Davy Fitzgerald with the LIT players
The two remaining places at Fitzgibbon Cup 2016 finals weekend are up for grabs today, with last year's four semi-finalists in action.
Today's winners will join Mary I and UCD in the semi-finals, both of whom advanced on Tuesday. Fitzgibbon Cup Finals Weekend will take place at the CIT campus in Bishopstown on February 26 and 27.
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Wednesday, February 17
Independent.ie HE GAA Fitzgibbon Cup Quarter-finals
Limerick IT v WIT, Limerick IT, 2pm
WIT beat St Pat’s-Mater Dei (1-19 to 0-9) and DCU (2-22 to 1-12) before losing to IT Carlow (1-8 to 1-5) in their final group game, though their passage to the quarter-finals had already been secured at that stage.
WIT, last year’s beaten finalists, include Austin Gleeson (Waterford), Liam McGrath (Tipperary) and a host of Kilkenny players in a side managed by Colm Bonnar.
LIT, managed by Davy Fitzgerald once again this year, beat Maynooth (4-16 to 0-10), UCD (0-18 to 1-14) and then UCC (2-15 to 1-14) in the group stages. The win over UCC at the Mardyke was particularly impressive, knocking ‘College’ out of the competition and completing a very impressive campaign which saw them top their group.
Cathal Barrett (Tipperary), David Reidy and Peter Duggan (both Clare) and Diarmuid Byrnes, who gave an assured performance at centre-back in Limerick’s Allianz League win over Wexford last Saturday, are LIT’s stand-out players.
Both sides reached finals weekend last year so at least one side will be disappointed. The winners progress to finals weekend in Cork IT, with the semi-finals scheduled for Friday, February 26.
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CIT v University of Limerick, Cork IT, 7pm
UL had a nine-point win over DIT in their opening game, before they effectively sealed their place in the quarter-finals with a 5-15 to 3-14 over Mary I, the Tipperary trio of Jason Forde, Tommy Heffernan and John McGrath doing most of the damage, while Clare’s All-Ireland winner Cathal McInerney scored three crucial points from play off the bench.
UL, the reigning champions, lost their final group game to NUIG, 0-16 to 0-15, with John McGrath hitting 0-9, but they did enough to finish as runners up in the group and seal their passage to today’s quarter-finals. Brian Lohan’s charges are favourites to defend the title, though the loss of Tony Kelly to a knee injury for the rest of the competition is a major blow, while Limerick defender Seán Finn sustained a season-ending cruciate injury in the win over Mary I.
As finals weekend hosts, CIT will be fired up for this tilt at the holders, and home advantage in Bishopstown should give Pat Mulcahy’s charges an excellent chance of causing an upset. Having cruised to wins over GMIT (3-22 to 0-7) and Ulster University (1-18 to 1-14) in the group stages, this will undoubtedly be the sternest test of their credentials to date.
With Cork stars Bill Cooper and Jamie Coughlan in their ranks, CIT have a very strong side and an excellent pedigree, but they will be without star man and scorer-in-chief John O’Dwyer on Wednesday, the Tipperary sharpshooter having been red-carded in group game against Ulster University. Cork centre-back Mark Ellis, another key player, is also ruled out with an ankle injury sustained while playing for the Rebels last Sunday.
The winners progress to finals weekend in Cork IT, with the semi-finals scheduled for Friday, February 26.
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