UCC finish strong to see off Mary Immaculate College and secure Division 1 Hurling title

For the vast majority of this contest, Mary Immaculate held the upper hand and led for almost 50 minutes.

Darragh Flynn, UCC winning this ball from Bobby Drohan and Sean Whelan of Mary I in the Electric Ireland Higher Education Hurling League final at the Mardyke, Cork. Picture Dan Linehan

University College Cork 1-22 Mary Immaculate College 1-19

It went right down to the wire at the Mardyke, but UCC produced the goods late on to defeat Mary Immaculate College and win the Division 1 Hurling League title.

For the vast majority of this contest, Mary Immaculate held the upper hand. They led for almost 50 minutes, dictated the exchanges, and had goalkeeper Darragh Walsh in inspired form. Yet once the rain began to pour in the final 20 minutes on Wednesday evening, the Cork college began to stir.

Five of the next six points drew them level by the 49th minute, and when Ed McDermott stole possession from a Mary I defensive lapse, it looked as though they were finally going to find a way through goalkeeper Darragh Walsh, but he made his third save to turn it around for a 65 with nine minutes to go.

Darragh Flynn would need two attempts to get that 65 over the bar – Walsh had saved the first to turn it around for another – but when he did convert the retake, UCC were ahead for the first time since the fifth minute.

Darragh Walsh levelled again from distance – his third long-range free – but moments later O’Dwyer rifled across goal, Walsh got a hurley to it, but not enough to stop the sliotar trickling over the line – 1-19 to 1-16 – and suddenly the Skull and Crossbones were closing in.

A second yellow card for James Dwyer with five minutes to go briefly tilted momentum back towards the Limerick side. Shane Walsh (free) and Seán Whelan cut the margin to one, but UCC found another gear when they had to.

The UCC team that defeated Mary I in the Electric Ireland Higher Education Hurling League final at the Mardyke, Cork. Picture Dan Linehan

Flynn landed a free, then teed up Colin Walsh for another point, restoring a three-point cushion. Shane Walsh again replied for Mary I – his eighth free – only for Finn O’Brien to punish another lapse at the back with his sixth white flag from play.

Mary I needed a goal in stoppage time, but a thrown ball saw their best chance slip away, the first of three late frees that would go against them, killing any hopes of a rescue.

Without countless players, including Eoin Downey and Ben Cunningham, UCC had started brightly to go two up, but a Mary I run of five unanswered left it 0-5 to 0-3 after nine minutes.

That Mary Immaculate lead would sit at 0-8 to 0-4 on the 20-minute mark, but the Skull and Crossbones were able to drag it back down to the minimum by the break, 0-10 to 0-9. They would have nudged in front too, were it for Darragh Walsh, and two commanding stops.

Mary I – also depleted and without Limerick’s Shane O’Brien – stretched their lead to two on the resumption after a superb effort from Donnacha Campbell, and immediately after, Eoin Craddock found Cormac Deevy for a rasping effort into the roof of the net, 1-13 to 0-11.

But Mary Immaculate were never able to stretch their lead beyond that, and UCC crawled their way back, before O’Dwyer’s goal gave them a lead they would not relinquish.

Scorers for UCC: F O’Brien (0-7, 1f), D Flynn (0-5, 3f, 2 '65), M O’Dwyer (1-1), C Walsh, D Cremin, T O’Connell (0-2 each), E McDermott, R Troy, D Ferland (0-1 each).

Scorers for Mary I: S Walsh (0-8, 8f), C Deevy (1-1), D Walsh (0-3, 3f), S Whelan, E Craddock (0-2 each), D Campbell, M Gavin, R O’Connor (0-1 each).

UNIVERSITY COLLEGE CORK (Cork clubs unless stated): F O’Brien (Brunee, Limerick); S Daly (Randal Óg), T Kelly (Bennettsbridge, Kilkenny); K Lyons (Ballygarvan), J Dwyer (Ballincollig), R McEvoy (Lisdowney, Kilkenny); M O’Dwyer (Russell Rovers), T O’Connell (Ballincollig); C Walsh (Kanturk), D Flynn (Ballygiblin), R Troy (Newtownshandrum); F O’Brien (Erin’s Own), E McDermott (James Stephens, Kilkenny), D Cremin (Midleton).

Subs: D Scully (Dromin-Athlacca, Limerick) for McEvoy, D Ferland (Monaleen, Limerick) for Cremin (both 41).

MARY IMMACULATE COLLEGE (Limerick clubs unless stated): D Walsh (Turloughmore, Galway); W Dore (Dromin-Athlacca), E Lawless (St Mary’s Athenry, Galway), P Finn (Bruff); C Lawless (St Mary’s Athenry, Galway), M Gavin (Ballybrown), B Drohan (St Molleran’s, Waterford); D Campbell (Cappataggle, Galway), R O’Connor (Feakle, Clare); C Quinn (Cashel King Cormacs, Tipperary), E Craddock (Holycross-Ballcahill, Tipperary), S Whelan (Cappamore); S Walsh (Tulloroan, Kilkenny), C Deevy (Brickey Rangers, Waterford), D Whelan (Turloughmore, Galway).

Subs: J Quilty (Blackrock) for Finn (HT), J Daly (Croom) for Quinn (45), K Ahern (Blackrock) for Gavin, W Kearns (Na Piarsaigh) for O’Connor (both 50).

Referee: N O’Toole (Waterford).