Fitzgibbon Cup Round 1

UCD 3-12 NUIG 1-18

UCC 0-26 UL 0-20

LIT 1-14 IT Carlow 1-13

Trinity College Dublin 1-15 Garda College 0-13

DCU Dóchas Éireann 0-16 WIT 0-14

Mary Immaculate College 1-19 DIT 1-14

Ronan Hayes was the hero for UCD as his two late frees rescued a draw at the death against NUI Galway in Group A of the Fitzgibbon Cup at Belfield on Sunday.

There were six games played and this was the only draw, although the visitors had looked set to take a precious win after they held a 1-11 to 2-6 half-time lead.

Galway’s Evan Niland scored 0-12 for NUIG while Conor Sheedy hit the net. But goals from Paul Crummey, Eoghan Callaghan and Sean Carey, and Hayes’ late heroics ensured the teams left with a share of the points.

UCC top the highly competitive Group A following their big 0-26 to 0-20 win against Munster rivals and reigning champions UL in UL.

UL were missing Limerick All-Ireland winner Kyle Hayes while Cork’s Darragh Fitzgibbon didn’t play for UCC. But the visitors responded better and they held a narrow 0-11 to 0-9 lead at half-time.

UL wrestled control after the interval but substitute Robbie O’Flynn made a big impact and scored three points off the bench for the winners.

Trinity lead the way in Group B after an impressive 1-15 to 0-13 winners on the road against Garda College at Borrisoleigh on Saturday. It was Trinity’s first ever win in the Fitzgibbon Cup.

Fionn O Riain Broin scored ten points, all from frees, for Trinity and Mark Conroy’s goal had them further in front at the end.

Garda College were 0-10 to 0-7 in front at half-time but they couldn’t push on from there. Garda’s Darragh Stapleton was shown red in the 43rd minute, with Barry O’Connell also sent-off in injury time. Trinity’s Dave Phelan was sent-off too but the win was already secure.

LIT left it very late to go second in Group B. Enda Rowland and Sean Downey were on target as IT Carlow took the lead going into injury time in Carlow, but David Dempsey and Diarmuid Byrnes hit the winning scores in a brilliant 1-14 to 1-13 success.

Last year’s beaten finalists DCU Dóchas Éireann are top of Group C after their hard fought 0-16 to 0-14 victory away to Waterford IT in Waterford.

WIT held a 0-9 to 0-7 lead at half-time but DCU’s experience told in the second half. James Bergin scored six points for the winners, who have plenty of work to do if they want to return to the heights of 2018.

Limerick All-Ireland winning forward Aaron Gillane was one of the stars for Mary Immaculate College as they defeated DIT 1-19 to 1-14 to take control of Group D at Grangegorman.

Eoghan Dunne scored a first half goal for the home side but Gillane was on form as Mary I surged clear in the closing stages.