Fitzgibbon Cup - UL vs Trinity College Match Report [23-01-2002]

By Barry Duggan

University of Limerick 5-22            Trinity College Dublin 0-4

By half time in this game, it was obvious to all who attended the preliminary round of the Fitzgibbon hurling championship at Santry, Dublin, that a farce was the spectacle of the day. University of Limerick completely annihilated the weak challenge of Trinity College Dublin.

UL mentors Ollie Moran and Eamonn Meskill will not read too deeply into their team’s display on the day, as nothing could be truly valued on the day. The match was little more than an early spring stroll for the students from Limerick. The final result must surely bring into question the validity of Trinity’s continued participation into this prestigious hurling competition.  Played on greasy underfoot condition’s UL dominated splendidly throughout this lob-sided contest.

Within 2 minutes UL were 3 points to the good, with efforts from David Donoghue, Niall, Moran and David Forde. They continued to exert their obvious dominance with more minors from John Barron, Donoghue and the excellent marksmanship of Conor Fitzgerald from frees. Kevin O’ Corcoran pulled off a marvellous save in the Trinity goal on 17 minutes after good work by David Forde set up Donnacha Sheehan with a goal scoring chance.

Richie Murray had given UL an 11-point lead before Fergal Lundy responded with Trinity’s first score of the day after 22 minutes. UL’s response to this intrusion on their defence was immediate, harsh and crude. Forde set up Moran for a crashing drive to the back of the net, before Moran, Murray and Sheehan all complimented the effort with points of their own.

In fairness to the Dublin students, they kept plugging away and were rewarded with 2 Killian Byrnes pointed frees and a Brian Cummins point just before the break. UL led 1-14 to 0-4 at the respite.

The Limerick side took the opportunity to rest some players at this point and introduced Horgan, Slattery, Mason and Dunne at the resumption. The only worrying aspect for the UL mentors was the forced substitution of goalkeeper Timmy Houlihan with a leg injury. However this was possibly more of a precaution as tougher days lie ahead.

Further goals from Eoin Fitzgerald (2), Moran and Donoghue extended UL’s to the despair of the Trinity side. Brian Geary, Colm Forde and Brian Mahony all performed admirably in defence as they went about their jobs as professionally as possible. The final score line was of little relevance as opposed to the tougher clash that awaits UL in the form of the Guards.

UL: T Houlihan, B Mahony, J Devane, D Gleeson, C Forde, B Geary, C Early, R Murray (0-2), J Barron (0-1), C Fitzgerald (0-6), N Moran (2-3), E Fitzgerald (2-0), D Sheehan (0-1), D Forde (0-1), D Donoghue (1-3). Subs used: P Horgan, S Slattery, S Mason, E Dunne (0-1), P O’Reilly.

TCD: K O’Corcoran, J Culhnane, S Murphy, J Kenna, P Lane, T McGrath, R Gaule, D Brown, D Burke, F Lundy (0-1), D MacMahon, K Byrnes (0-2), F Chambers, B Cummins (0-1), J Colleran. Subs used: P Nail, P O’Brien, P Curtin, R Rearden.