of the Independent.ie Fitzgibbon Cup and progress to the quarter-finals.
Limerick star Declan Hannon hit 0-9 for the winners and Darragh Corry supplied the second half goal against a disappointing DIT outfit at Parnell’s GAA club in Coolock.
Mathematically, DIT still stood a chance of going through but only if an unlikely series of results went their way. After slumping to an 18-point defeat, their remote hopes were scuppered as 2013 finalists Mary I marched on to the last eight.
With Hannon bagging four points, Mary I led by 0-10 to 0-3 after playing with the breeze in icy conditions, before Corry’s strike put the end result beyond any doubt. DIT managed just a single point from play during the entire game – supplied by Conor Sheehan with six minutes left.
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Scorers for Mary I: D Hannon 0-9 (6f), D Corry 1-2, D O’Donovan 0-5 (1f, 1 65), C Lynch 0-2, S Cahill & C Galvin 0-1 each.
**Scorers for DIT: **J Guiney 0-3f, C Sheehan & D McNicholas (f) 0-1 each.
MARY I: M O’Conghaile; E Quirke, R English, A Ryan; R Maher, T Stapleton, J Meagher; S Cahill, D O’Donovan; C Galvin, N O’Meara, D Corry; D Reidy, D Hannon, C Lynch. **Subs: **S Linnane for O’Meara (45), A Flynn for Quirke (50), M O’Neill for Reidy (52).
DIT: P McKenna; S McClelland, T Doyle, C Robinson; S Barrett, L Chin, D Guinan; J Henderson, G Whelan; J Guiney, C Sheehan, R Greville; D McNicholas, J Sweeney, AJ Murphy. Subs: C O’Donoghue for McClelland (29), B Kelly for McNicholas (50).
Referee: M Murtagh (Westmeath)
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John McGrath
INDEPENDENT.IE FITZGIBBON CUP GROUP C: UL 0-15 NUI GALWAY 0-16
By Daragh Small at Rhebogoe
Tipperary's John McGrath notched nine points for UL as they did enough to progress to the knockout stages of the Fitzgibbon Cup despite a one-point defeat to NUIG at Rhebogue in Limerick.
Group C was finely posed entering the final round of matches but NUIG knew they needed to win by three, however despite a 0-13 to 0-6 lead at half-time they couldn’t hold on to a sufficient winning margin.
Clare forward Bobby Duggan also hit nine points for the Galway students and they led 0-16 to 0-13 with time running out, but McGrath and Kevin O’Brien ensured the reigning champions advanced.
NUI Galway made a fast start to the game and when Galway star Padraic Mannion hit his first point they led 0-4 to 0-1 after eight minutes with a strong wind at their backs.
UL fought back to trail by one when McGrath hit his fourth in the 23rd minute, but four Duggan frees gave NUIG a clear lead at half-time.
Duggan shot their first of the second-half inside two minutes but they couldn’t sustain their dominance. UL eased back into the game courtesy of scores from Kevin Hehir, Jason Forde and McGrath. And despite Duggan’s ninth giving NUIG a three-point advantage, they only won it by the minimum.
Scorers for NUI Galway: B Duggan 0-9 (8f), N O’Brien 0-2, P Mannion 0-2, C Mannion 0-1, K McHugo 0-1, O Donnellan 0-1
Scorers for UL: J McGrath 0-9 (7f), T Morrissey 0-2, J Forde 0-1 (1f), K Hehir 0-1, K O’Brien 0-1, D Fitzgerald 0-1.
NUI GALWAY: C Tuohy (Galway); C Ryan (Tipperary), B Fitzpatrick (Clare), R Lane (Galway); S Cooney (Galway), J Hanbury (Galway), P Mannion (Galway); N O’Brien (Westmeath), O Donnellan (Clare); B Duggan (Clare), K McHugo (Galway), M Mullins (Galway); J Fox (Limerick), C Whelan (Galway), C Mannion (Galway). Subs: G Hennelly (Galway) for Fox (49 mins), S Hynes (Galway) for Lane (54).
**UL: **P Maher (Tipperary); M Casey (Limerick), J Browne (Clare), S Roche (Galway); A McGuane (Clare), B Heffernan (Tipperary), B Stapleton (Tipperary); K Hehir (Clare), D Fitzgerald (Clare); J Forde (Tipperary), T Morrissey (Limerick), C Martin (Kilkenny); J McGrath (Tipperary), K O’Brien (Limerick), T Heffernan (Tipperary). **Subs: **P Ryan (Limerick) for McGuane (38 mins), C McInerney (Clare) for Heffernan (42), B Maher (Tipperary) for Hehir (51).
**Referee: **Cathal McAllister (Cork).
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INDEPENDENT.IE FITZGIBBON CUP GROUP D: GMIT 1-4 UUJ 0-4
By Declan Rooney at Bekan
GMIT qualified for the quarter-finals of the Fitzgibbon Cup after a battle with the elements at the Connacht GAA centre.
Darragh Burke's goal 12 minutes from time finally edged the tie in the Galway side's favour after their opponents had played the last 42 minutes of the game with 14 men, and the last nine minutes with 13 men.
Jackson McGreevey was shown a straight red for an off the ball incident in the 18th minute, while Johnny O'Dwyer joined him on the sidelines when he was adjudged to have stuck his opponent in the fourth quarter.
The game was played in gale force winds, sheeting rain and the perishing cold and both teams struggled hugely to get any distance on their strikes. It was 0-2 to 0-2 at half-time, which probably pleased GMIT more as they had some advantage from the wind to come after the break.
Nicky McKeague, who hit all four of UUJ's points, edged UUJ a point clear in the 35th minute, but Brendan Tuohey soon levelled for GMIT.
The sides swapped points again, but Burke's well struck goal with 12 minutes to go finally split the sides. As group runners up, GMIT now have an away quarter-final to look forward to next week.
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Scorers for GMIT: D Burke 1-1 (1f), C Gardiner 0-1, B Tuohey 0-1, D Mangan 0-1.
Scorers for UUJ: N McKeague 0-4 (3f)
GMIT: J Barrett; D Cronin, I Creaven, J Finnerty; L Cosgrave, P Hoban, S Collins; D Burke, D Conroy; B Tuohey, J Mooney, J Mannion; D Mangan, D Nevin, C Gardiner. Subs: D Ward for Gardiner (40), R Ellis for Cosgrave (51), C Reilly for Hoban (67), D Cooney for Finnerty (69).
**UUJ: **C Heyden; S Rooney, R Brannigan, N Devlin; G Walsh, T Mannion, T O Ciaran; M Dudley, D McKernan; J McGreevey, S McAfee, A Kelly; J Connolly, A Dooley, N McKeague. Subs: R Courtney for O Ciaran (23), J O'Connell for McKernan (27), A Curtin for McKeague (48).
Referee: Kevin McGeeney (Roscommon)
