Electric Ireland Fitzgibbon Cup quarter-final

UCC 0-20 ATU Galway 1-13

By Stephen Barry at the Mardyke

Darragh Flynn struck 14 points as UCC edged into next Tuesday’s Fitzgibbon Cup semi-final against University of Galway.

A run of six points in a row after half-time turned a game UCC had trailed into the break, 1-8 to 0-9, to deny ATU Galway a semi-final match-up against their city rivals.

UCC’s injury list included Jack O’Connor, Robert Downey, Iarlaith Daly, Ethan Twomey, and Daire Connery, although Pádraig Power was fit enough to play the second half and he made an instant impact in helping to change the flow of the game.

ATU Galway disrupted the UCC attack from the off, with Cianan Fahy capping a dominant defensive performance marking Conor Cahalane with two points. A Jack Forde block-down also led to a point at the other end, where Kevin Cooney, son of Joe and brother of Joseph, was doing damage, scoring 0-7.

He got their first score, added to by Darren Shaughnessy, but UCC arrowed over the next four, three from Flynn and one for Shane Barrett.

UCC would only score one more point from play between the eighth minute and half-time, from Robbie Cotter, as the visitors moved ahead.

Brion Saunderson had shown sharp reactions to prevent a likely goal for Cian Folan but he couldn’t stop Ronan Murphy when he latched onto the break from a long-range free in the 13th minute. An Evan Hunt point made it 1-4 to 0-5.

ATU Galway were getting pulled up by Johnny Murphy for a number of technical offences as Flynn’s frees helped UCC level but three points in a row from Cooney, two from play, saw the Galwegians in ahead at half-time.

Power wasn’t slow to make his presence felt on the resumption. He hooked Cooney from the throw-in and rattled over a point from the resulting attack before Flynn strung together the next five points, four from frees, as UCC moved four clear.

They couldn’t shake off ATU Galway’s challenge as Cooney (one from play and one free) and Murphy reeled off the next three.

UCC tallied 16 wides in all while a number ATU Galway’s nine misses came at crucial junctures. A puck-out giveaway point to Flynn was followed by a short free routine gone wrong to keep UCC two ahead.

Cooney struck the side-netting with a groundstroke while Saunderson saved from Murphy’s low drive as Galway failed to make the most of their goal chances.

UCC wrapped it up with the final three points, from Flynn (free), Barrett, and Power, but they know more accuracy will be needed the next day out.

Scorers for UCC: Darragh Flynn 0-14 (11f); Shane Barrett, Pádraig Power 0-2 each; Robbie Cotter, Brian Hayes 0-1 each.

Scorers for ATU Galway: Kevin Cooney 0-7 (3f); Ronan Murphy 1-2; Cianan Fahy 0-2; Darren Shaughnessy, Evan Hunt 0-1 each.

UCC: Brion Saunderson; Jerome Boylan, Niall O’Leary, Ger Millerick; Luke Elliot, Eoin Roche, Cormac O’Brien; Darragh Flynn, Seán Daly; Eoin Carey, Daniel Hogan, Conor Cahalane; Shane Barrett, Robbie Cotter, Brian Hayes. Subs: Pádraig Power for Cotter (h-t), Cathal McCarthy for Elliot (39), Ronan Fox for Hogan (58 inj).

ATU Galway: Darrach Fahy; Luke Prendergast, Peter Martin, Jack Forde; Cianan Fahy, Seán Neary, Evan Duggan; Robert Meehan, Donal Parr; Dan Nevin, Darren Shaughnessy, Kevin Cooney; Ronan Murphy, Cian Folan, Evan Hunt. Sub: Niall Coen for Parr (h-t inj).

Referee: Johnny Murphy (Limerick)

Thursday, February 16

Electric Ireland Fitzgibbon Cup Semi-Final

UCC v University of Galway, Tubber 6pm