Four-goal Mikey Kiely inspires UL to seal back-to-back Fitzgibbon Cup titles

UNIVERSITY of Limerick are Fitzgibbon Cup champions for the second year in a row following a superb 4-19 to 1-13 victory over the University of Galway in their final showdown played at SETU Waterford's campus on Saturday afternoon.

Four goals from full-forward Michael Kiely saw UL home to a comfortable win. Kiely did most of the damage in the first half with a brilliantly taken hat-trick.

Brian Ryan's side played into a gale in the opening half and Niall Collins gave UG a good start with the first score of the game. Evan Niland then had a penalty brilliantly saved by UL keeper Dean Mason and they never looked back.

Following the save, Kiely slotted him his first after being set up by Adam English. Gearoid O'Connor (2), English and Mark Rodgers followed up before Kiely's second goal put Ul into a 2-5 to 0-1 advantage with 11 minutes on the clock.

UG eventually settled as the first half went on with Evan Niland and Brian Concannon leading the way. However, UL soon went through the gears again with O'Connor and Bryan O'Mara points.

The game was effectively over as a contest right on half time when Kiely plucked a long delivery out of the air and netted his third goal to put UL 3-7 to 0-9 ahead.

The same man got a point on the restart and then bagged his fourth following an excellent run by Sean Twomey. The scores continued at pace with O'Connor, Darragh Corcoran and Twomey all raising white flags after the fourth goal.

UG did get a goal late on courtesy of Greg Thomas but UL deservedly got the last score from Colin Coughlan that saw them to a 15-point winning margin.

Scorers UL: Michael Kiely 4-1, Gearoid O'Connor 0-9 (7 frees, 1'65), Adam English and Mark Rodgers (1 free) 0-2 each, Bryan O'Mara, Brian O'Sullivan, Darragh Corcoran, Sean Twomey and Colin Coughlan 0-1 each

UL: Dean Mason (Ballyhale Shamrocks, Kilkenny),Mark Fitzgerald (Passage East, Waterford), TJ Brennan (Clarinbridge, Galway), Shane Staunton (Clare, Kilkenny); Killian Sampson (Shinrone, Offaly), Bryan O'Mara (Holycross-Ballycahill), Darragh Corcoran (Ballyhale Shamrocks, Kilkenny); Colin Coughlan (Ballybrown, Limerick), Brian O'Sullivan (Kanturk, Cork), Adam English (Doon, Limerick), Gearoid O'Connor (Moyne-Templetuohy, Tipperary), Sean Twomey (Courcey Rovers, Cork); Mark Rodgers (Scariff, Clare), Michael Kiely (Abbeyside, Waterford), James Power (Clonea, Waterford).

Subs: Diarmuid Hannify (Oranmore, Galway) for Power (38 mins), Mike Gough (Smith O'Brien's, Clare) for Staunton (44 mins), Conor Flaherty (Claregalway-Carnmore, Galway) for Sampson (50 mins), Padraic Dunne (The Harps, Laois) for O'Sullivan (55 mins) Killian McDermott (Clarecastle, Clare) for Rodgers (59 mins).