Fitzgibbon Cup set for final round of games

Cork IT have booked their place in the quarter finals of this years Fitzgibbon Cup after they recorded a comprehensive win over IT Carlow in Cork last night.

The South East students a week earlier lost at home to WIT in the first series of games and are now out of the competition.

Cork IT were always on top despite and early scare. Paddy Walsh helped the Barrow-side students to a 1-1 to 0-2 lead as early as the twelfth minute.

Cork IT however recovered from the poor start and at the break led 2-8 to 1-4 with goals coming from Michael O’Sullivan and Jamie Coughlan.

Further goals from Coughlan and John Cronin in the second half helped wrap up an easy victory for the home side.

Also booking a place in the last eight of the competition after the second series of games were UCD following a 1-16 to 1-10 win over DCU.

Tipperary star Noel McGrath was their hero hitting ten points over the course of the hour, seven of which came from frees.

Jack Guiney hit the only goal of the opening half which helped his side to a 1-9 to 0-8 lead at the break.

DCU hit a goal of their own on forty-seven minutes but it proved to be but a mere consolation score as they were unable to stop McGrath score almost at will for UCD.

Despite suffering a defeat to DIT in their second game in this years competition, UL can qualify for the quarter final stages of the competition if DIT can get a result of any sorts against Saint Pats/Mater Dei when they two sides meet on Tuesday next.

David Treacy proved the difference between the sides when UL and DIT met on Thursday afternoon.

Treacy hit the only goal of the game in the opening half which helped his side to a 1-8 to 0-8 lead at the change of ends.

Kieran Morris finished as top scorers for the Limerick side with five points and with Tipperary’s Paul Kelly also impressing for the Limerick side, it was not enough as the Dublin side won out 1-14 to 0-14.

UCC and Mary I served up a gripping encounter in Limerick. The Cork side lost their opening game to GMIT, so it was vital that if they were to retain an interest in this years competition heading into the final round of games that they would get something from this game, while Mary I in their first series of games drew with NUIG meaning it was also vital to them not to loose here.

UCC had the better of the early exchanges and took a 1-6 to 0-5 lead after just eighteen minutes, the goal coming from Brian Hartnett in the tenth minute.

Mary I however finished the stronger of the two sides and in the closing twelve minutes of the half held their opponents scoreless and at the same time did enough to give themselves a 0-10 to 1-6 lead at the break.

The home side in the early exchanges of the second half proved to be once again the better of the two sides. But UCC with Paul Haughey, William Egan, Conor Lehane and Brian Hartnett taking control of the game helped UCC to take a three point lead with time ticking down.

A late Brian O'Halloran goal for the Limerick side however robbed the rebel side of the full brace of points on offer, but the draw proved to be the fairest result all round.

The finals of this years competition will be hoisted by GMIT and they are in pole position in group one to advance to the knockout stages of the competition after they drew with NUIG, but this could all change yet.

GMIT played against the wind in the opening half, but despite goals from Conor O’Donnell and Shane Lawless, they trailed by one at the break. Galway’s Joseph Cooney hit a goal for his side after just twenty seven seconds which helped them to a 1-7 to 2-3 lead at the interval.

NUIG had Cormac Diviney sent off in the second half but with Niall Burke hitting 1-10 for the side (1-2 from play), they lead going into the final seconds of the game by one.

However they had to settle for a share of the spoils as Kenny Feeney landed a score from inside his own half of the field to earn GMIT a share of the spoils.

League Tables:

Group One

GMIT               2          1          1          0          3

Mary I             2          0          2          0          2

NUIG                2          0          2          0          2

UCC                 2          0          1          1          1

Final round fixtures: UCC V NUIG; GMIT V Mary I

 

Group Two

Cork IT             1          1          0          0          2

Waterford IT   1          1          0          0          2

IT Carlow         2          0          0          2          0

Final Round Fixture:    WIT V CIT

 

Group Three

UCD                 2          2          0          0          4

LIT                   1          0          0          1          0

DCU                 1          0          0          1          0

Final Round Fixture:    LIT V DCU

 

Group Four

DIT                   1          1          0          0          2

UL                    2          1          0          1          2

St Pats/Mater Di         1          0          0          1          0

Final Round Fixture:    St Pats/Mater Dei V DIT

 

Final round of games to take place on Tuesday.