Colleges crew busy
Young guns in Fitzgibbon Cup action
WEXFORD’S GROWING involvement on the third level hurling scene was reflected in the presence of several local players in a series of important group games held recently.
D.C.U., last year’s beaten finalists, are among the favourites for the Fitzgibbon Cup title this time around, and they chalked up a brace of impressive wins despite the absence of the O’Connor cousins, Rory and Joe, from their starting team owing to injury.
They beat W.I.T. by 0-16 to 0-14 on Sunday week, with one of the midfield slots filled by another St. Martin’s youngster, Aaron Maddock – an addition to the 38 names listed as Fitzgibbon participants in last week’s edition.
The Foley brothers from Crossabeg-Ballymurn, Oisín and Pádraig, played in goal and at right half-back respectively, with the latter contributing two points (free and ’65).
Damien Reck (Oylegate-Glenbrien) came on in that game as he continued his full recovery from a broken jaw, and he did likewise on Thursday when D.C.U. defeated C.I.T. by 0-23 to 0-12.
Reck replaced Maddock after 23 minutes and scored two points, while Darren Byrne (Blackwater) and Conor Firman (St. Martin’s) were brought on at half-time. Rory O’Connor (St. Martin’s) joined them on the field during the second period, making a welcome return to action after his long injury lay-off.
The Foleys started again, in goal and at right half-back, and this time Pádraig picked off five points, four from frees.
Stephen O’Gorman (Taghmon-Camross) scored two points for W.I.T. in that defeat to D.C.U., while there was mixed luck for I.T. Carlow’s strong Wexford contingent.
Shane Reck (Oylegate-Glenbrien) and Michael Redmond (Rathnure) featured in the backs in both their 1-14 to 1-13 loss to L.I.T. and 0-24 to 1-8 win against Trinity, while their forward line included Cathal Dunbar (Naomh Eanna) and Seamus Casey (Oylegate-Glenbrien).
Casey top-scored with 1-7 against the Limerick college, with the points all arriving from placed balls (six frees and one ’65), while he recorded 0-4 versus the Dubliners (two frees and one ’65). Dunbar chipped in with 0-2 against L.I.T., and 0-1 in the victory over Trinity whose left half-back was Glynn-Barntown’s Ger Dempsey.
The son of our hurling columnist, Tom, had played a part in some sporting history four days earlier, as Trinity’s 1-15 to 0-13 defeat of the Garda College was their first-ever Fitzgibbon win.
Seán Murphy (Monageer-Boolavogue) manned the posts for the Templemore outfit, and he was on duty again in the same role on Thursday when L.I.T. beat them comfortably by 4-24 to 0-12.
U.C.C. have made an impressive burst into the quarter-finals, and Ross Donohoe (Buffers Alley) featured at right half-forward in their two victories (0-26 to 0-20 versus U.L., and 2-21 to 1-13 against U.C.D.).
Two familiar foes came on for the Belfield crew in the latter game – Naomh Eanna colleagues Charlie McGuckin and Gary Molloy.
The former had also made an appearance off the bench in the 3-12 to 1-18 draw with N.U.I.G., while the latter started that opening round game at midfield.
Meanwhile, Quinn Saunders (Our Lady’s Island) was introduced as a substitute when D.I.T. went down to Mary Immaculate by 1-19 to 1-14 in their first Fitzgibbon game.
On the football front, a Wexford quartet also played impressive roles in three significant Sigerson Cup victories.
Champions U.C.D. defeated C.I.T. by 5-8 to 0-10, with HWH-Bunclody’s Martin O’Connor featuring at left corner-back, while Darragh Lyons (St. James’) kicked a fine point when Maynooth travelled into the lion’s den and pipped Queen’s University (Belfast) by 0-9 to 0-8.
I.T. Carlow lost to D.C.U. by 1-16 to 0-14, but recovered mid-week to beat C.I.T. by 0-18 to 0-12, with Niall Hughes (Kilanerin) and Nick Doyle (Starlights) alternating between the midfield and centre-forward roles. Hughes scored a point against the Dubliners, while Cathal Walsh (Monageer-Boolavogue) is also a member of the Carlow squad.
In other colleges news, it was fitting that the recent Kehoe Cup shield hurling final featured a very big Wexford contingent, given that the competition is in honour of one of our own, the late Micheál Kehoe who served as national President of the G.A.A. from 1949 to 1952.
Louth beat D.C.U. Dochas Eireann by 1-18 to 0-14 in Darver, and the losers were powered by goalkeeper Diarmuid Byrne (Rapparees), corner-back Joe Redmond (Shelmaliers), centre-back Dean Whelan (Blackwater), wing-back Nick Doyle (Ballyhogue), midfielder Liam Pender (Duffry Rovers), and inside forwards Murtha Doyle (Oulart-The Ballagh, 0-1) and Diarmuid Fenlon (Monageer-Boolavogue).
Conor Sutton from Blackwater, the Wexford F.C. soccer player, was also a member of the squad, while his clubmate Whelan doubled up as team manager.
Self-sufficiency is part of the trainee teachers’ make-up, because netminder Byrne was also one of Whelan’s three selectors.
And there should be no shortage of mentors for Blackwater hurling teams in years to come, because another clubman, James Donoghue, is part of the D.C.U. Fitzgibbon backroom.