Fitzgibbon Cup: Carlow IT shock UL
Three goals in the opening quarter against the wind provided the bedrock for DJ Carey’s IT Carlow to advance to the semi-finals of the Fitzgibbon Cup. The Kilkenny legend said he was overjoyed after guiding his side to victory against last year’s runners-up in a superb encounter at UL. “The goals in the first-half were crucial, we spoke about it during the week that we needed goals,” said Carey. “Even if we weren’t scoring them we needed to put doubt in the opposition. That’s what you try to do every day, it doesn’t always work but it did this time and things went right for us in the first half.” And with the IT Carlow defence preventing UL from hitting the net — goalkeeper Enda Rowland and full-back Kevin Hannafine from Kerry were outstanding — it left Brian Lohan’s men with a lot of ground to make up. And yet UL only trailed by four points at the interval having played against the wind. But Mark Russell added to his earlier goal by extending IT Carlow’s lead just 15 seconds after the restart. The free-taking of John McGrath kept UL in touch while Tony Kelly brought his haul to 0-4 from play as they reigned IT Carlow in by end of the third quarter before Aidan McGuane’s second point pushed the home side in front. But league winners IT Carlow were not prepared to surrender with Waterford’s Colin Dunford superb around the middle of the field, while Russell and Stephen Maher presented a big threat up front. They edged back in front in the closing stages and then Chris Bolger secured their place in the last four when he blasted to the net after a delivery from the impressive James Doyle. There was no way back for UL as IT Carlow closed out the win with points from Maher and Jack Fagan to secure a semi-final berth against UCC in Galway next week, leaving Carey thrilled that they are going to be involved in the Fitzgibbon Cup final weekend. “We are absolutely thrilled, no words can describe how thrilled we are,” said Carey. Scorers for IT Carlow: S Maher 0-6 (4f, 1 ’65), J Fagan 1-2, M Kavanagh 1-2, M Russell 1-1, C Bolger 1-1, C Dwyer 0-2, J Doyle 0-1, C Dunford 0-1. Scorers for UL: J McGrath 0-8 (6f, 1 ’65), T Kelly 0-4, D Fitzgerald 0-3, G Hegarty 0-2, A McGuane 0-2, D Gleeson 0-2, M Mullins 0-1, Jason Forde 0-1 (f). IT Carlow: Enda Rowland; Dwayne Palmer, Kevin Hannafin, Ross Browne; James Doyle, Damien Healy, Dale O’Hanlon; Kevin Kelly, Colin Dunford; Charles Dwyer, Stephen Maher, Martin Kavanagh; Jack Fagan, Mark Russell, Chris Bolger. Sub: Tommy Nolan for Kelly (46). UL: Paul Maher; Michael Casey, Brian Troy, Liam O’Connor; Barry Heffernan, Jason Forde, David Fitzgerald; Aidan McGuane, Kevin Hehir; Tom Morrissey, Tony Kelly, Gearoid Hegarty; David Gleeson, Mike Mullins, John McGrath. Subs: Bobby Duggan for troy (h-t), Barry Nash for Gleeson (55). Referee: D Kirwan (Cork).
Independent.ie Fitzgibbon Cup Quarter-Final
CARLOW IT 4-16 UNIVERSITY OF LIMERICK 0-23
By John Fallon at UL
Three goals in the opening quarter against the wind provided the bedrock for DJ Carey’s IT Carlow to advance to the semi-finals of the Fitzgibbon Cup.
The Kilkenny legend said he was overjoyed after guiding his side to victory against last year’s runners-up in a superb encounter at UL.
“The goals in the first-half were crucial, we spoke about it during the week that we needed goals,” said Carey.
“Even if we weren’t scoring them we needed to put doubt in the opposition. That’s what you try to do every day, it doesn’t always work but it did this time and things went right for us in the first half.”
And with the IT Carlow defence preventing UL from hitting the net — goalkeeper Enda Rowland and full-back Kevin Hannafine from Kerry were outstanding — it left Brian Lohan’s men with a lot of ground to make up.
And yet UL only trailed by four points at the interval having played against the wind.
But Mark Russell added to his earlier goal by extending IT Carlow’s lead just 15 seconds after the restart.
The free-taking of John McGrath kept UL in touch while Tony Kelly brought his haul to 0-4 from play as they reigned IT Carlow in by end of the third quarter before Aidan McGuane’s second point pushed the home side in front.
But league winners IT Carlow were not prepared to surrender with Waterford’s Colin Dunford superb around the middle of the field, while Russell and Stephen Maher presented a big threat up front.
They edged back in front in the closing stages and then Chris Bolger secured their place in the last four when he blasted to the net after a delivery from the impressive James Doyle.
There was no way back for UL as IT Carlow closed out the win with points from Maher and Jack Fagan to secure a semi-final berth against UCC in Galway next week, leaving Carey thrilled that they are going to be involved in the Fitzgibbon Cup final weekend.
“We are absolutely thrilled, no words can describe how thrilled we are,” said Carey.
Scorers for IT Carlow: S Maher 0-6 (4f, 1 ’65), J Fagan 1-2, M Kavanagh 1-2, M Russell 1-1, C Bolger 1-1, C Dwyer 0-2, J Doyle 0-1, C Dunford 0-1.
Scorers for UL: J McGrath 0-8 (6f, 1 ’65), T Kelly 0-4, D Fitzgerald 0-3, G Hegarty 0-2, A McGuane 0-2, D Gleeson 0-2, M Mullins 0-1, Jason Forde 0-1 (f).
IT Carlow: Enda Rowland; Dwayne Palmer, Kevin Hannafin, Ross Browne; James Doyle, Damien Healy, Dale O’Hanlon; Kevin Kelly, Colin Dunford; Charles Dwyer, Stephen Maher, Martin Kavanagh; Jack Fagan, Mark Russell, Chris Bolger. Sub: Tommy Nolan for Kelly (46).
UL: Paul Maher; Michael Casey, Brian Troy, Liam O’Connor; Barry Heffernan, Jason Forde, David Fitzgerald; Aidan McGuane, Kevin Hehir; Tom Morrissey, Tony Kelly, Gearoid Hegarty; David Gleeson, Mike Mullins, John McGrath. Subs: Bobby Duggan for troy (h-t), Barry Nash for Gleeson (55).
Referee: D Kirwan (Cork).
