Padraig Lennon and Paddy Langton of DCU celebrate after the Electric Ireland HE GAA Fitzgibbon Cup semi-final match between University College Cork and Dublin City University Dóchas Éireann at SETU Carlow Campus in Carlow. Photo by Matt Browne/Sportsfile.
By John Harrington
History beckons for the DCU hurlers when they play UL in Saturday’s Electric Ireland Fitzgibbon Cup Final.
They’ve never won the prestigious competition and this is just the second time they’ve even reached the final, so a maiden victory this weekend would be a very special day for the University.
“Of course it would, and especially on the back of the footballers winning the Sigerson Cup last night,” DCU manager, Paul Carney, told GAA.ie
“It's been a great year for the club so far. But, look, we have to turn up on the day and focus on ourselves.
“Our captain, Padraic Moylan made reference to it after the Mary I game, we've been underdogs in every game we've played really and nobody has backed us.
“But, as Padraic said, being an underdog is the best place you can be because there's no pressure on you when you're in that role. We've relished it.
“We've done our due diligence on our opposition, but we've really focused on ourselves going into every game and thankfully it has seen us through every day.”
A UL team that boasts senior inter-county stars like Limerick trio Adam English, Colin Coughlan, and Aidan O’Connor, Tipperary’s Gearoid O’Connor, and Clare’s Patrick Crotty are favourites for good reason.
They’ve won the four matches they’ve played in this year’s competition by an average of 13 points each and are gunning for a third Fitzgibbon Cup title in four years.
Beating them looks like a tall order for DCU, but they’ve showed some very impressive form themselves on the way to the final, beating defending champions Mary I in the quarter-final and a talented UCC team in the semi-final.
They’re a very well organised team which has something to do, no doubt, with the fact that a good chunk of them have played together since Freshers or are team-mates at inter-county level.
Five of the six backs are Kilkenny men who know one another’s game inside out, and there’s a similar level of understanding in the middle third of the field between Offaly trio Donal Shirley, Colin Spain, and Sam Bourke.
DCU manager, Paul Carney.
These DCU players are a tight bunch off the field as well as on it, which might be why they have such a vibrant team spirit.
“We're such a tight group,” says Carney. “I know it's a cliche, but this group really enjoys one another's company.
"They come into us excited and happy to train together and they're very close off the pitch too which helps. It really brings us together because lads are very willing to work for each other.
"It's so enjoyable coming up to St. Clare's during the winter with the lights on. You've young lads who have so much energy coming in.
“They socialise together, they hurl together at such a high level, and it’s great how close they’ve become.
“Darragh Carley from Wexford had his 21st earlier this year and 12 lads from Kilkenny went on a bus down to Glynn-Barntown. That's what third level hurling means to these lads.”
Some key match-ups will have a big bearing on this game, with the midfield showdown between DCU’s Shirley and Spain and UL’s English and Brian O’Sullivan potentially decisive.
UL are favourites for a reason, but if DCU can dominate that battle-zone in the middle third they have the wherewithal to pull off a shock.
“We're looking forward to it,” says Carney of the considerable challenge faced by his team.
“There's lads for DCU that haven't played at the same level some of the UL lads have but they're relishing this opportunity to really test themselves against some of the best hurlers in the country.
“There isn't that much pressure on us because not many people are giving us a chance.
“We'll go out, focus on ourselves, and if we can get our match-ups right and play to the best of our ability then we'll have a chance. We're not coming to just make up the numbers.”
Saturday, February 15
Electric Ireland Fitzgibbon Cup Final
UL v DCU, Connacht GAA Centre, 2.45pm (TG4)
