Cork IT ... 3-6 UCC ... 0-8Cork Institute of Technology celebrated a famous first Fitzgibbon Cup victory over great rivals UCC at the Mardyke yesterday. Their reward is a debut final appearance against Waterford IT in Thurles on Saturday.
CIT were full value for their win. They defended superbly throughout with Jackie Tyrell of James Stephens and Cork's Ronan Curran outstanding at full-back and centre-back respectively.
Another Cork player, John Gardiner, dominated midfield, and in attack UCC could never get to grips Aidan Fogarty and Diarmuid Murphy, despite the heroic attempts of the game's best player, Kilkenny corner-back Tommy Walsh.
UCC took 27 minutes to register their first score and lacked any kind of penetration up front to bother a resolute defence.
They did manage three quick points to suggest the second-half would be more competitive.
It was also a game the usual reliable net minder Richie O'Neill will want to forget in a hurry as his mistakes were responsible for CIT's opening two goals.
The first came from a speculative Gardiner pull from 35 metres which slipped low into the net after 18 minutes for a 1-2 to 0-0 lead. The second, three minutes after the break, followed an attempted handpass which was blocked by Fogarty and flew in for a freak goal.
The game's turning point arrived after 40 minutes. Goalkeeper Martin Coleman denied Rory O'Doherty with a brilliant point blank save and seconds later Colin O'Leary set up Garvan McCarthy for the decisive third goal at the other end.
CIT: M Coleman; B Murphy, J Tyrell, M Prout; V Hurley (0-1), R Curran, P Sloane; S O'Sullivan (0-1), J Gardiner (1-2); G McCarthy (1-0), C O'Leary, J O'Connor; A Fogarty (1-1), D O'Riordan (0-1), K Murphy. Sub: G McLoughlin for O'Leary.
UCC: R O'Neill; T Walsh, P Gilmartin, R McGregor; L Mannix (0-1), J Olden, M Clifford; M Rice, T Kenny; B Phelan (0-3), C Morrissey, R O'Doherty; M Walsh, S Brick (0-1), M O'Connor (0-3). Subs: D Cashman for O'Connor, B Carey for M Walsh, J McDonnell for O'Doherty.
Referee: P Moore (Waterford).
