Cronin’s late point earns CIT unconvincing win

CORK Institute of Technology secured a place in next week’s Fitzgibbon Cup semi-final against the University of Limerick, but only after a nerve-shredding journey on their home ground yesterday.

The hosts went through a strange hour of hurling in this quarter-final, mixing some sublime stuff in the first-half with an unsteady second-half performance which almost proved fatal. But substitute Eoghan Cronin popped up in the 63rd minute to inch them a point ahead, and it was a score befitting its matchwinning status, struck flush on the sideline under pressure. Defeat left UCD disconsolate after they had produced a stirring display and overcome the debilitating loss of Tommy Fitzgerald, who he was sent off in the 28th minute.

CIT coach Frank Flannery admitted that “relief is the main emotion. We got out of jail. We didn’t play particularly well, but we looked a tired team. The 14 men rose their game and we didn’t know what to do with the free man at times. We’ll drive on but on that performance we won’t be going any further.”