UCD on track to dominate in Leinster

AIB Club Championships: Leinster Senior Hurling Quarter Finals:

FT:

Portlaoise (Laois) 0-11 UCD (Dublin) 1-20, O'Moore Park

Naomh Brid (Carlow) 0-7 Oulart-the-Ballagh (Wexford) 2-14, Dr. Cullen Park

Carnew Emmetts (Wicklow) 0-8 Coolderry (Offaly) 0-13, Aughrim

Babs Keating's UCD side kept on track for Leinster hurling glory as Tipperary's Diarmuid Fitzgerald hit the only goal in their 1-20 to 0-11 AIB Club quarter final defeat of Portlaoise at O'Moore Park.

Offaly marksman Brendan Murphy set Fitzgerald up for his ninth-minute strike as the Students bossed the Laois champions, who along with their footballers were attempting a provincial double.

Portlaoise, minus the services of former county star Niall Rigney due to a hernia operation, managed to reduce the deficit to 1-11 to 0-7 early in the second half.

Corner forward Niall Costello drove over two frees, in between what was almost a goal for the home side as UCD goalkeeper Matty White made hard work of controlling a Tommy Fitzgerald effort.

UCD midfielder Brian Barry then bagged another free before efforts from John O'Connor, Faithful forward Murphy, Limerick's Stephen Lucey, half-forward Paul Doheny, Lucey again, Brian Hogan and two further scores from Murphy saw Keating's men easy winners.

Portlaoise goalkeeper John Hannify also had to react well to deny substitute Alan Barry a second UCD goal, as the home side remained in the hunt through points from skipper Joe Phelan, Eamonn Fennelly and Costello.

At Dr Cullen Park, Wexford's Oulart-the-Ballagh rested hamstring victim Rory Jacob and still commanded an impressive performance in a 2-14 to 0-7 trouncing of Carlow hosts Naomh Brid.

Oulart team captain Liam Dunne, who released his autobiography 'I Crossed The Line' in mid-week, watched his side hit 1-3 in the opening seven minutes.

Man-of-the-match Des Mythen struck their first goal on his way to a tally of 1-4. Paul Finn's second on 35 minutes put the result beyond doubt as all six of Oulart's forwards ended up on the scoresheet.

Wicklow champions Carnew Emmetts were disposed of in Arklow, as Offaly's 2004 best Coolderry earned a 0-13 to 0-8 win.

In the Leinster championship for the first time since 1986, the visitors had prolific attacker Damien Murray to thank as he hit six points in all, three of which were from play.

Two-time Railway Cup medallist Don Hyland, who helped Carnew put 4-20 past Longford's Wolfe Tones in the first round, matched that tally but it proved not enough.