Updated 16.30pm
UCC AND DUBLIN IT got their 2014 Fitzgibbon Cup campaigns off to a bright start today with respective wins over Waterford IT and NUI Galway.
UCC are chasing a third successive title this year while Dublin IT reached the quarter-final stage of last season’s competition.
Group A
UCC 0-14
Waterford IT 0-9
Reigning champions UCC got their group stages campaign off to a bright start today with a five point win over Waterford IT at the Mardyke.
Cork senior Conor Lehane hit 0-9 for the winners and he reeled off four early points to send them into a 0-4 to 0-0 lead. UCC were still in control when Lehane pointed in the 19th minute as they lead by 0-6 to 0-3. But WIT fought back to cut the gap to the minimum, 0-7 to 0-6, at the interval.
UCC produced a scoring burst after half-time with Rob O’Shea, Willie Griffin and Cormac Murphy amongst their point scorers as they went 0-11 to 0-6 clear.
WIT tried to keep in touch through Kilkenny’s Eoin Murphy and Waterford’s Jake Dillon yet UCC, managed by former Tipperary senior Eddie Enright had five points to spare at the finish.
Next Tuesday, Waterford IT are away to St Patrick’s Mater-Dei while UCC head to Carlow to face Carlow IT. Earlier this week, Carlow IT enjoyed a four-point win over St Pat’s to get their campaign off to a successful start.
Shane O’Donnell (second left) on the bench for UCC today
Pic: INPHO/James Crombie
Group D
Dublin IT 1-15
NUI Galway 0-17
Wexford’s Jack Hobbs hit the crucial second-half goal that helped Dublin IT overturn NUI Galway by a single point at Parnell’s GAA club in Coolock today.
DIT, who had Dublin’s Liam Rushe and Tipperary’s Kieran Bergin amongst their ranks, made the early running and lead by 0-8 to 0-5 at the break. Kilmacud Crokes player Sean McGrath hit six points for the winners in that opening period.
NUI Galway, who included Limerick’s Kevin Downes as well as Clare prospects Conor Cleary and David Reidy, were rocked when Hobbs struck to the net early in the second-half and they trailed 1-9 to 0-7 as a result.
But they fought back to tie the game in the closing stages, 1-13 to 0-16. Yet DIT grabbed the vital scores in the finale to claim an important opening day win. The other side in this three-man group are DCU with NUI Galway at home to DCU in Dangan next Thursday afternoon.
Liam Rushe in action for Dublin IT (file photo)
Pic: INPHO/Cathal Noonan
