DCU Dóchas Éireann's Joe Flanagan in Electric Ireland Fitzgibbon Cup action. Photo by Thomas Flinkow/Sportsfile
Electric Ireland Fitzgibbon Cup
Group B
MTU Cork 3-21 UCD 1-15
Group C
DCU 2-22 Maynooth University 2-17
By Paul Keane at Belfield
Back-to-back wins for MTU Cork in the Electric Ireland Fitzgibbon Cup and their quarter-final place secured with a game to spare.
It's been a successful start to the 2025 campaign for MTU Cork who streaked to a 12-point win this evening in Belfield.
Goal king Alan Connolly hit the net again for the visitors while fellow Corkonians Mikey Finn and David O'Sullivan also raised green flags.
Neutrals around Cork may have been looking forward to next week's Round 3 fixture between MTU Cork and UCC as a potential Group B barnburner.
But in a show of strength by the Rebel County, both teams are already through to the last eight following their respective wins this week so may yet opt to keep their powder dry in Round 3.
UCC took care of their business last night and MTU Cork sped to victory at Belfield after blowing out some early dirty petrol.
They conceded five of the game's first six points as hosts UCD raced into a 0-5 to 0-1 lead with nine minutes on the clock.
Having failed to get out of their group last year, and having lost more recently to UCC in Round 1 of this year's competition, UCD badly needed the win.
Rising Westmeath star David Williams hinted that he may even propel them to that triumph when he netted after 16 minutes, opening up a five-point advantage at that stage.
But UCD, minus the services of Dublin's Dara Purcell and Diarmaid O'Dulaing, as well as newly appointed Kilkenny vice-captain Peter McDonald who was listed as a sub but didn't feature, couldn't kick on.
Instead it was MTU Cork, who looked lethargic initially after the long bus journey north, who got back to level terms by half-time, 0-12 to 1-9, and powered on from there to the dozen-point win.
Connolly, an All-Ireland finalist with Cork last year, helped himself to 1-5 overall while Waterford's Sean Walsh, Diarmuid Healy and Brian Lynch all stood out in a lively attack for the visitors.
Substitute O'Sullivan from Ballincollig grabbed MTU Cork's first goal in the 40th minute to put them three clear at that stage.
Finn stroked home from close range for their second in the 54th minute with UCD's defence visibly crumbling as the game wore on.
Connolly completed his scoring with a terrific goal approaching the hour when he raced in along the right endline and blasted one-handed to the roof of the UCD net.
Sub Rhys McCarthy added a couple of late points while Walsh was on the mark with a fine stoppage time score too.
Williams finished with 1-7 for UCD and Brendan Scanlon, from the nearby Kilmacud Crokes club, also impressed but they ran out of steam by half-time and only added three points from play in the entire second-half.
MTU Cork, with Ciaran Joye in defence and Jack Cahalane also showing up well in the full-forward line, march on and will use that final round clash with UCC, at MTU Cork, as preparation ahead of the knock-out stage.
Meanwhile, DCU had five points to spare on their home soil at St Clare's against Maynooth, powering on from their Round 1 draw with TUS Midwest.
In the three-team Group C, DCU were desperate for a Round 2 win and hit the ground running with an early goal and a 1-14 to 1-8 half-time lead.
Cillian Hackett's 22nd minute goal for Maynooth kept them in it but they slipped eight points behind in a difficult third quarter as DCU tagged on more scores.
Colm Fogarty's 43rd minute goal gave Maynooth brief hope, cutting the deficit to four points at that stage, but DCU finishly strongly and their second goal arrived shortly after.
The result leaves Maynooth needing a win over TUS Midwest next Thursday, in Maynooth, to keep their interest in the competition alive.
Scorers for MTU Cork: Alan Connolly 1-5 (4fs), Diarmuid Healy 0-5, Sean Walsh 0-4, David O'Sullivan, Mikey Finn 1-0 each, Jack Cahalane, Brian Lynch, Rhys McCarthy 0-2 each, Darragh O'Sullivan 0-1.
Scorers for UCD: David Williams 1-7 (5fs), Brendan Scanlon 0-3, Luke Connellan 0-2, Cian O Cathasaigh, David Lee, Cathal Kearney 0-1 each.
MTU Cork (Cork unless stated): Cathal Wilson (Newcestown); Fionn O'Connell (St Catherine's), Eoghan Varian (Glen Rovers), Darragh O'Sullivan (Ballinhassig); Sam Fitzgerald (Clashmore/Kinsalebg, Waterford), Ciaran Joyce (Castlemartyr), Michael Mullins (Whitechurch); Mikey Finn (Midleton), Ronan Walsh (Kilmoyley, Kerry); Sean Walsh (Fourmilewater, Waterford), Brian Lynch (Ballinhassig), Diarmuid Healy (Lisgoold); Alan Connolly (Blackrock), Alan Walsh (Kanturk), Jack Cahalane (St Finbarr's).
Subs: David O'Sullivan (Ballincollig) for R Walsh (h/t); Richard O'Sullivan (Newcestown) for A Walsh (47); Rhys McCarthy (Carrigaline) for Lynch (55); Mark Tobin (Mallow) for Cahalane (61).
UCD: F Boyd (Kilmacud Crokes, Dublin); S McCaul (Scariff, Clare), M Walsh (Ardrahan, Galway), E Ryan (St Anne's, Wexford); P Connellan (Thomastown, Kilkenny), C O Cathasaigh (Kilmacud Crokes, Dublin), C O'Toole (Cuala, Dublin); C Kearney (Danesfort, Kilkenny), F Mahony (Abbeyleix, Laois); B Scanlon (Kilmacud Crokes, Dublin), J Duggan (The Harps, Laois), L Connellan (Thomastown, Kilkenny); C Gaffney (Castlepollard, Westmeath), D Lee (Clarinbridge, Galway), D Williams (Lough Lene Gaels, Westmeath).
Subs: C O'Hanlon (Ballinasloe, Galway) for Boyd (h/t); C McCarthy for O'Toole (33); C Lowry (Cuala, Dublin) for L Connellan (50); S Barron (Ballyhale Shamrocks, Kilkenny) for P Connellan (50); P Brennan (Young Irelands, Kilkenny) for McCaul (62).
Referee: M Redmond (Wexford).
