UL find extra gear to reach final after Fitzgibbon Cup drama in Carlow

UL players celebrate victory in the Electric Ireland Higher Education Fitzgibbon Cup semi-final. Picture: Inpho/Evan Treacy

UL 1-27 IT Carlow 2-23

The University of Limerick snatched victory from the jaws of defeat when their left full-forward Mikey Kiely sent a 40 yard free to the IT Carlow net with the final puck of a dramatic Fitzgibbon Cup semi-final at the IT Carlow grounds.

This was a thrilling game with a multitude of twists and turns before the Limerick students claimed victory to set up Saturday's final with NUIG, who are on the trail of Sigerson/Fitzgibbon double.

University of Limerick's Mikey Kiely scores the winning goal. Picture: INPHO/Evan Treacy

UL made a flying start to the game with quickfire points from Cian Galvin, Bryan O’Mara, Gearóid O’Connor (free), Galvin again and Mikey Kiely.

Remarkably Carlow recovered from that bad start to actually to level through a flicked goal from their top-scoring forward, Seamus Casey (0-6 to 1-3). The Olyegate Glenbrien clubman went to shoot a total of 1-11 in a losing cause.

It was very much score for score for the remainder of the half with neither side able to claim any degree of superiority as play swung from end to end. By the interval the game was still deadlocked at 1-11 to 0-14.

IT Carlow's Martin Kavanagh dejected after the game. Picture: INPHO/Evan Treacy

And in a thrilling second half which ebbed and flowed, Galway’s Conor Flaherty fired over from range for UL to send the game to extra-time, where the Limerick College would claim the spoils after more drama.

Scorers for UL: Mark Rodgers 0-6 (0-4f, 0-1 ’65), Mikey Kiely 1-3 (1-of), Niall Brennan 0-4, Cian Galvin 0-3, Brian O’Grady 0-3, Gearoid O’Connor 0-3 (0-3f), Conor Flaherty 0-2, Ciaran Connolly 0-1, Bryan O’Mara 0-1 (0-1f).

Scorers for IT Carlow: Seamus Casey 1-11 (0-11f), Rory Higgins 0-5, Chris Nolan 0-4, Marty Kavanagh 1-0, Cathal Dunbar 0-2, Cian Kenny 0-1.

UL: E Davis; D Corcoran, TJ Brennan, M Gough; K Sampson, B O’Mara, C Flaherty; B O’Grady, C Connolly; N Brennan, G O’Connor, C Galvin; B Power, M Rodgers, M Kiely. Subs: B O’Sullivan for Brennan (50); S Staunton for Sampson (54); C O’Grady for Power (76).

IT Carlow: A Howlin; S Reck, P Delaney, F Hayes; A Redmond, N Brassill, J Cleere; C Kenny, C Burke; E Gaughan, E Cody, C Nolan; S Casey, C Dunbar, R Higgins Sub: M Kavanagh for Gaughan (h/t);

Referee: J Keenan (Wicklow).