UCC hurler, Brian Keating.
Electric Ireland Fitzgibbon Cup Group B round 3
UCC 0-23 MTU Cork 0-20
By Stephen Barry, MTU Cork Campus
UCC secured their progress to the Fitzgibbon Cup semi-finals with a hard-earned derby victory over MTU Cork, who will face a quarter-final next week.
The Skull and Crossbones were never headed as Ben Cunningham fired 0-12 before pulling up injured.
They fired 16 wides to MTU’s two, however, including 11 in the second half as the hosts kept fighting to the end.
Jack Cahalane had a close-range free saved by Timmy Wilk and bundled a last-gasp chance wide either side of Fionn Coleman’s insurance point.
With progression guaranteed, both sides lined out minus a couple of their Cork starters. Ciarán Joyce and Alan Connolly didn’t tog for MTU, while Eoin Downey and Ethan Twomey were marked absent for UCC.
A fine crowd packed the MTU stand and overflowed onto the bank across the field for a game that was played with plenty of bite.
UCC dashed out to a fast start with points from Brian Keating, Peter McGarry, and a Ben Cunningham free.
After good defending from Fionn O’Connell, Darragh O’Sullivan picked out a pinpoint pass to Diarmuid Healy for MTU’s opening score.
There were goal chances at either end as Jack Cahalane volleyed an attempt over the crossbar before Coleman’s shot was taken off the line.
Waterford’s Seán Walsh teed up one for Darragh O’Sullivan before unleashing a point of his own from halfway to bring the teams level.
UCC pushed ahead with four in a row. Three of those came from top-scorer Cunningham, including two frees, while smart work from Darragh Flynn sent the overlapping Cathal McCarthy into space for the other.
In between, Alan Walsh had a great goal chance but fired at Paudie O’Sullivan, who produced a sharp save.
Seán Walsh, David O’Sullivan, and their first scoreable free from Cahalane made a dent in that advantage before Healy and Alan Walsh had it back to the minimum by the break; 0-12 to 0-11.
Coleman touched the sliotar to the net within seconds of the restart but Colm Lyons called a square ball.
Michael Mullaney and William Buckley sparked to life with two points each as UCC stretched five clear, 0-20 to 0-15, by the three-quarter mark.
Coleman twice fired wide when eyeing goal as their wide tally began to spiral.
MTU were far more efficient with Cahalane’s frees taking his tally to 0-9 plus a Micheál Mullins point getting them back within one score.
Entering stoppage time, Cahalane went for goal from his first free before pointing the next from the sideline.
But Coleman stitched a point out wide and despite Healy releasing Cahalane for a late sight of goal, UCC hung on.
Scorers for UCC: Ben Cunningham 0-12 (9f, 1 65); William Buckley, Michael Mullaney, Peter McGarry 0-2 each; Cathal McCarthy, Brian Keating, Daniel Hogan, Fionn Coleman, Eoin O’Leary 0-1 each.
Scorers for MTU Cork: Jack Cahalane 0-9 (7f); Seán Walsh 0-3; Diarmuid Healy, Alan Walsh 0-2 each; Darragh O’Sullivan, Micheál Mullins, David O’Sullivan, Rhys McCarthy 0-1 each.
UCC: Paudie O’Sullivan; Seán Daly, Ciarán Doolan, Timmy Wilk; Michael Mullaney, Cathal McCarthy, James Dwyer; Brian Keating, Darragh Stakelum; Darragh Flynn, Eddie Stokes, Ben Cunningham; William Buckley, Fionn Coleman, Peter McGarry. Subs: Eoin O’Leary for McGarry (50), Daniel Hogan for Cunningham (50, inj), Luke Elliott for Daly (58).
MTU CORK: Cathal Wilson; Fionn O'Connell, Eoghan Varian, Darragh O'Sullivan; Micheál Mullins, Ronan Walsh, Sam Fitzgerald; Mikey Finn, David O’Sullivan; Diarmuid Healy, Brian Lynch, Seán Walsh; Alan Walsh, Richard O’Sullivan, Jack Cahalane. Subs: Rhys McCarthy for R O’Sullivan (41), Ryan Deasy for R Walsh (57).
Referee: Colm Lyons (Cork).
