Fitzgibbon Cup: MTU targeting second straight semi-final appearance

MTU Cork will aim to bridge a gap of more than a decade as they seek to reach the semi-finals of the Electric Ireland Fitzgibbon Cup for the second year in a row.

DCU Dóchas Éireann provide the opposition at the MTU Sports Stadium this evening (3.45pm - brought forward from an initial 7.30pm slot), with the hosts aiming to match the last-four appearance of 2025. In 2014, the Bishopstown college – then known as Cork IT – made the final, losing to Waterford IT, and then reached the semis again a year later, but fell to the same opposition, albeit after extra time.

Of last year’s four semi-finalists, only two will make it back to that stage – it’s a quirk of the draw that MTU face the side beaten in the 2025 final by the University of Limerick, while UL take on UCC, who lost to DCU at the penultimate stage.

MTU come into the game on the back of a break of nearly a fortnight since beating Garda College to guarantee top spot in Group B – a week before that, they recorded an impressive victory away to UCC at the Mardyke.

Cork panellists Darragh O’Sullivan at centre-back, Diarmuid Healy in the half-forward line and Alan Walsh in the full-forward have been very impressive for Pádraig Gould’s team but it has been a case of the collective performing as a well-oiled unit.

Johnny Murphy, who has Cork minor and U20 experience, is a valuable target alongside Walsh while Kilkenny’s Aaron McEvoy has scored 2-5 to date, all from play.

Tadhg O’Leary Hayes, Mikey Finn and Ryan Deasy are other Cork natives who shone in the group stage while Tipperary’s Joe Egan has dovetailed effectively with Finn at midfield.

Also in action at the quarter-final stage today are Limerick’s Mary Immaculate College, who are managed by Kilbrittain’s Jamie Wall. Mary I – the only college apart from UL to win the competition since Covid-19 prevented it from being played in 2021 – host UCD at 2.30pm.