Electric Ireland Fitzgibbon Cup quarter-final

DCU 0-20 MARY IMMACULATE COLLEGE 2-12

By JOHN FALLON at Dublin City University

Dublin City University finished strongly to book a place in the semi-finals of the Electric Ireland Fitzgibbon Cup and in the process end Mary Immaculate College’s hopes of a third title in a row.

The sides were level eight times during a good contest at DCU Sportsgrounds, but with extra-time looking likely, DCU pushed for home with points from Killian Doyle and Conor Burke seeing them into the last four.

There was never much between the sides throughout and after Donal Burke, fresh from scoring the winner for Dublin against Antrim in the Allianz League at the weekend, landed an early free, Michael O’Loughlin struck for a goal for the champions.

That set the tone for the evening with one side edging in front and then being hauled back, with neither side holding back in the exchanges.

They were level four times in the opening half but points from Conor Delaney and Burke saw DCU lead by 0-8 to 1-3 at the break.

Mary I, forced to line out without injured Limerick player Aaron Gillane, hit back after the restart with good points from Gary Cooney and Cian Lynch after Doyle had got an early score for the home side.

The accuracy of Burke was augmented by three great points from Joe O’Connor which left DCU ahead by 0-14 to 1-6 going into the final quarter.

The champions rallied with Michael O’Loughlin pointing another free and then goalkeeper Eoghan Cahill blasted home a penalty after Colin Guilfoyle was fouled.

That cut the gap to a point before Lynch levelled and then Colm Stapleton edged Mary I in front at 2-9 to 0-14 with ten minutes left.

Patrick Curran came into the game to level and after Burke and Rian McBride put DCU back in front, Luke Meade and Cooney pointed to tie the game going into stoppage time.

But DCU were not to be denied and after Doyle edged them back in front, Conor Burke doubled the lead to send them into a semi-final against either UCD or DIT who meet on Thursday evening.

**Scorers for DCU: **Donal Burke 0-8 (6f), Killian Doyle 0-3, Joe O’Connor 0-3, Rian McBride 0-2, Conor Delaney 0-1, Darren Mullen 0-1, Patrick Curran 0-1, Conor Burke 0-1

**Scorers for Mary Immaculate College: **Michael O’Loughlin 1-5 (0-5f), Eoghan Cahill 1-0 (1-0pen), Cian Lynch 0-2, Gary Cooney 0-2, Brian Corry 0-1, Luke Meade 0-1, Colm Stapleton 0-1.

DCU: Oisin Foley (Wexford); Darragh Brennan (Kilkenny), Eoghan O’Donnell (Dublin), Conor McSweeney (Limerick); Aaron Maddock (Wexford), Conor Delaney (Kilkenny), Paudie Foley (Wexford); Darren Mullen (Kilkenny), Daire Grey (Dublin); Rian McBride (Dublin), Fergal Whitely (Dublin), Joe O’Connor (Wexford); John Donnelly (Kilkenny), Patrick Curran (Waterford), Donal Burke (Dublin).

Subs: Killian Doyle (Westmeath) for Donnelly (20), Conor Burke (Dublin) for Whitely (41), Peter Hogan (Waterford) for Grey (51).

Mary Immaculate College: Eoghan Cahill (Offaly); Chris McCullagh (Tipperary), Darragh Peters (Wexford), Darren Browne (Cork); Shane Taylor (Clare), Tim O’Mahony (Cork), David Prendergast (Waterford); James Mackey (Tipperary), Pa Ryan (Tipperary); Colin Guilfoyle (Clare), Cian Lynch (Limerick), Luke Meade (Cork); Gary Cooney (Clare), Michael O’Loughlin (Clare), Brian Corry (Clare).

Subs: Colm Stapleton (Laois) for Mackey (45), Michael Corry (Clare) for B Corry (58).

Referee: James McGrath (Westmeath).