Sharp-shooting Gearóid O'Connor fires UL back to Fitzgibbon final

The defending champions booked their place in the decider thanks to a three-point win.

FOCUS: University of Limerick's Gearóid O'Connor takes a free. Picture: INPHO/Tom Maher

Fitzgibbon Cup semi-final 

UL 0-19 

SETU Waterford 0-16 

Thirteen points from Tipperary forward Gearóid O'Connor saw UL edge out SETU Waterford in an entertaining Fitzgibbon Cup semi-final under the Thursday night lights at Carriganore.

A Dean Mason double save in the second half proved the turning point for the defending champions. With the scores tied at thirteen points apiece on 36 minutes, the Shamrocks man denied both Gavin Fives and Sean Walsh from close range. Bryan O'Mara then raised a white flag at the other end to give the visitors a lead they never relinquished. Limerick defender Colin Coughlin also stepped up with three points from play and a goal saving hook.

Sam and Josh Fitzgerald defended heroically in the full back line for SETU as they kept Cork senior Sean Twomey and Waterford forward Michael Kiely scoreless. Déise marksman Padraig Fitzgerald scored four points from play. Seven second half wides proved costly including three missed frees from Reuben Halloran.

The home side led 6-3 after nine minutes. Halloran hit three points with Gavin Fives, Paul Cody and Padraig Fitzgerald also on target. The holders responded with five unanswered points. Gearoid O'Connor converted five frees before Diarmuid Hannify struck their first from play on thirteen minutes. Colin Coughlin shot a screamer from 70 metres. Tipperary's Bryan O'Mara landed another from distance to make it 8-6.

Off the puckout, Sean Walsh set off on a solo run and split the posts tight to the sideline. Three Halloran frees edged the locals back in front. Padraig Fitzgerald fired his second point before Billy Nolan belted over a monster free from inside his own half. 12-8 to Fintan O'Connor's men after 26 minutes. O'Connor dragged his side level by the break at twelve apiece with four points in a row including a huge free and a 60 metre effort from play.

Six minutes into the second period, UL shot stopper Dean Mason made an amazing double save from Gavin Fives and Sean Walsh. O'Mara pointed at the other end to put the champions 14-13 ahead. A game changer. O'Connor added two more points to his tally. Halloran missed two frees for the hosts before Colin Coughlin hooked Paul Cody as he advanced on goal. Coughlin then lashed over his second point from play (0-17 to 0-13). Padraig Fitzgerald got SETU's first point in thirteen minutes.

SETU twice narrowed the gap to two in the last quarter but Coughlin and O'Connor hit back each time. Billy Nolan saw an injury-time free saved on the line as UL held on and set up a repeat of last year's decider with University of Galway on Saturday.

Scorers for UL: G O'Connor 0-13 (11fs), C Coughlin 0-3, B O'Mara 0-2, D Hannify 0-1.

Scorers for SETU Waterford: R Halloran 0-8 (7fs), P Fitzgerald 0-4, B Nolan (f), S Walsh, P Cody, G Fives 0-1 each.

UL: D Mason (Kilkenny); M Fitzgerald (Waterford), TJ Brennan (Galway), M Gough (Clare); C Coughlin (Limerick), B O'Mara (Tipperary), D Corcoran (Kilkenny); B O'Sullivan (Cork), K Sampson (Offaly); A English (Limerick), G O'Connor (Tipperary), S Twomey (Cork); D Hannify (Galway), M Kiely (Waterford), J Power (Waterford).

Subs: S Staunton (Kilkenny) for Gough (39), I Byrne (Kilkenny) for Hannify (51), C Darcy (Tipperary) for English (55).

SETU Waterford: (Waterford unless stated): B Hennessy (Limerick); C Ryan, S Fitzgerald, J Fitzgerald; M O'Brien, B Nolan, S Purcell (Kilkenny); J Prendergast, J Harkin (Kilkenny); P Cody (Kilkenny), G Fives, S Walsh (Cork); P Fitzgerald, R Halloran, A Kirwan.

Referee: J Owens (Wexford)