Offaly Fitzgibbon and Sigerson

A forum to air your views on Offaly GAA matters and beyond.
ballyvilla
Junior C
Posts: 1
Joined: Tue Feb 24, 2015 12:34 am

Re: Offaly Fitzgibbon and Sigerson

Post by ballyvilla »

Alan Franks 2002 UL - sub has one too

True Red
All Star
Posts: 760
Joined: Mon Jan 31, 2005 12:25 pm
Contact:

Re: Offaly Fitzgibbon and Sigerson

Post by True Red »

put the list up here?
If you don’t stand for something you fall for anything

Plain of the Herbs
All Star
Posts: 3494
Joined: Sat Nov 27, 2004 4:47 pm
Club: Lusmagh

Re: Offaly Fitzgibbon and Sigerson

Post by Plain of the Herbs »

Here's the piece in full, for those who weren't there on Sunday.
OFFALY’S FITZGIBBON CUP WINNERS
Pat Donegan casts an eye of Offaly’s Fitzgibbon cup winners over the years.

With 2015’s Fitzgibbon Cup to be played for next weekend, it is worth noting the Offaly hurlers who have won the premier inter-varsity hurling competition. In most cases, history records those who fielded during the final and does not record non-playing panellists.

Offaly’s first winner was 100 years ago this year when UCD were captained by Derrinlough man Éamonn Bulfin. Also on that team was legendary Clare goalkeeper Dr Tommy Daly. Bulfin’s story is a fascinating one, born in Argentina to Irish immigrants, the family returned to Ireland when Éamonn was a young boy; he subsequently attended Pádraig Pearse’s school, St Enda’s in Dublin. His connections to Pearse remained strong and a year after that 1915 Fitzgibbon Cup win, Lieutenant Éamonn Bulfin would serve in the Easter Rising and it was he who raised the green flag with the words “Irish Republic” on the GPO’s rooftop. His Argentinian citizenship saved him from execution and he was deported to Argentina, returning to Ireland following the establishment of the Irish Free State and to his father’s native Derrinlough.

For many decades, Offaly’s Fitzgibbon winners were occasional, though as Offaly hurling demonstrated green shoots in the 1970s, Hugh Dolan (St Rynagh’s) was a 1975 winner with UCD alongside Kilkenny’s Matt Ruth, and in 1977 Pat Fleury captained a UCG team containing Conor Hayes, Niall McInerney, Joe Connolly and Cyril Farrell to cup success.

The 1980s again proved a barren period for Offaly students, and Johnny Pilkington ended a long wait when he lined out in his familiar midfield slot for UCD in their 1993 extra-time win over UCC. Colm Cassidy ended the decade with a Fitzgibbon win, lining out in his familiar left half-back position in a Waterford IT team containing Michael Kavanagh and Henry Shefflin (Kilkenny) and Andy Moloney (now Ballyhale Shamrocks manager).

The 2000s were to prove Offaly’s most fruitful decade. Brendan Murphy was a winner when UCD defeated UCC in a replayed 2001 Final, lining out at left corner-forward and a year later Murphy’s Ballyskenagh club mate Mick O’Hara came off the bench in UL’s win over UCC. In 2003 Coolderry duo Joe Brady and Damien Murray played their part in Waterford IT’s win over Cork IT, Brady filling the centre half-back role, Murray at left corner-forward.

Offaly had a cup-winning trio at the 2006 Fitzgibbon weekend at Cork, where Waterford IT trounced UCD, with Daniel Hoctor and Kevin Brady featuring in Waterford’s half-back line, Cathal Parlon introduced as a substitute.

On to 2010 and though coming off the bench, James Gorman played a key role in NUIG’s Final win, the Kilcormac-Killoughey forward scoring an equalising point in extra-time before Clare’s John Conlon scored the winner for the Galway University’s first title since 1980. And most recently, Brian Carroll was among a University of Limerick team that contained Kieran Joyce (Kilkenny) Séamus Hickey (Lmerick) and Paul Kelly (Tipperary) that beat city rivals Limerick IT. Shane Dooley was a key member of that UL team too but sadly suspension ruled the Tullamore forward out of the Final.

The full listing of those from Offaly who won the Fitzgibbon Cup on the field of play is as follows:-
1915 Éamonn Bulfin (UCD)
1941 Éamonn O’Boyle (UCD)
1944 Seán Doohan, Éamonn O’Boyle (UCD)
1948 Seán Doohan (UCD)
1954 Noel McMahon (UCG)
1975 Hugh Dolan (UCD)
1977 Pat Fleury (UCG)
1993 Johnny Pilkington (UCD)
1999 Colm Cassidy (Waterford IT)
2001 Brendan Murphy (UCD)
2002 Mick O’Hara (University of Limerick)
2003 Joe Brady, Damien Murray (Waterford IT)
2006 Daniel Hoctor, Kevin Brady, Cathal Parlon (Waterford IT)
2010 James Gorman (NUIG)
2011 Brian Carroll (University of Limerick)
Pat Donegan. Signed out of respect for players and all involved with Offaly.

Post Reply