Mary Immaculate College 1-30 University of Limerick 3-22
Mary Immaculate College Limerick won the Fitzgibbon cup (inter Universities hurling championship) for the first time when they defeated the holders, University of Limerick in a thrilling final hosted by Cork I.T this Saturday afternoon.
Four Clare players contributed in a final which required extra extra time to produce a winner. Eoin Quirke (Whitegate), Colm Galvin (Clonlara) and Darragh Corry (Tulla) were in the starting line up while Michael O’Neill (Kilmaley) was introduced at the three quarter stage in place of Galvin in a tie in which the teams were level on no less that nineteen occasions.
There were six Clare players in the starting U.L team. They were Gearoid Ryan (Clarecastle) at corner back, Jack Browne (Ballyea) at full back, Aidan McGuane (Kilmaley) at midfield, Kevin Hehir (Inagh-Kilnamona) at midfield, David Fitzgerald (Inagh-Kilnamona) at wing forward and Cathal McInerney (Cratloe) at corner forward. U.L were managed by Brian Lohan.
Afterwards winning team manager Eamonn Cregan announced his retirement from management.
Clare U-21 championship
Meanwhile, on the domestic front, the race for this season’s under 21 A and B hurling championship titles got underway.
At Clonlara, the East Clare combination of Feakle-Killanena got through to the semi-final of the A competition with a 2-16 to 0-11 win over Clarecastle. While the magpies will point to missed chances—they had thirteen wides—-the winners deserved their victory as they were the more evenly balanced side.
Stephen Conway’s goal after five minutes separated the teams at half time when the score was 1-7 to 0-7 and they finished the game with a goal from Martin Daly in the third minute of ‘injury time’.
There was one game in the race for the B title with Scariff-Ogonnelloe proving too strong for Smith O’Briens. The combination side won on a scoreline of 0-17 to 0-6.
The race for both titles continues on this Sunday afternoon with a total of eight games listed for decision
By Seamus Hayes