Sigerson/Fitzgibbon Cups

[lovelyhurling]

Well, the fitzgibbon and sigersons are in full swing and there is huge offaly interest in a number of teams. Unfortunately cant make any of the games due to work interest, would appreciate if anyone has info on how matches and players went. Heard one of the darbys gave an excellent performance for GMIT in sigerson during the week and in fitzgibbon cup, 6 offaly players lined out for UL against WIT(UL won by 4). Apparently all players performed well, but dempsey the goalie was poor. VErney, Ryan, Hayden, Carrol, Egan were the other players.

[Lone Shark]

I was in Galway on Wednesday so I wandered down to Mervue to have a look at the Sigerson game. Darby lined out at ten and kicked three good second half points into the wind (papers reported it as four but it was definitely three) and generally was one of their better attackers, but you couldn't say he was county standard yet based on that. He was very busy and covered a lot of ground, but he's still very weak in the tackle and gets muscled off way too easily. More than a few occasions his lack of strength was an issue and it would be even more so at a higher level.

Incidentally, for a Sigerson Cup game, the standard was very poor - Brendan Jer O'Sullivan was all UCC had that was anyway out of the ordinary. I'd be expecting DIT to cruise past GMIT in the next round.

There was no Fitzgibbon in Galway so I've no idea how that went - I believe GMIT would have a decent Offaly contingent as well?

[bracknaghboy]

Unfortunatly I cant make it due to a lack of interest.

[lovelyhurling]

E. Ward; P. Callanan, C. Flannery, D. Maher; L. Howley, G. Mahon, B. Regan; N. Rogers, D. Barry; C. Egan, K. Greene, O. Cormican; C. Kavanagh, A. Shaughnessy, C. Hynes.

That was the team GMIT lined out with. 3 Offaly players but i understand Neil Rogers is now playing with Kiltormer in galway with keith hehir. They were beaten but they are not a bad team esp. with O shaughnessy. Alan Egan was supposed to be exceptional for UL yesterday. That is some team down there..4 or 5 county U21 stars from galway, kilkenny and tipperary are subs for them so in fairness that is great achievement by those lads to be there. UL footballers have stephen lonergan playin in the forwards for them.

DIT will beat GMIT next round in sigerson..vaughan will be the difference. Which darby is with GMIT? Brian?

On a sidenote, what is with the immaturity on this site..Bracknaghboy, we're entitled to talk about this well respected competition without your smart comments.

[Lone Shark]

Didn't realise that Rogers had transferred out - that is a loss. I never thought he got quite the run with Birr seniors that he deserved.

It was Niall Darby playing with GMIT by the way - I don't know of Brian being in college anywhere.

UL definitely appear to be bordering on exceptional this year. That was a very solid win yesterday, I'd say that they're best placed to take out LIT of the lot of them.

[lovelyhurling]

Yeh UL are looking good for a crack at LIT though i am a bit biast. LIT have Canning and Callinan(tipp) in the forwards so they have a serious team. As far as i know Stephen Wynne is on the UL Panel and maybe Conor Mahon. Conor Hernon is in LIT but not sure he's hurling this year. Is James Gorman in NUIG?

I always thought it was brian in GMIT for some reason..my mistake. Offaly footballers seem rare enough in the sigerson this year.

[Lone Shark]

Gorman is in NUIG, but I'd be surprised if he got a start myself. I presume David Kenny is done by now.


Very few footballers in the Sigerson all right -yet another worrisome sign. Athlone had Trevor Phelan and Alan Lynam, while Nigel Dunne played very well with Maynooth and I believe WIT had a few , but as for the colleges with any chance of success? Feck all. Gerry Grehan might get a medal with DIT, but even he's touch and go to get a starting place down there.

[Plain of the Herbs]

Arra, Bracknaghboy doesn't rate going to university, that's all. Don't mind him.

On a sidenote, what is with the immaturity on this site..Bracknaghboy, we're entitled to talk about this well respected competition without your smart comments.

[lovelyhurling]

As far as i know Gerry grehan is the only offaly player left involved in the sigerson weekend with DIT but there is still a considerable contigent of offaly players involved in fitzgibbon especially with UL. UL play St. Pats tomorrow in a quarter final and there will 6 offaly players involved. Not sure if james gorman is involved with NUIG but they play UCC. LIT v. WIT and UCD v.LIT are the other quarters. Good chance of offaly success at this stage.

[Lone Shark]

Gorman came on as sub in the NUIG group game that I saw against the Gardaí. Whether he would have come on if the game was in the balance was another matter - NUIG had it well won by the time he appeared.

[Lone Shark]

UL looking very good after today. Big win over St. Pats with WIT knocking LIT out as well. Cork IT limped home with a late injury time point to beat UCD while I watched a very average UCC team beat NUIG in Galway. (James Gorman came on as a second half sub, never really featured).

Waterford IT have the experience and their tails will be up after today, but I'd still say it's there for UL if they keep their focus right.

[lovelyhurling]

heard brian carroll scored 2 early 2nd half goals. WIT win is a huge shock! 2-14 to 1-7. id fancy WIT now.

[Bord na Mona man]

Mulhall and Murphy spark UCC jubilation

Monday March 09 2009

Eleven years without a title success constitutes a famine on the Western Road, so referee Barry Kelly's final whistle was greeted with utter jubilation at Parnell Park on Saturday evening.

A complete display from UCC ensured favourites UL were burned, and there was so much to admire in how the Leesiders annexed their 40th inter-varsity hurling crown.

Goalkeeper Anthony Nash was cool and composed, Shane O'Neill, Richie Foley and Kevin Hartnett starred in a resolute rearguard, while a forward line full of willing workers dined out on a plentiful supply of possession that was directed their way.

Leading by 0-10 to 0-6 following a high-octane first half, UCC struck for two crucial third-quarter goals as John Mulhall and Tadgh Og Murphy rattled the UL net. All that needed to be determined thereafter was the winning margin.

UCC manager Paul O'Connor cut a satisfied figure after the convincing demolition job.

"We are absolutely delighted. The best thing about it was the lads played as they can play, we hadn't done that all year. We knew what they were capable of. We were so lucky to get out of jail against WIT and we said we would try to make the most out of it, and we got the perfect performance."

substance

O'Connor's assessment was accurate as UCC's enthusiasm for the battle was commendable. In an exacting semi-final with WIT on Friday, UCC grabbed a last-gasp goal in injury-time to steal victory, but the decider revealed that they have style to marry with substance.

With Hartnett excelling in anchoring a physical defence, UCC inflicted damage during the opening period as their shooting from out the field impressed. Mulhall, Stephen Moylan and Don Hanley were all effective, and when the goals arrived shortly after the restart, UCC entered the closing stages with an unassailable advantage.

UCC are now intent on preventing another Fitzgibbon-less decade according to O'Connor. "Eleven years is too long for UCC. Hopefully, we can build up some momentum and we will see how it goes for next year."

Scorers -- UCC: J Mulhall 1-3, S Moylan 0-4 (0-2f), T Og Murphy 1-1, S Burke 0-3, B O'Sullivan 0-2, D Hanley, M Cahill, R Foley, E Martin 0-1 each. UL: M Ruth 0-4, B Carroll 0-3, (0-1f), M Gleeson 0-2, A Egan, S Hickey, S Ryan, D Burke, T Stapelton 0-1 each.

UCC -- A Nash; S O'Neill, D McSweeney, C O'Sullivan; J Jordan, K Hartnett, R Foley; B O'Sullivan, M Cahill; S Burke, B Beckett, D Hanley; T Og Murphy, J Mulhall, S Moylan. Subs: E Martin for Hanley (50), D Browne for Cahill (55), W Kearney for C O'Sullivan (56), M Grace for Burke (58), C O'Driscoll for McSweeney (59).

UL -- P McCormack; B Fox, K Joyce, M Verney; JB McCarthy, T Stapleton, M Walsh; S Hickey, M Gleeson; S Ryan, R O'Dwyer, J Greene; B Carroll, M Ruth, A Egan. Subs: N O Murchu for Greene (35), S O'Brien for Fox (37), D Hayden for Stapelton (42), D Burke for O'Dwyer (52), K Lannigan for Egan (56).

Ref -- B Kelly (Westmeath).

[Bord na Mona man]

UCC won it handily enough in the end.
UL had to work hard for their scores and the 2 goals killed it off as a contest.
Still it was good experience for the Offaly players involved.

[athlumneyboy]

Watched the Fitzgibbon final on Saturday was shocked to see how far off the pace the Offaly players were they only two that tried was Sean Ryan and Dylan Hayden.

I think Michael Vernay is a liability has alsways being Stephen Wynne shoud have hurled instead more reliable altogher .

Mulhall was way ahead of ther rest and he isnt near the KK panel.