Independent.ie Fitzgibbon Cup Quarter-Final

LIMERICK IT 1-20 UCD 1-13

By Jackie Cahill at LIT

A powerful second half performance against UCD sent Limerick IT cruising into the semi-finals of the Independent.ie Fitzgibbon Cup.

LIT will meet holders Mary I in a repeat of last year’s semi-final after coming from three points down at half-time to win by seven.

It was an excellent performance by LIT after the break as Davy Fitzgerald’s charges outscored Nicky English’s UCD by 1-11 to 0-4.

Behind by 0-9 to 1-9 at the break, LIT were much-improved in the second half as, wind-assisted, they went about their business with real efficiency.

Jason McCarthy’s last-minute goal put the icing on the cake for LIT as they kept alive hopes of a first competition success since 2007.

Galway’s Paul Killeen collected seven points (six frees) for the winners as Waterford’s DJ Foran hit five points for UCD, four of those from placed balls.

LIT did move into an early 0-3 to 0-1 lead but Kilkenny’s Luke Scanlon pounced on Oisin O’Rorke’s ’65 in the sixth minute to touch home a poacher’s goal.

But in what was very much a nip-and-tuck opening half, the sides were level five times before UCD put some daylight between themselves and the hosts approaching the interval.

Four unanswered points had the visitors nursing a three-point half-time advantage as Darragh Dolan, Tadhg de Búrca (free), James Madden and O’Rorke all registered scores.

But the general feeling was that LIT would improve considerably in the second half and that’s how it transpired.

They got level at 0-14 to 1-11 when Barry O’Connell pointed and three further points followed from LIT as they hit five without reply, coming from 0-12 to 1-11 behind to establish a 0-17 to 1-11 lead.

O’Rorke reduced the UCD deficit to two points with a free but LIT hit three-in-a-row to move five clear.

O’Rorke landed another free but LIT had the final say as David Dempsey’s industry and offload was rewarded by McCarthy’s low finish.

Scorers for LIT: Paul Killeen 0-7 (6f), Jason McCarthy 1-3, Diarmaid Byrnes 0-3 (1f), Shane Bennett (1f) & David Dempsey 0-2 each, Barry O’Connell, Peter Duggan & Willie Connors 0-1 each.

Scorers for UCD: DJ Foran 0-5 (4f), Luke Scanlon 1-0, Oisin O’Rorke 0-3 (2f), Darragh Dolan 0-2, James Madden, Tadhg de Búrca (f) & James Maher 0-1 each.

LIT: Eibhear Quilligan (Clare); Oisin O’Brien (Clare), Kieran Bennett (Waterford), Cian Nolan (Clare); Willie Ryan (Tipperary), Barry O’Connell (Limerick), Diarmaid Byrnes (Limerick); David Reidy (Clare), Willie Connors (Tipperary); Shane Bennett (Waterford), Paul Killeen (Galway), Jason McCarthy (Clare); Jamie Shanahan (Clare), Peter Duggan (Clare), David Dempsey (Limerick). Sub: Ciaran Cooney (Clare) for O’Connell (53)

UCD: Darragh Holohan (Kilkenny); Eddie Hayden (Waterford), Paddy Hannon (Galway), Jack O’Connor (Wexford); Huw Lawlor (Kilkenny), Tadhg de Búrca (Waterford), Cillian Buckley (Kilkenny); Cian MacGabhann (Dublin), Darragh Dolan (Galway); James Maher (Kilkenny), James Madden (Dublin), Padraic Guinan (Offaly); Oisin O’Rorke (Dublin), Luke Scanlon (Kilkenny), DJ Foran (Waterford). Subs: Rory Dwan (Tipperary) for Madden (52), Brian Quigley (Wexford) for O’Connor (52), Cathal Keane (Galway) for Guinan (52), Stephen Quirke (Tipperary) for Maher (57).

Referee: Brian Gavin (Offaly)