Round-up: Wednesday's Electric Ireland Fitzgibbon Cup action

Electric Ireland Fitzgibbon Cup Round 3

UL 4-24 DCU 1-20

Mary I 1-24 ATU Galway 5-9

TUS Midwest 2-15 University of Galway 0-21

By Paul Keane

Star studded UL heaped more Electric Ireland Fitzgibbon Cup misery on DCU, nailing four goals at St Clare's to march through to the competition's quarter-finals.

In a repeat of last year's final, the outcome was pretty much the same as UL saw off DCU thanks to goals from star trio Adam English, who finished with 2-1, GAA/GPA Young Hurler of the Year Darragh McCarthy and Adam Screeney.

UL have won three of the last four titles and underlined their class with some cracking scores though they didn't have it all their own way and 16 wides will concern boss Brian Ryan.

In fact, they were grateful to Tipperary ace McCarthy and Limerick's English for their first half goals which left them 2-11 to 1-11 up at the break.

English grabbed his second and UL's third goal in the 38th minute after a powerful run through the centre of DCU's defence on the artificial surface at the Glasnevin grounds.

But still only six points separated the teams with 10 minutes to go as DCU, inspired by free-taker Denis Walsh and Carlow's Donagh Murphy, hung in there.

Murphy earlier grabbed the DCU goal and they dreamed of a strong finish to secure a home quarter-final.

But they couldn't pull it off and it was UL that hit the afterburners in the closing 10 minutes or so, wrapping it up with their fourth goal from English when he was picked out by sub Jamie Ormond.

UL's reward for finishing top of Group A is a home quarter-final clash next week with the winners of Thursday's UCC v Garda tie.

As for DCU, their hopes of a first ever title are still alive but they will have to overcome an away quarter-final next week against Group B winners MTU Cork.

University of Galway also advanced to the last eight as Group C winners, despite their draw this evening.

Galway senior Darragh Neary hit the levelling point in stoppage time to secure top spot and their home game next week. TUS Midwest are out.

Mary I, who defeated UL in the 2024 final, UL's only final loss in the last four seasons, have finished top of Group D and will be at home to UCD in the quarter-finals.

ATU Galway scored four first-half goals and led by eight points at half time but Mary I turned on the style after the break.

UL scorers: A English 2-1; A O'Connor 0-6 (1 free, 1 65); D McCarthy 1-2; A Screeney 1-1; J O'Neill 0-5; O O'Donoghue, J Ormond 0-2 each; K Smyth, O Fitzgerald, C O'Neill, C Martin, D Langan 0-1 each.

DCU scorers: D Murphy 1-5; D Walsh 0-8 (7 frees); S Rowley 0-2; D Shirley, B Reid, C Beirne, P Clarke, N Hogan 0-1 each.

UL: D Fahy (Galway); C Smyth (Cork), O Fitzgerald (Cork), J Conneally (Clare); C Coughlin (Limerick), M Fitzgerald (Waterford), C O'Neill (Limerick); A English (Limerick), F Fitzgerald (Limerick); O O'Donoghue (Tipperary), J O'Neill (Clare), K Smyth (Clare); A Screeney (Offaly), A O'Connor (Limerick), D McCarthy (Tipperary).

Subs: D Stritch (Clare) for Smyth (28); J Fitzgerald (Limerick) for F Fitzgerald (h/t); J Ormond (Tipperary) for Screeney (45); D Langan (Limerick) for O'Neill (48); C Martin (Tipperary) for M Fitzgerald (48).

DCU: S Manogue (Kilkenny); P Lennon (Kilkenny), A Keegan (Dublin), L O'Reilly (Kildare); B Reid (Kilkenny), C Boran (Kildare), S Gallagher (Dublin); D Shirley (Offaly), S Rowley (Wexford); C Beirne (Kilkenny), D Murphy (Carlow), D Walsh (Kilkenny); P Clarke (Westmeath), S Byrne (Kilkenny), O Gaffney (Dublin).

Subs: E O'Brien (Kildare) for Keegan (29); G Kelly (Kilkenny) for Gaffney and D O'Meara (Kildare) for Gallagher (h/t); J Carroll (Kilkenny) for Rowley (45, inj); N Hogan (Dublin) for Beirne (49); R Delaney (Wexford) for Reid (57).

Ref: J Owens (Wexford).