Fitzgibbon Cup: UCC survive late rally from University of Galway to hang on for the win

UCC 1-24

University of Galway 2-19 

Two late Liam Collins goals made for a nervy finish but UCC had enough in hand to continue their winning start to this Fitzgibbon Cup Group B game at the Mardyke on Wednesday evening.

On a night when both sides clocked 17 wides, Ben Cunningham was most accurate with 0-9 (seven from play) while Tipperary midfielder Darragh Stakelum added 1-3.

Three days on from their All-Ireland final defeat, the Sarsfields contingent returned to action off the bench and it was Daniel Hogan who struck the clinching point.

The two-point victory sets up a final round game away to MTU Cork next Thursday. How high the stakes will be depends on the outcome of MTU’s trip to Belfield.

University of Galway, meanwhile, need a UCD win to retain any qualification hopes.

They had 2-10 from Cappataggle’s Collins brothers, with Niall raising all the white flags while Liam got the goals.

The sides traded points evenly for the opening 11 minutes at the Mardyke with Cunningham twice on the board before Brian Keating gave the hosts their first lead.

From there, UCC moved six points clear while Galway, who were kept ticking over by Niall Collins’ frees, had racked up 12 wides within 24 minutes.

A Darragh Flynn hot streak saw the Ballygiblin attacker arrow over three points in quick succession, good work by Cunningham under the puck-out led to a Fionn Coleman score, Darragh Stakelum landed his second, and a brilliant Eddie Stokes hook allowed James Dwyer to fire over.

Daniel Comar came up with Galway’s best effort at a riposte with two sharp points, including one from the sideline.

A back-to-back brace from Colm Molloy brought the gap back to four but Cunningham landed two of the final three points, highlighted by one from a near-impossible angle by the sideline, against a lone Mark Gill effort. 0-15 to 0-10 at half-time.

Galway desperately needed to tidy up their shooting and while a Niall Collins missed free was a bad start, they did so as the half wore on.

Either side of a textbook Cunningham peach (direct from the puck-out and out by the sideline), UCC’s shooting began to drift with five wides in a matter of minutes.

They had a goal chance, too, as Keating located Coleman, who rounded his marker. The Blackrock targetman carried the sliotar in close to make sure of the finish but he hadn’t counted on an outstanding Cormac Kenny save.

The sides traded points throughout the third quarter. Peter McGarry finished off a sharp-passing move, a Cunningham catch handed Stakelum a tap-over score, and William Buckley launched a skyscraper from out wide. Meanwhile, Niall Collins clipped a similar score from the right sideline and Dan Bourke slotted his second.

A pinpoint Ian McGlynn sideline almost created a goal for onrushing centre-back Tiernan Killeen but the Loughrea man lashed his shot just wide and a Cunningham point made it 0-20 to 0-13.

Niall Collins nailed two frees but it looked like game over in the 50th minute when Flynn’s low ball fed Coleman and he sent the overlapping Stakelum into space to find the net.

Niall Collins went for goal from his next free but Paudie O’Sullivan made a diving save.

There was still eight points in it with two minutes of normal time remaining when substitute Charlie Mitchell released Liam Collins to blast home.

Niall Collins was instructed to pop his next two frees over and suddenly it was a one-score game.

Cunningham and Hogan settled UCC but Galway came again in the 63rd minute. Killeen’s delivery ran through for Liam Collins to whip to the net.

There was no last chance, however, as Thomas Walsh called time from the puck-out.

Scorers for UCC: B Cunningham (0-9, 2 frees); D Stakelum (1-3); B Keating, D Flynn (0-3 each); W Buckley (0-2); F Coleman, J Dwyer, P McGarry, D Hogan (0-1 each).

Scorers for University of Galway: N Collins (0-10, 9 frees); L Collins (2-0); D Bourke, D Comar, C Molloy (0-2 each); I McGlynn, M Gill, T Killeen (0-1 each).

UCC (Cork unless stated): P O’Sullivan (Fr O’Neills); S Daly (Randal Óg), C Doolan (St Finbarr’s), T Wilk (Cobh); M Mullaney (Stradbally, Waterford), E Twomey (St Finbarr’s), J Dwyer (Ballincollig); B Keating (Ballincollig), D Stakelum (Thurles Sarsfields, Tipperary); D Flynn (Ballygiblin), E Stokes (Doon, Limerick), B Cunningham (St Finbarr’s); W Buckley (St Finbarr’s), F Coleman (Blackrock), P McGarry (St Mary’s Clonmel, Tipperary).

Subs: E O’Leary (Glen Rovers) for McGarry (50), D Hogan (Sarsfields) for Stokes (53), Cathal McCarthy (Sarsfields) for Stakelum (55), D Cremin (Midleton) for Flynn (57), Cathal McCarthy (Blarney) for Buckley (57).

UNIVERSITY OF GALWAY: C Kenny; K Hanrahan, D Loftus, M Hardiman; J Ryan, T Killeen, M Gill; I McGlynn, L Leen; D Comar, D Bourke, N Collins; L Collins, G Thomas, C Molloy.

Subs: C Mitchell for Comar (34, inj), C Cunningham for Ryan (36), R Davitt for Leen (44), P McCann for Gill (50), S Dunford for Molloy (56).

Referee: T Walsh (Waterford).