Fitzgibbon final loss
I.T. Carlow pipped by holders U.C.C.
SHEER HEARTBREAK was the order of the day for the Wexford contingent involved with I.T. Carlow on Wednesday when their quest for a first-ever Fitzgibbon Cup hurling crown was denied by a strong-finishing U.C.C. in the final at the D.C.U. sports ground.
It was a real David versus Goliath affair, with the holders from Leeside in search of their 40th title, whereas the D.J. Carey-managed opposition were appearing in only their second decider.
And the underdogs couldn’t have wished for a better start, as Oylegate-Glenbrien’s Seamus Casey kicked to the net in the second minute, even though he had been rated a very doubtful starter owing to an ankle ligament injury.
A second goal, from Kilkenny’s
Liam Blanchfield, left I.T. Carlow ahead by 2-5 to 0-7 at the break, and that margin was widened to six before U.C.C. launched a superb comeback.
Even though they lost defender Niall O’Leary to a red card in the 50th minute – issued by Wexford referee James Owens after an off-the-ball incident – the reigning champions dug deep to pip their rivals by 0-18 to 2-11, with classy Kerry star Shane Conway finishing with exactly half of their tally, including seven points from frees.
Seamus Casey embellished that early goal with a four-point haul from placed balls, and he was joined on the team by his Oylegate-Glenbrien clubmate, Shane Reck, at right corner-back, as well as Naomh Eanna’s Cathal
Dunbar who captained the team from centre-forward.
Adam Howlin of Shelmaliers was substitute goalkeeper to Laois regular Enda Rowland for the losers, while Rathnure pair Rory Higgins and Michael Redmond also featured on the panel.
Meanwhile, Wexford duo Ciarán Murphy (Buffers Alley) and Denis Maher (Rathnure) helped U.C.D. to a comprehensive 4-20 to 1-16 win over Mary Immaculate (Limerick) in the Intermediate hurling decider.
Both of the beaten semi-finalists also featured plenty of Slaneysiders, with St. Martin’s trio Ben Maddock, Eoin O’Leary and Jack Devereux in action for D.C.U. along with James Dempsey (Cloughbawn) and Eoin Murphy (Ferns St. Aidan’s).
Two more St. Martin’s clubmen, Conor Coleman and Philip Dempsey, were part of the W.I.T. squad and they were joined by Shane Gahan (Monageer-Boolavogue).
In other third level news, Adam Winters of Taghmon-Camross won a Ryan Cup medal with the Garda College when they defeated University of Ulster (Jordanstown) in the final by 0-15 to 1-8.
Other Wexfordians involved with their colleges in a jam-packed finals programme in D.C.U. were Liam Hore (Faythe Harriers), Oisín Dunbar (Ballygarrett) and Stephen Murphy (Oulart-The Ballagh) with Marino Institute of Education, and David Moore (St. Martin’s) and Thomas Murphy (Rathgarogue-Cushinstown) with I.T. Tralee.