UCC warm to the task to ease past Maynooth in Fitzgibbon Cup

BALANCING ACT: UCC's Shane Barrett battles with Maynooth's Conan Boran  in Thursday's Fitzgibbon Cup clash at the Mardyke. Picture: Jim Coughlan

UCC 4-21 

Maynooth University 0-13 

Jekyll and Hyde stuff from UCC. In the first half, they did everything bar hit the target. In the second, they couldn’t miss.

Eventually getting the collective radar in working order meant this was no close shave, as had been the case when Maynooth frightened the life out of their hosts 12 months ago in a similar winner-take-all group fixture.

UCC’s safe negotiating of this latest group meeting means they progress to a quarter-final away to UL next week. The welcome they’ll get there will be on an altogether different level to the challenge posed to them here.

The interval scoreline at the Mardyke read 1-7 to 0-9 in favour of Tim Kingston’s charges. The same Tom Kingston, along with a backroom team that contains Tom Kenny and Seán Óg Ó hAilpín, would have been mired in frustration over the wastefulness of their lads.

UCC had eight wides clocked by the 13th minute. By the short whistle, that figure had grown to 11.

Very few in red were not among the guilty party. Of the starting front eight, six were off target on one occasion or another. Of the odd pair out, Ben Cunningham departed injured on 25 minutes.

The irony of their first-half misses was that they sent a succession of straightforward chances left and right of the posts, and yet mined a green flag from a most speculative effort that threatened no danger.

On 15 minutes, Brian Hayes’ point attempt lacked the necessary legs. But instead of goalkeeper Kevin Bracken dealing with possession, the sliotar bounced off his hurley and into the net.

The goal nudged UCC 1-2 to 0-3 in front. Maynooth, through Conor Drennan, thrice cut the gap to the minimum thereafter. But the toll of two games in the space of three days played unforgivably out in a most one-sided second period.

It was a second half where the visitors managed only 0-4. UCC, on the other hand, ran in goals and ran up the scoreboard like men in a hurry.

Shane Barrett twice found the net. Sub Fionn Coleman bagged their fourth on the hour mark. His 1-1 bench contribution was outdone by the outstanding Peter McGarry who struck five points from play.

Scorers for UCC: S Barrett (2-2, 0-1 free); P McGarry (0-5); D Flynn (0-4, 0-3 frees); B Hayes, F Coleman (1-1); W Buckley (0-3); B Cunningham (0-2, 0-1 free); C McCarthy, C O’Brien, B Keating (0-1 each).

Scorers for Maynooth: C Fogarty (0-7, 0-4 frees, 0-1 ‘65); C Drennan (0-4); C Hackett, P McDonald (0-1 each).

UCC (Cork unless stated): B Saunderson (Midleton); C McCarthy (Sarsfields), S Kingston (Ballinora), G Millerick (Fr O’Neill’s); J Fitzpatrick (Dunnamaggin, Kilkenny), I Daly (Lismore, Waterford), C O’Brien (Newtownshandrum); D Flynn (Ballygiblin), D Stakelum (Thurles Sarsfields, Tipperary); B Keating (Ballincollig), W Buckley (St Finbarr’s), B Hayes (St Finbarr’s); S Barrett (Blarney), D Hogan (Sarsfields), B Cunningham (St Finbarr’s).

Subs: P McGarry (St Mary’s, Tipperary) for Cunningham (25, inj); E Stokes (Doon, Limerick) for Hogan (HT); F Coleman (Blackrock) for Buckley (45); R Cotter (Blackrock) for Keating (49); M Carey (Nenagh Éire Óg, Tipperary) for McCarthy (54).

MAYNOOTH (Kilkenny unless stated): K Bracken (Thurles Sarsfields, Tipperary); D Fogarty (O’Loughlin Gaels), N Bolger (Bagenalstown, Carlow), M Donnelly (St Lachtains); É Cunneen (Raherney, Westmeath), P McDonald (Thomastown), C Boran (Naas, Kildare); C Hackett (Dicksboro), P Blanchfield (Graignamanagh); A Hickey (Dunnamaggin), L Hogan (O’Loughlin Gaels), D Dooley (Rosenallis, Laois); C Fogarty (Lorrha, Tipperary), C Drennan (Galmoy), D Fogarty (Holycross Ballycahill, Tipperary).

Subs: B Drennan (Galmoy) for Fogarty (HT); C Boyle (Castleknock, Dublin) for Hackett (43); L Cassin (Faythe Harriers, Wexford) for Blanchfield (45).

Referee: T Walsh.