Independent.ie HE GAA Fitzgibbon Cup Final: Mary Immaculate College 1-30 UL 3-22 (AET)
 
Late points from Darragh O’Donovan and Cian Lynch proved to be the winning of the a first Fitzgibbon Cup for Mary Immaculate College after 90 minutes of pulsating hurling at Cork IT on Saturday.
 
In a game where the sides were level at half-time, full-time and extra-time, an extra period of five minutes each was required. In that, Lynch’s fourth point put Mary I in front only for UL sub Tommy Heffernan to get his sixth and leave the teams tied once more. Ultimately, however, Mary I had the greater scoring power when it mattered.
 
It was a feat all the more impressive given that they had to play the additional extra time without Declan Hannon, who had scored 1-12 up until then. He had a counterpoint in John McGrath, who finished with 2-7 for UL.
 
Normal time had seen the game ebb and flow, with Mary I leading down the stretch until an injury-time point from Heffernan meant that the additional 20 minutes were required.
 
While a goal from Tom Morrissey had given UL a great start, the free-taking of Declan Hannon helped Mary I to grab a foothold and three in a row from him gave them a 0-7 to 1-3 lead by the 22nd minute.
 
In keeping with the to-and-fro nature, back UL came with scores from Jason Forde and Morrissey, Darragh O’Donovan ensured that it was level at half-time after Paul Maher had saved well from him moments earlier.
 
Kevin Hehir put UL ahead upon the resumption only for Hannon to respond with a great Mary I goal but McGrath’s second for UL followed immediately. While four from Mary I  - two by Hannon, one each from Lynch and Seán Linnane – looked to have put them in control, McGrath’s second goal gave UL a new lease of life.
 
They were inseparable from there to the end and in extra time, with O’Donovan and Lynch having the final say for Mary I.
 
*** 
 
Scorers for Mary Immaculate College: D Hannon 1-12 (0-9f), C Lynch 0-5, S Linnane, D O’Donovan (0-1f), D Reidy 0-3 each, T Gallacher, J Meagher, S Cahill, D Corry 0-1 each.
 
**Scorers for UL: **J McGrath 2-7 (0-5f, 0-1 65), T Heffernan 0-6, T Morrissey 1-1, C Martin, K Hehir, A McGuane 0-2 each, J Forde, C McInerney 0-1 each.
 
UL: P Maher; G Ryan, J Browne, S Roche; B Heffernan, J Forde, B Stapleton; A McGuane, K Hehir; D Fitzgerald, J McGrath, C Martin; K O’Brien, T Morrissey, C McInerney. Subs: T Heffernan for Fitzgerald (42), G Hegarty for Stapleton (45), A Murphy for O’Brien (58), M Casey for Hehir, P Ryan for Forde (both 60), B Maher for McGuane (72).
 
MARY IMMACULATE COLLEGE: M Ó Conghaile; E Quirke, R English, A Ryan; R Maher, T Stapleton, J Meagher; C Galvin, D O’Donovan; S Linnane, C Lynch, D Reidy; D Hannon, N O’Meara, D Corry. Subs: M O’Neill for Galvin (42), T Gallacher for Corry (51), S Cahill for O’Donovan (54), S Kennedy for Linnane (60), Corry for Quirke (start of extra time), O’Donovan for O’Meara (70, injured), S Linnane for Gallacher (75), Gallacher for Hannon (80).
 
**Referee: **J Owens (Wexford).