Mary Immaculate College secure victory over SETU Waterford in Fitzgibbon Cup

Fitzgibbon Cup - Group A - Round 2

Mary Immaculate College 1-16

SETU Waterford 0-17

Mary Immaculate College just did enough in the end to defeat SETU Waterford 1-16 to 0-17 in round two of the Fitzgibbon Cup on Wednesday evening at the SETU Arena. 

The accuracy of Shane O'Brien proved crucial for the reigning Fitzgibbon Cup champions. O'Brien finished with a personal tally of 1-8. Mary I suffered a setback before the game when Clare's Adam Hogan and Shane Meehan were ruled out through injury.

Cork's Sean Walsh kept SETU Waterford within touching distance throughout the 60 minutes. Walsh was on target with 0-12 for the Waterford college. 

Jamie Wall's side hit 16 wides and their inaccuracy in front of goal cost them at stages during this contest. The victors have maintained their unbeaten record in this year's Fitzgibbon Cup. Eventually they found a way in this contest to get past a spirited SETU waterford side.

In the opening four minutes, Sean Walsh and Shane O'Brien traded placed balls. Limerick senior hurler Cian Scully then sent over a long range free to push Mary I 0-2 to 0-1 in front on eight minutes. The home side regrouped and SETU Waterford sharpshooter Sean Walsh stepped up with two points in-a-row. 

Mary I goalkeeper Darragh Conway drove his puckout long down on top of Shane O'Brien. O'Brien took on the SETU Waterford defence. James Owens awarded a free and the Kilmallock man made no mistake from the resulting free. 

Oisin O'Farrell got out in front of his marker and O'Farrell cleverly layed the sliotar off to Diarmuid Cahill. Cahill split the posts from close range and the south circular road outfit were back into the lead. 

On 20 minutes, Sean Walsh got his fourth point of the evening and the contest was now level for the third time. Shane O'Brien then converted his third placed ball. There was some debate between the umpires on whether O'Brien's effort was over the bar but the umpires eventually awarded the score to Mary I. 

Shane O'Brien then forced a turnover on SETU Waterford corner back Pauric Wickham. Space then opened up for O'Brien and the Limerick attacker blasted the sliotar into the back of the net. 

Fintan O'Connor's side rallied through Sean Walsh, Jake Foley and Cathal King and they trailed 1-7 to 0-8 just before the break. O'Brien hit back with his fifth point of the evening as Mary I led 1-8 to 0-8 at the interval. 

In the opening ten minutes of the second half it was last year's Fitzgibbon Cup semi-finalists who led 1-9 to 0-13. A Sean Walsh hot streak saw the SETU Waterford attacker land five points in quick succession

Cathal King and Cian Scully swapped scores on the third quarter mark. Back came, the three time Fitzgibbon Cup champions where Limerick's Shane O'Brien, Cian Scully and Oisin O'Farrell had their side back in control. Wall's charges led 1-14 to 0-14 with seven minutes remaining. 

Offaly's Cathal King quickly reduced the the gap. O'Brien and Scully added insurance scores in the last five minutes. In that period Walsh and Conor Keane tried their best to keep SETU Waterford in the Fitzgibbon Cup. In the end, it was Mary I who hung on for a narrow two-point victory.

Mary I will now face neighbours UL in round three of the Fitzgibbon Cup next Wednesday. 

SCORERS:

MARY IMMACULATE COLLEGE: Shane O'Brien (1-8, 0-7 frees), Cian Scully (0-4, 0-1 free), Diarmuid Cahill 0-2, Ronan O'Connor and Oisin O'Farrell 0-1 each

SETU WATERFORD: Sean Walsh (0-12, 0-9 frees), Cathal King 0-3 Jake Foley and Conor Keane 0-1 each

MARY IMMACULATE COLLEGE: Darragh Conway (Lixnaw, Kerry); William Dore (Dromin-Athlacca, Limerick), Eoin Lawless (Athenry, Galway), Vince Harrington (Na Piarsaigh, Limerick); Cian Scully (Dromin-Athlacca, Limerick), Jimmy Quilty (Blackrock, Limerick); Ronan Power (Ballygunner, Waterford); Ronan O’Connor (Feakle, Clare), Conor Hennessy (Nenagh Eire Og, Tipperary); Eoin Craddock (Holycross-Ballycahill, Tipperary), Declan McLaughlin (Portumna, Galway), Jamie Ryan (O'Loughlin Gaels, Kilkenny); Oisin O'Farrell (Askeaton, Limerick), Shane O'Brien (Kilmallock, Limerick),  Diarmuid Cahill (Corofin, Clare). 

SUBS: Patrick Finn (Bruff) for Dore (43 minutes), Dara Whelan (Turloughmore) for Ryan (54 minutes) and Jack Daly (Croom) for Cahill (55 minutes). 

SETU WATERFORD (Waterford unless stated): Barry Hennessy (Kilmallock, Limerick); Pauric Wicham (St Abban’s Adamstown, Wexford), Ben Tallis (Lisdowney, Kilkenny), Kevin Cullinane (Passage); Josh Fitzgerald (Clashmore/Kinsalebeg), Conor Keane (De La Salle), Cathal King (Carrig Riverstown, Offaly); Willie Beresford (Abbeyside/Ballinacourty), Joseph Fitzpatrick (Dunnamaggin, Kilkenny); Seán Walsh (Carrigtwohill, Cork), Billy O'Callaghan (Piltown, Kilkenny), John Groves (Dunhill); Jake Foley (Ballygunner), Eanna Guilfoyle (Moyne Templetuohy, Tipperary), Paddy Phelan (Upperchurch Drombane, Tipperary).

SUBS: Ethan Hayes (Roanmore) for Tallis (45 minutes). 

REFEREE: James Owens (Wexford)