UCD impress in surprise Fitzgibbon win over UCC
UCD put one foot in the quarter-finals of the Fitzgibbon Cup thanks to this surprise win away to UCC, writes
The home outfit entered this fixture off the back of their 10-point victory over CIT last Thursday but were without the injured Tom Devine, Mark Coleman and Shane Kingston. The absence of this inter-county trio was to prove crucial as the Cork University played second fiddle throughout to a well-drilled and organised UCD side.
Tom Phelan struck the only goal of the contest three minutes and UCD were never led thereafter.
On four occasions did UCC cut the margin back to the deficit, but they were unable to gain parity. Tadhg de Búrca was superb at the heart of the UCD defence while fellow Waterford man DJ Foran was in a league of his own up front, the Portlaw forward finishing with 11 points.
Darragh Fitzgibbon top-scored for UCC with seven.
Should UCD win at home to CIT next week, they’ll top Group A and enjoy a home quarter-final. If CIT win, it will come down to score difference between the three teams to see which two advances to the knockout phase. As it stands, UCD has a score difference of +5, as do UCC, with CIT on -10.
Scorers for UCD: DJ Foran (0-11, 0-7 frees, 0-1 ‘65); T Phelan (1-0); S Flanagan (0-2); J Maher, S Quirke (0-1 each).
Scorers for UCC: D Fitzgibbon (0-7, 0-4 frees); M O’Brien, M Breen, J Power, R O’Flynn, R Cahalane, S Hayes (0-1 each).
UCC: J Barry (Castlelyons, Cork); S O’Donoghue (Inniscarra, Cork), D Griffin (Carrigaline, Cork), E Gunning (Na Piarsaigh, Cork); C O’Leary (Valley Rovers, Cork), C Gleeson (Fourmilewater, Waterford), N Cashman (Blackrock, Cork); C Browne (James Stephens, Kilkenny), R Cahalane (Ballymartle, Cork); M O’Brien (Ferrybank, Waterford), M Breen (Ballina, Waterford), D Fitzgibbon (Charleville, Cork); R O’Flynn (Erin’s Own, Cork), S Hayes (Mallow, Cork), J Power (Carrickshock, Kilkenny).
Subs: E Murphy (Sarsfields, Cork) for O’Leary (9 mins, inj); S Forde (Na Piarsaigh, Cork) for Hayes (HT); D Walsh (Eire Óg Ennis, Clare) for Cashman (44); C McGrath (John Lockes, Kilkenny) for Gunning (50); M O’Connor (Douglas, Cork) for Browne (51)
UCD: D Hughes; B Quigley, M Cody, G Molloy; P Guinan, T de Búrca, M Kenny; J Mullaney, J Maher; JJ Ryan, S Quirke, DJ Foran; T Phelan, S Flanagan, J Murphy.
Subs: D Codd for Murphy (46); S Kinsella for Mullaney (49).
Referee: S Hynes (Galway).
