Strong Cork presence as UCC hurlers take on UCD in the Fitzgibbon Cup

FOUR members of the Cork team that lined out against Waterford last Sunday in the opening round of the league will be key players for UCC on Wednesday night when they take on UCD in the quarter-final of the Fitzgibbon Cup, Mardyke, 6pm.

Niall O’Leary, Mark Coleman, Darragh Fitzgibbon, and Shane Kingston, as well as panel members Michael O’Halloran, Robbie O’Flynn, David Lowney, and Billy Hennessy will all be on the starting block for the Western Road outfit as they hope to take another step towards the retention of the title.

It’s a hectic time for aforementioned players and they’ll be back in action a few nights later when Cork tackle Tipperary in the second round of the league at Páirc Uí Chaoimh.

UCC team boss Tom Kingston will have been delighted with the form of his nephew Shane for Cork against Waterford, the Douglas club man scoring 2-2 in the one-point defeat to Liam Cahill’s team.

Kingston set up Conor Lehane for Cork’s opening goal in Walsh Park and he belted home the second himself as well as scoring the third, but that very positive start by the visitors was not built upon and losing in the end was a disappointment for Kieran Kingston and his management team.

Mark Coleman and Darragh Fitzgibbon were also on the scoresheet in Walsh Park, posting a brace of points apiece while O’Leary was replaced in the second-half by Sean O’Leary-Hayes.

Robbie O’Flynn was a late sub for Seamus Harnedy and all will be hoping for better luck tomorrow night against the Dublin students and subsequently against Tipperary. Cork will want to get some points on the board against the All-Ireland champions who lost to Limerick in their opener after leading by 10 points early in the second-half.

Cork had Colm Spillane and Alan Cadogan among the subs in Walsh Park and they may figure at some stage against Liam Sheedy’s team.