Limerick's Mary Immaculate College fall short in Division One Hurling League final against UCC

MARY IMMACULATE COLLEGE suffered a narrow 1-22 to 1-19 defeat to UCC in the Higher Education Division One Hurling League final in the Maradyke, Co.Cork on Wednesday evening. 

Both teams were without a number of players with inter-county teams back in pre-season training. Limerick senior hurling star Shane O'Brien didn't line out for Mary I in the league final. 

Limerick were well represented in the Division One league hurling final. Patrick Finn, William Dore, Mikey Gavin, Sean Whelan, Jimmy Quilty, Jack Daly, Killian Ahern and Wayne Kearns all featured for the Limerick college. Limerick U20 goalkeeper wore the number one jersey for UCC, while Dara Ferland and Dan Scully featured off the bench for the winners. 

READ NEXT: Confirmed: Limerick fixtures finalised for 2026 Allianz Hurling and Football Leagues

A late second-half goal from Mark O’Dwyer proved decisive as UCC edged past Mary I in a tightly contested encounter. Despite leading for almost 50 minutes, the Limerick side were unable to hold on in the closing stages.

UCC opened brightly, with Finn O’Brien striking two early points, but Mary I soon settled and responded with five unanswered scores. The accuracy of former Kilkenny hurler Shane Walsh was key during this spell, helping his side into a 0-5 to 0-2 advantage after just seven minutes.

Further points from Cappamore’s Sean Whelan and goalkeeper Darragh Walsh pushed the 2024 Fitzgibbon Cup champions into a 0-8 to 0-4 lead at the end of the first quarter.

UCC corner-forward David Cremin trimmed the deficit to two with six minutes left in the half, before Eoin Craddock and Walsh re-established Mary I’s three-point cushion. UCC rallied before the interval, however, and a late Darragh Flynn score left just one between the sides with Mary I holding a narrow 0-10 to 0-9 lead at half-time.

Donnacha Campbell opened the second-half scoring, and moments later Cormac Deevy found the top corner with an excellent finish, pushing Mary I into a five point advantage.

UCC then began to find their rhythm, with Finn O’Brien, Darragh Flynn, Colin Walsh and Tadgh O’Connell all contributing to level the game. The turning point arrived seven minutes from time when midfielder Mark O’Dwyer found space and fired his shot past goalkeeper Darragh Walsh for the crucial goal.

Mary I refused to fade, with Walsh and Whelan reducing the gap to a single score, and their hopes grew further when UCC’s James O’Dwyer was shown a second yellow card.

However, UCC finished strongly despite being a man down, with late points from Colin Walsh, Flynn and O’Brien sealing a narrow three-point win. Mary I could only respond with a placed-ball effort from Shane Walsh in the closing minutes.

Mary Immaculate College: Shane Walsh (0-8, 0-8 frees), Cormac Deevy 1-1, Darragh Walsh (0-3, 0-3 frees), Sean Whelan, Eoin Craddock 0-2 each, Donnacha Campbell, Mikey Gavin, Ronan O’Connor 0-1 each.

UCC: Finn O’Brien (0-7, 0-1 free), Darragh Flynn 0-5 (0-3 frees, 0-2 65's), Mark O’Dwyer 1-1, Colin Walsh, David Cremin, Tadgh O’Connell 0-2 each, Ed McDermott, Robert Troy, Dara Ferland 0-1 each.

MARY IMMACULATE COLLEGE: Darragh Walsh (Turloughmore, Galway); Patrick Finn (Bruff, Limerick), William Dore (Dromin Athlacca, Limerick), Bobby Drohan (St. Mollerans, Waterford), Mikey Gavin (Ballybrown, Limerick), Eoin Lawless (Athenry, Galway), Conor Lawless (Athenry, Galway); Donnacha Campbell (Cappataggle, Galway), Ronan O'Connor (Feakle, Clare); Cathal Quinn (Cashel King Cormacs), Eoin Craddock (Holycross-Ballycahill, Tipperary), Sean Whelan (Cappamore, Limerick); Shane Walsh (Tullaroan, Kilkenny), Cormac Deevy (Brickey Rangers, Waterford), Dara Whelan (Turloughmore, Galway). 

SUBS: Jimmy Quilty (Blackrock, Limerick) for Finn (HT), Jack Daly (Croom, Limerick) for Quinn (45), Killian Ahern (Blackrock, Limerick) for Gavin, Wayne Kearns (Na Piarsaigh, Limerick) for O’Connor (both 50)

UNIVERSITY COLLEGE CORK: Fionn O'Brien (Bruree, Limerick); Sean Daly (Randal Og, Cork), Sean Moore (Carrickshock, Kilkenny), Timmy Kelly (Bennetsbridge, Kilkenny); Kevin Lyons (Ballygarvan, Cork), James Dwyer (Ballincollig, Cork), Richie McEvoy (Lisdowney, Kilkenny); Mark O'Dwyer (Russell Rovers, Cork), Darragh Flynn (Ballygiblin, Cork); Tadgh O'Connell (Ballincollig, Cork), Colin Walsh (Kanturk, Cork), Robert Troy (Newtownshandrum, Cork); Finn O'Brien (Erins Own, Cork), David Cremin (Midleton, Cork), Ed McDermott (James Stephens, Cork). 

SUBS: Dan Scully (Dromin-Athlacca, Limerick) for McEvoy, Dara Ferland (Monaleen, Limerick) for Cremin (both 41 minutes).

REFEREE: Nickey O Toole (Mount Sion, Waterford).