Fitzgibbon Cup: MTU fall to quarter-final defeat at home to DCU
MTU Cork's Ruairí O'Connor in possession during Wednesday's Electric Ireland Fitzgibbon Cup quarter-final. Picture: Jim Coughlan
MTU Cork’s hopes of Electric Ireland Fitzgibbon Cup glory came to an end as they lost out at home to DCU Dóchas Éireann in Wednesday’s quarter-final.
While the hosts had a great start with an unanswered 1-2, their visitors replied with a pair of goals and the game was close thereafter.
A pair of inspiration points, one a free, from MTU captain Ronan Walsh had them 2-14 to 3-10 ahead with 12 minutes remaining but they were not to score again in normal time.
Instead, as the conditions worsened – the game had been brought forward from 7.30pm to 3.45pm due to the poor forecast – DCU found and extra gear. They were back in front as Conor Beirne scored his fourth and fifth points of the day and then, with two minutes of normal time left, a big delivery from Denis Walsh broke close to the MTU goal and sub Luke Murphy, only just on, snaffled possession and managed to poke a shot home.
Walsh’s free to bring his tally to 1-5 had them five ahead as the clock neared 60 minute and, while MTU created pressure, a pair of 20m frees from Diarmuid Healy and Mikey Finn failed to yield scores.
The latter led to a 65 and Darragh O’Sullivan, MTU’s best performer over the hour, over-cooked his intended dropping delivery and the point provided little consolation as they exited the competition.
Having topped their group, this was Pádraig Gould’s side first game in a fortnight but there was no rustiness started brilliantly, with points from Ronan Walsh and Finn followed by a superb goal. O’Sullivan’s delivery was expertly measured, allowing Alan Walsh to meet the ball without catching it or breaking stride, sending his shot to the top corner.
However, within moments, DCU had a penalty as James O’Brien was punished for a foul Sam Byrne and Walsh drilled the ball to the net; then Greg Kelly and Beirne linked to set up Byrne for a close-range finish: 2-0 to 1-2 with seven minutes gone.
DCU might even have had a third goal through Beirne but Ronan Walsh did well to take the ball off the line; at the other end, Johnny Murphy skewed an MTU shot side but they looked to have found their stride as points from Healy and Ryan Deasy – rounding off a great move – and Finn moved them 2-10 to 2-6 ahead as half-time neared.
However, DCU went in with a spring in their step as Beirne’s low delivery from the right corner was met by Donagh Murphy to leave just a point in it at the break.
On the restart, Finn opted to go for goal from a free but his shot was repelled and Beirne had DCU level almost immediately.
The scoring slowed down as the rain began to fall, with space harder to find. Another good passing combination allowed Deasy to score again for a 2-12 to 3-8 lead but, after Greg Kelly levelled, Alan Walsh might have had a DCU goal but Stephen Manogue saved.
An excellent Denis Walsh point from the right sideline put DCU in front on 43. While MTU replied through his namesake Ronan, it was to be DCU’s day.
M Finn 0-5 (0-4 f), A Walsh 1-2, D Healy 1-1, R Walsh 0-3 (0-1 f), R Deasy 0-2, R O’Connor, D O’Sullivan (0-1 f) 0-1 each.
D Walsh 1-5 (1-0 penalty, 0-4 f), C Beirne 0-5, S Byrne, D Murphy 1-0 each, S Gallagher, P Clarke, G Kelly 0-1 each.
G Bucinskas (Kanturk); F O’Connell (St Catherine’s), J O’Brien (Fermoy), T O’Leary Hayes (Midleton); C Ryan (Brickey Rangers, Waterford), D O’Sullivan (Ballinhassig), R Walsh (Kilmoyley, Kerry); R Deasy (Ballymartle), M Finn (Midleton); S Walsh (Fourmilewater, Waterford), D Healy (Lisgoold), R O’Connor (Feenagh-Kilmeedy, Limerick); A Walsh (Kanturk), J Murphy (Dromina), A McEvoy (Graigue-Ballycallan, Kilkenny).
E Varian (Glen Rovers) for O’Brien (20-24), M Kelleher (Dicksboro, Kilkenny) for McEvoy (47), Varian for R Walsh (52, injured), R Walsh for O’Connor (55), D O’Leary (Ballincollig) for O’Connell (58).
S Manogue; P Lennon, L O’Reilly, S Bourke; B Reid, A Keegan, S Gallagher; E O’Brien, D O’Meara; P Clarke, D Murphy, C Beirne; D Walsh, S Byrne, G Kelly.
A Gargan for Byrne (47), L Murphy for O’Brien (55).
C Lyons (Nemo Rangers).
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