Forde and Murphy help UL bag 4 goals in 22-point Fitzgibbon Cup win over UCC
UL stormed into a semi-final meeting with IT Carlow.

UL 4-18
UCC 0-8
Daragh Small the42.ie gaa reports from Limerick

IT CARLOW MANAGER DJ Carey was an interested spectator at UL as the hosts advanced to face his side in the semi-finals of the Fitzgibbon Cup with a massive 22-point victory over UCC.

UL have not won this competition since 2015 – they lost the final the following year – but Barry Murphy scored 2-4, while Jason Forde added another pair of goals in a resounding success on their front pitch.

UCC didn’t score from play until Rickard Cahalane landed a point, eight minutes from time, and the game was already beyond them at half-time when they trailed by 2-10 to 0-6.

UL advanced to the quarter-finals as Group B victors with wins against DIT and WIT. But their opponents lost their last game to UCD, after they saw off CIT in the opening round.

And Limerick forward Murphy crashed the opening goal past Jack Barry in the UCC goal after just three minutes. Paul Maher quickly made it 1-1 to 0-0 and although Shane Kingston scored the first of his five frees in the fifth minute, UCC were completely out-played.

Ian Galvin scored three times but Kingston kept UCC alive before Forde controlled brilliantly and finished a second UL goal after a pass from Galvin in the 17th minute.

That goal gave UL a 2-4 to 0-3 lead and lots of momentum as the game headed towards half-time. Tipperary ace John McGrath was strangely quiet for them but the rest of their forwards and two midfielders all scored points in the first-half.

John McGrath Tipperary’s John McGrath was in action for UL today.
Source: Morgan Treacy/INPHO

There was no let-up in the second-half and UCC were reduced to 14 men with a quarter of the game remaining, when Michael Breen got a second yellow, as the visitors limped out.

Scorers for UL: Barry Murphy 2-4 (1-0 pen, 0-2f), Jason Forde 2-1 (1-0 pen), Tony Kelly 0-3, Ian Galvin 0-3, Gearoid Hegarty 0-2, Tom Morrissey 0-2, Paul Maher 0-2, Kevin O’Brien 0-1.

Scorers for UCC: Shane Kingston 0-5 (0-5f), Darragh Fitzgibbon 0-1 (0-1f), Rickard Cahalane 0-1, Mark O’Brien 0-1.

UL
1. David McCarthy (Glenroe, Limerick)

4. Sean Finn (Bruff, Limerick)
3. Brian Troy (Emeralds, Kilkenny)
2. Aidan McGuane (Kilmaley, Clare)

7. David Fitzgerald (Inagh-Kilnamona, Clare)
6. Conor Cleary (Kilmaley, Clare)
17. Gearoid Hegarty (St Patrick’s, Limerick)

8. Tony Kelly (Ballyea, Clare)
9. Paul Maher (Kilsheelan-Kilcash, Tipperary)

10. Ian Galvin (Clonlara, Clare)
11. Kevin O’Brien (Patrickswell, Limerick)
12. Tom Morrissey (Ahane, Limerick)

15. Barry Murphy (Doon, Limerick)
14. Jason Forde (Silvermines, Tipperary)
13. John McGrath (Loughmore-Castleiney, Tipperary)

Subs

5. Barry Heffernan (Nenagh Eire Og, Tipperary) for Troy (21)
21. David Gleeson (Ballinahinch, Tipperary) for Forde (48)
23. Michael Mullins (Gort, Galway) for McGrath (48)
20. Stephen Roche (Kilnadeema-Leitrim, Galway) for McGuane (52)
22. JP Lucey (Shamrocks, Waterford) for Kelly (53).

UCC
1. Jack Barry (Castlelyons, Cork)

2. Seán O’Donoghue (Inniscarra, Cork)
3. David Griffin (Carrigaline, Cork)
4. Conor Gleeson (Fourmilewater, Waterford)

7. Cathal McGrath (John Locke’s, Kilkenny)
8. Conor Browne (James Stephens, Kilkenny)
28. Rickard Cahalane (Ballymartle, Cork)

11. Michael Breen (Ballina, Tipperary)
32. Sean Hayes (Mallow, Cork)

10. Mark O’Brien (Ferrybank, Waterford)
12. Darragh Fitzgibbon (Charleville, Cork)
14. John Power (Carrickshock, Kilkenny)

34. Shane Kingston (Douglas, Cork)
30. Tom Devine (Modeligo, Waterford)
26. Robbie O’Flynn (Erin’s Own, Cork)

Subs

5. Eoghan Murphy (Sarsfields, Cork) for McGrath (20)
33. Billy McCarthy (Thurles Sarsfields, Tipperary) for O’Flynn (half-time)
27. Eoin Gough (Dicksboro, Kilkenny) for Fitzgibbon (38)
6. Niall Cashman (Blackrock, Cork) for Power (46)
17. Eddie Gunning (Na Piarsaigh, Cork) for Kingston (54)

Referee: Alan Kelly (Galway