The UL Freshers hurling team and management celebrate after their victory over UCC.
Electric Ireland HE GAA Fresher 1 Hurling Championship final
UL 1-24 UCC 1-16
By Stephen Barry at Mallow
The UL conveyor belt continues to motor as they added an Electric Ireland HE GAA Fresher 1 Hurling title to their Fitzgibbon Cup success with an eight-point victory over UCC.
Last year, Adam Screeney was the star student. This term, it's Darragh McCarthy. The Tipperary senior landed 12 points with an exhibition of long-range free-taking and assisted Jack O’Neill’s late goal.
He lifted the John Corcoran Cup and picked up the man of the match award to boot.
For UL, it completes back-to-back Fresher League and Championship doubles having defeated UCC in last November's League final.
The Mardyke men can count themselves somewhat unlucky for a finish as goal-scorer John Wigginton Barrett and Diarmuid Wall both struck the post in the final 20 minutes.
After a minute’s silence for former Cork hurler Ray Ryan, UCC got off to an inspired start.
A Daniel Scully blockdown resulted in a point for the wing-forward followed by two more from Adam O’Sullivan and Peter O’Shea.
It got even better for them in the fourth minute when Wigginton Barrett whipped the sliotar to the net after Robert Troy’s shot was saved by Daniel O’Connell.
They led 1-3 to nil but UL clipped the next three points. McCarthy landed a free from his own 65 and he did equally impressive work without his hurley moments later to shield the sliotar and give a kick pass for a Jamie Ormond point.
An O’Sullivan sideline cut was cancelled out by a lovely rob and point from Diarmuid Stritch.
Oisín O’Donoghue carved out a goal chance for UL but Fionn O’Brien saved well.
It was nip and tuck for the remainder of the half. Shane Murnane finished after a fine Scully catch before McCarthy reeled off three placed balls.
Wall’s free-taking kept UCC’s noses in front but the speedy Stritch slotted a score-of-the-match contender after regaining possession inside his own 45.
Scully could’ve stretched the Leesiders’ lead only for O’Connell to divert his low drive around the post.
UL finished with the final trio from play via McCarthy, Tadgh Boddy, and vice-captain Fintan Fitzgerald to level for the first time, 1-9 to 0-12, at the midway whistle.
UL could’ve goaled within seconds of the restart but O’Brien pulled off a brilliant reflex save from Ormond.
Back-to-back McCarthy frees gave UL their first lead in the 35th minute.
Each time UCC equalised through Wall and substitute Finn O’Brien, UL found the response straight from the puck-out through Jack O’Neill and Stritch.
Wigginton Barrett almost put UCC back ahead but his bouncing shot struck the post.
Before long, UL reeled off four in a row, including three McCarthy frees and a flowing puck-out move finished by Oisín Fitzgerald.
UCC were denied by the very same post when Wall’s shot appeared to be touched onto the woodwork by O’Connell.
Fionn O’Brien saved from Stritch at the other end but they closed it out on the hour when McCarthy found O’Neill to blast home.
Scorers for UL: Darragh McCarthy 0-12 (9f, 1 65); Jack O’Neill 1-1; Jamie Ormond, Diarmuid Stritch 0-3 each; Fintan Fitzgerald 0-2; Oisín Fitzgerald, Oisín O’Donoghue, Tadgh Boddy 0-1 each.
Scorers for UCC: Diarmuid Wall 0-7 (7f); John Wigginton Barrett 1-0; Adam O’Sullivan (1s/l), Finn O’Brien 0-2 each; Shane Murnane, Peter O’Shea, Dara Ferland, Daniel Scully, Robert Troy 0-1 each.
UL: Daniel O’Connell; Ruairí Kelly, John Cahill, Adam O’Sullivan; Eoin McMahon, Eoghan Lyng, Oisín Fitzgerald; Jack O’Neill, Fintan Fitzgerald; Oisín O’Donoghue, Jamie Ormond, Diarmuid Stritch; Tadgh Boddy, Cathal English, Darragh McCarthy.
Subs: Conor Gleeson for O Fitzgerald (27-29, blood), Tadgh Whyte for Boddy (46), Podge O’Dwyer for O’Sullivan (55).
UCC: Fionn O’Brien; Timmy Kelly, Tadhg Sheehan, Harry Boyle; Shane Murnane, Billy O’Connell, Alex Cass; Peter O’Shea, Tadgh Hourigan; Diarmuid Wall, Robert Troy, Daniel Scully; John Wigginton Barrett, Adam O’Sullivan, Dara Ferland.
Subs: Ed McDermott for Troy (h-t), Finn O’Brien for McDermott (33, inj), Seán O’Neill for Hourigan (44), Troy for O’Sullivan (57).
Referee: Thomas Walsh (Waterford).
