Fitzgibbon Cup: Cody dazzles as SETU Carlow qualify for quarters despite DCU defeat

DCU’s three-point win over Mary I last week meant they were already qualified and that SETU Carlow knew they had to better that result to join them.

Wed, 01 Feb, 2023 - 21:56

Ger McNally

DCU 3-14 SETU CARLOW 1-19

Kilkenny’s Eoin Cody scored a magnificent 1-12 for SETU Carlow, enough for them to qualify for the quarter-finals of the Fitzgibbon Cup even though they were defeated by one point by DCU in a hard hitting encounter in Dublin.

DCU’s three-point win over Mary I last week meant they were already qualified and that SETU Carlow knew they had to better that result to join them.

They were perilously close to their threshold when DCU scored a goal in injury time, ironically enough from a Carlow man, Conor Kehoe, to put them two points ahead but Cody stepped up with the last shot of the game to leave just the minimum between the teams at the final whistle.

DCU had a strong wind at their backs in the first half but the free taking of Cody, and some skilful scores from Thomas Keyes kept Carlow in touch.

DCU hit some tremendous scores themselves, especially through wing forwards Eoin Daly and Martin O’Connell, and goalkeeper Eddie Gibbons even got in on the act with a magnificent effort from a free back on his own 45.

There was little to choose between the teams on the scoreboard until Ross Banville broke through the away defence and clinically found the net in the 25th minute.

That helped DCU into a five-point half-time lead, 1-10 to 0-8, and they went seven ahead early in the second half following a controversial goal.

There was nothing for Carlow to complain about in the manner that Conor Hennessy’s brilliantly lobbed the ball over the advancing James Lawlor but they did feel that corner back Adam Daly got back to catch the ball before it crossed the line. The umpires were right on hand though, and quickly made the call that the green flag should be raised.

Rather than crumble after that setback, Carlow set about eating into that lead and the crucial moment came when Cody hit the net from a 20 metre free in the 45th minute after James O’Connell had been fouled.

Carlow were level twice in the closing stages, and then again in the 58th minute when Chris Nolan somehow wriggled away from the home defence and fired over from the right.

They only went ahead for the first time when Cody scored a free in the first minute of injury time but then had some nervous moments when Carlow man Conor Kehoe got in for a goal a minute later.

Gibbons had the chance to put DCU three points ahead from a long-range free but when that went wide it was left to Cody to secure their passage through to the knockout stages despite the defeat.

Scorers for DCU: R Banville 1-4 (4fs), C Hennessy 1-1, C Kehoe 1-0, E Gibbons 0-2fs, M O’Connell 0-2, D Power 0-1, E Daly 0-1, R Lawlor 0-1, C Murphy 0-1, N Murphy 0-1.

Scorers for SETU Carlow: E Cody 1-12 (1-10fs, 0-2 ‘65s), T Keyes 0-4, Chris Nolan 0-1, M Troy 0-1, Conor Nolan 0-1

DCU: Eddie Gibbons (Kilmacud Crokes, Dublin); Simon Leacy (Naas, Kildare), Niall Murphy (Ferns St Aidans, Wexford), Harry Walsh (Dunnamaggin, Kilkenny); Eoin Forbes (Craobh Chiarain, Dublin), Conor Murphy (Bennettsbridge, Kilkenny), Andrew Dunphy (St Brigids, Dublin); Darragh Power (Fingallians, Dublin), Rian Boran (Naas, Kildare); Eoin Daly (Lough Lene Gaels), Ross Banville (Shelmaliers, Wexford), Martin O’Connell (Clara, Kilkenny); Richie Lawlor (Faythe Harriers), Conor Hennessy Rosbercon, Kilkenny), Jim Ryan (Rower Inistioge, Kilkenny).

Subs: Conor Kehoe (St Mullins, Carlow) for Lawlor, h/t; Joe Barrett (St Martins, Wexford) for Forbes, h/t; Fiachra Fitzpatrick (Mount Leinster Rangers, Carlow) for Daly, 48; Conal Clancy (Faythe Harriers, Wexford) for O’Connell, 48.

SETU CARLOW: James Lawlor (Ferns St Aidans, Wexford), Paudie Casey (Olyegate Glenbrien, Wexford), Podge Delaney (The Harps, Laois), Adam Daly (Midleton, Cork); Ciaran Burke (Ballinamere, Offaly), David Blanchfield (Bennetsbridge, Kilkenny), Gearoid Lynch (Ballinakill, Laois); James O’Connell (St Brigids, Dublin), Conor Nolan (St Judes, Dublin); Thomas Keyes (Camross, Laois), Cian Kenny (James Stephens, Kilkenny), Eoin Cody (Ballyhale, Kilkenny); Jack Morrissey (St Patrick’s Ballyragget, Kilkenny), Chris Nolan (Mount Leinster Rangers, Carlow), Mark Troy (Durrow, Offaly).

Subs: Tom Doyle (The Rower Inistioge, Kilkenny) for Conor Nolan, 43; Richard Foley (Graigenamanagh, Kilkenny) for Lynch, 52; Brandon McGinley (Rathdowney Erill, Laois) for Keyes, 55; Keyes for O’Connell, 57.

REFEREE: Kevin Brady (Louth).