WIT and UL have to do it all again after exciting finish at the Gaelic Grounds.

Waterford IT and University of Limerick will have to do it all over again after one of the most exciting Independent.ie Fitzgibbon Cup finishes in the competitions long history.

With six minutes to play in injury time, the Limerick side held a four point advantage after Stephen Bennett and PJ Scully bagged a quick fire 1-1 giving their side a four point lead, but the Waterford students, many who were literally dying on their feet having played three times between Tuesday and Saturday evening, two of the games requiring extra time, hit the last four scores of the game, including a point from Tom Fox at the debt to earn what was a well deserved draw.

This was a game that ebbed and flowed where the outcome was in doubt right to the time that Offaly referee Brian Gavin shaded the final whistle for the second time on the evening.

It was not the first time over the 80 minutes that the holders had to fight back from being four points down in this game.

Over the course of the game, the Limerick students at four different times held a four point advantage.

The Waterford students for much of the game were playing catch up and only lead twice in the game, first on the hour mark when Johnny Hayes gave Waterford a 0-14 to 1-10 lead and again in the opening minutes of the first half of extra time when Pauric Mahony and Jake Dillon pointed to give Waterford a two point lead.

The Limerick Students opened the scoring from a John McGrath free. The same player landed the next two scores as well, the first from play and then another free after three minutes.

The holders opened their account on ten minutes when Wexford’s Harry Kehoe pointed only for Kevin O’Brien to cancel it out two minutes later.

Thomas Hamill and Tommy Heffernan exchanged points by the eighteenth minute after which Austin Gleeson the most impressive player on show over the course of the weekend hit his first of the game followed by a Pauric Mahony free to leave one between the sides with six minutes to play.

The Limerick students however hit the last score of the half, a minute from time, John McGrath finding the range to give his side a 0-6 to 0-4 advantage.

On emerging for the second half, the Waterford students halved the Limerick sides advantage with a point from Austin Gleeson one minute after the restart.

However, the Limerick students hit back with the first goal of the game on thirty two minutes through Tommy Heffernan which gave his side a 1-6 to 0-5 lead.

The Limerick students however never built on that goal.

Pauric Mahony and John McGrath swapped scores after which Tom Fox, Jake Dillon and Pauric Mahony hit points to leave Waterford trailing by one with forty-three minutes played.

Cathal McInerney, Tony Kelly and Jason Forde restored a four point (1-10 to 0-9) advantage with ten minutes played, but Colm Bonner’s charges refused to throw in the towel.

Johnny Hayes landed points on fifty-three and fifty-four minutes and three minutes from the hour mark Pauric Mahony pointed to leave one between the sides and to set up a grand-stand finale.

The Ballygunner Club man levelled matters on the hour mark and when Johnny Hayes pointed soon afterwards it looked as if the 2014 champions would retain their title.

No game however is over till the sound of that long whistle. The Limerick side kept plugging away and when Tony Kelly put over his second point of the game, this one from a free two minutes into added time the sides were level (1-11 to 0-14).

Waterford IT came out for the first half of added time looking very impressive with Pauric Mahony and Jake Dillon landing points to sent the Suir-side students 0-16 to 1-11 in front.

The holders however would turn around to play into the city end of the ground for the second time in arrears as the challengers beat Darragh Stapleton for the second time in this game, the goal coming from Jason Forde.

Pauric Mahony levelled matters for the third time on seventy-two minutes but within seconds, the holders were behind once more after Stephen Bennett struck for a third UL goal and PJ Scully followed up with a point to give their side a 3-12 to 0-17 lead with six minutes remaining.

Waterford IT however showed exactly why they are the current holders of the famous trophy.

They staged one of the most remarkable comebacks in the competitions history.

Pauric Mahony began the fight back with ’65 with five minutes to play. Martin O’Neill followed up with a brace, both from play.

Those inside the ground were wondering with time almost up could WIT hit the score that was needed to earn a draw or would the challengers hold out for a win.

On eighty minutes all got their answer when Tom Fox struck a huge point to level matters. Incredible stuff.

In the aftermath of the game many were wondering when the replay would take place.

Thankfully no rash decision was made.

With so many players involved on different inter-county set ups and with so many games coming up, it is surly important that time is given to players by both College mentors and by inter county mentors to leave players on both sides time to recover if all are as concerned as they say at times about player burn-out.

Its all great having great games to watch, but if players are not given time to recover after games and are dragged from venue to venue for training sessions and games, is it all worth it?

WIT: Darragh Stapleton (Doon, Limerick); Tom Fox (Tipperary), Ger Teehan (Kilkenny), Jerome Maher (Waterford); Tomas Hamill (Tipperary), Martin O’Neill (Waterford), Owen McGrath (Kilkenny); Jack Langton (Kilkenny), Stephen Roche (Waterford); Gavin O’Brien (Waterford), Pauric Mahony (Waterford), Harry Kehoe (Wexford); Liam McGrath (Tipperary), Austin Gleeson (Waterford), Jake Dillon (Waterford). Subs: Johnny Hayes (Kilkenny) for Liam McGrath (48mins), Ciaran O’Brien (Cork) for Austin Gleeson (77mins).

Scorers: Pauric Mahony 0-8 (5frees, 1 ‘65), Johnny Hayes 0-3, Martin O’Neill, Tom Fox, Jake Dillon, Austin Gleeson (1 SL) 0-2 each, Harry Kehoe, Tomas Hamill 0-1 each.

UL: Paul Maher (Tipperary); Eoin Moriarty (Kilkenny), Brian Troy (Kilkenny), Gearoid Ryan (Clare); Brian Stapleton (Tipperary), David McInerney (Clare), Daire Quinn (Tipperary); Tony Kelly (Clare), Dan Morrissey (Ahane, Limerick); Jason Forde (Tipperary), Conor Martin (Kilkenny), John McGrath (Tipperary); Kevin O’Brien (Patrickswell, Limerick), Cathal McInerney (Clare), Tommy Heffernan (Tipperary). Subs: Stephen Bennett (Waterford) for John McGrath (48mins), PJ Scully (Laois) for Cathal McInerney (56mins), Mark Carmody (Patrickswell, Limerick) for Kevin O’Brien, (67mins), Aidan McGuane (Clare) for Conor Martin, (75mins).

Scorers: John McGrath (0-5, 0-3 frees), Tommy Heffernan (1-1); Jason Forde (1-1);Stephen  Bennett (1-0); Tony Kelly (0-2, 0-1 free); Kevin O'Brien, Cathal McInerney, PJ Scully (0-1 each).

Referee: Brian Gavin (Offaly).