SETU Waterford stand in the way of UL's bid to reach Fitzgibbon Cup final

UL’S HOPES of retaining the Fitzgibbon Cup continue this Thursday, February 16, when they face SETU Waterford in the semi-final. Brian Ryan’s side cruised to victory over UCD in their last eight clash at Maguire’s Fields last week.

The Limerick college have been firm favourites to win the competition for the second year running all through the competition and comprehensive victories over ATU Galway, TUS Midwest and UCD have only confirmed their status.

UL’s panel of players is the envy of every other college in the Fitzgibbon Cup and there is plenty of Limerick interest within Ryan’s squad with Adam English, Colin Coughlan, Cathal O’Neill, Rory Duff and Finn Hourigan all at the South Liberties’ man’s disposal.

Add that to inter-county stars Bryan O’Mara (Tipperary), Michael Kiely (Waterford), Mark Rodgers (Clare), Sean Twomey (Cork) and Gearoid O’Connor (Tipperary) and you see why UL are fancied. They now play a SETU Waterford outfit that saw off DCU in their quarter-final meeting by a goal.

Former Limerick keeper Barry Hennessy is between the sticks for the Fintan O’Connor managed side. O’Connor managed Hennessy’s Kilmallock last year and is set to be in charge of the Balbec again in 2023.

UL made light work of UCD last time out, seeing off the Dublin students on a 4-19 to 0-10 scoreline. A hat-trick of goals from Kiely stole the show for a star-studded UL outfit that also had English in fine form with a scoring total of 0-4 from play.

James Power got the other UL goal, while O’Connor and Twomey contributed eight points between them in the comfortable victory. UL were already four points to the good when Kiely broke clear of the UCD defence and batted the sliotor into the UCD net.

English had already got two excellent scores by that stage, with Power, Rodgers and Twomey also raising white flags inside 11 minutes.

UL held a 1-10 to 0-5 advantage and pulled away even further in the second half to book their semi-final place. UL’s Fitzgibbon Cup semi-final in Waterford this Thursday has a 7:30pm throw-in and is live on TG4’s YouTube channel.

UL FITZGIBBON CUP PANEL 2023:

Adam English (Doon, Limerick)

Brian O'Sullivan (Kanturk, Cork)

Bryan O’Mara (Holycross-Ballycahill, Tipperary)

Cathal O’Neill (Crecora-Manister, Limerick)

Cian Darcy (Kilruane McDonagh’s, Tipperary)

Colin Coughlin (Ballybrown, Limerick)

Colm O’Meara (Clonlara, Clare)

Conal Moran (Shannon Rovers, Tipperary)

Conor Flaherty (Claregalway-Carnmore, Galway)

Conor O’Dwyer (Cashel King Cormacs, Tipperary)

Darragh Corcoran (Ballyhale Shamrocks, Kilkenny)

Darragh Lohan (Wolfe Tones, Clare)

Dean Mason (Ballyhale Shamrocks, Kilkenny)

Diarmuid Hanniffy (Oranmore, Galway)

Eamonn Cleary (Shinrone, Offaly)

Gearoid O’Connor (Moyne-Templetuohy, Tipperary)

Ian Byrne (Glenmore, Kilkenny)

James Power (Clonea, Waterford)

Jason O’Donoghue (Gort, Galway)

Killian McDermott (Clarecastle, Clare)

Killian Sampson (Shinrone, Offaly)

Mark Fitzgerald (Passage East, Waterford)

Mark Rodgers (Scariff, Clare)

Michael Kiely (Abbeyside, Waterford)

Mike Gough (Smith O’Briens, Clare)

Padraic Dunne (The Harps, Laois)

Patrick Crotty (Scariff, Clare)

Philip Wall (Kilbrittan, Cork)

Rhys Shelly (Moycarky Borris, Tipperary)

Rory Duff (Mungret St Pauls, Limerick)

Rory Furlong (Roanmore, Waterford)

Sean Twomey (Courcey Rovers, Cork)

Shane Staunton (Clara, Kilkenny)

TJ Brennan (Clarinbridge, Galway)

Finn Hourigan (Murroe-Boher)