Sport can be cruel at times and so it proved last night in Barefield, Co Clare as the University of Galway were pipped at the post in their Fitzgibbon Cup semi-final by 3-in-a-row chasing University of Limerick. The Galway side led 0-10 to 0-8 at half-time but found themselves behind early in the second half when Young Hurler of the Year Mark Rodgers profited from a defensive slip to score the only goal of the game. UoG battled back late on to draw level after falling behind by three points, but it was UL who won the game at the death thanks to a last-gasp point from Killian Sampson. Reporting from Barefield is Niall Canavan...
Niall spoke to the University of Galway manager Jeff Lynskey after the game...
SCORERS: University of Galway: Niall Collins 0-9 (0-8 frees); Greg Thomas, Colm Molloy, Liam Collins 0-2 each; Alex Connaire, Liam Leen, Conor Walsh, Tiernan Kileen, Gavin Lee 0-1 each. University of Limerick: Gearoid O’Connor 0-6 (0-3f, 0-1 ’65); Mark Rodgers 1-3; Colin Coughlan, Sean O’Hanlon 0-2 each; Cian Galvin, Diarmuid Hanniffy, Adam English, Colm O’Meara, Killian Sampson 0-1 each.
UNIVERSITY OF GALWAY: Mark Hardiman (Athenry); Darren Morrissey (Sarsfields), Eoin Lawless (Athenry), Kieran Hanrahan (Loughrea); Tiernan Killeen (Loughrea), Dan Loftus (Turloughmore), Shane Morgan (Loughrea); Ian McGlynn (Kilconieron), Liam Leen (Clarinbridge); Alex Connaire (Sarsfields), Gavin Lee (Clarinbridge), Conor Walsh (Turloughmore); Colm Molloy (Leitrim Kilnadeema), Greg Thomas (Castlegar), Niall Collins (Cappatagle). Subs: Charlie Mitchell (Kilcormac Killoughey, Offaly) for Walsh (38), Colm Cunningham (Moycullen) for Leen (40); Oisin Flannery (St. Thomas’) for Connaire (41), Liam Collins (Cappataggle) for Molloy (41).
UNIVERSITY OF LIMERICK: Conor Hanley Clarke (Kilmallock, Limerick); Fergal O'Connor (Effin, Limerick), TJ Brennan (Clarinbridge, Galway), Darragh Lohan (Wolfe Tones, Clare); Cian Galvin (Clarecastle, Clare), Mark Fitzgerald (Passage East, Waterford), Colin Coughlan (Ballybrown, Limerick); Brian O'Grady (Kilteely Dromkeen, Limerick), Brian O'Sullivan (Kanturk, Cork); Patrick O’Donovan (Effin, Limerick), Gearóid O'Connor (Moyne/Templetuohy, Tipperary), Diarmuid Hanniffy (Oranmore, Galway); Adam English (Doon, Limerick), Mark Rodgers (Scariff, Clare), Aidan O'Connor (Ballybrown, Limerick). Subs: Sean O’Hanlon (Turloughmore, Galway) for Hanniffy (35), Colm O’Meara (Clonlara, Galway) for O’Donovan (38), Killian Sampson (Shinrone, Offaly) for O’Grady (51), Ian Byrne (Glenmore, Kilkenny) for A O’Connor, Ross Hayes (Crusheen, Clare) for O’Sullivan (57).
Listen back to full commentary of the game with Niall Canavan and Sean Walsh...
