Gaelic Games

UL Fitzgibbon hopes still on track after dramatic last puck victory over IT Carlow

Mikey Kiely finds the net in the last play of the game to secure dramatic semi-final win

Limerick’s Killian Sampson in action against Carlow. Photograph: Evan Treacy/Inpho

Fri Feb 18 2022 - 07:15

University of Limerick (UL) 1-27 IT Carlow 2-23

The University of Limerick snatched victory from the jaws of defeat when their left full-forward Mikey Kiely sent a 40 yard free to the IT Carlow net with the final puck of a dramatic Fitzgibbon Cup semi-final at the IT Carlow grounds last night.

This was a thrilling game with a multitude of twists and turns before the Limerick students claimed victory to set up Saturday’s final with NUIG, who are on the trail of Sigerson/Fitzgibbon double.

UL made a flying start to the game with quickfire points from Cian Galvin, Bryan O’Mara, Gearóid O’Connor (free), Galvin again and Mikey Kiely.

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Remarkably Carlow recovered from that bad start to actually to level through a flicked goal from their top-scoring forward, Seamus Casey (0-6 to 1-3). The Olyegate Glenbrien clubman went to shoot a total of 1-11 in a losing cause.

It was very much score for score for the remainder of the half with neither side able to claim any degree of superiority as play swung from end to end. By the interval the game was still deadlocked at 1-11 to 0-14.

Just as they had started, UL hit the ground running in the second half with a pointed 65 from full forward Mark Rogers, the Scariff man was to withdraw later in the half with a leg injury.

With the sides tied at full time it was on to extra time and the first half of the 20 minutes could not separate two groups playing their hearts out. It was level still 2-21 to 0-27 at half-time of extra time. Rory Higgins edged IT in front and the home side held the most dangerous of leads, a two point advantage, entering the extra minute added on at the end of the second period.

But then came the drama of Kiely’s goal, which left the Limerick side celebrating at end, while DJ Carey’s side could hardly believe that they had been denied at the death.

UL: E Davis; D Corcoran, TJ Brennan, M Gough; K Sampson, B O’Mara (0-2), C Flaherty (0-2); B O’Grady (0-3, 0-1 free) C Connolly (0-1); N Brennan (0-4), G O’Connor (0-3, frees), C Galvin (0-3); B Power, M Rogers (0-6. 0-5 frees, 0-1 65), M Kiely (1-3).

Subs: B O’Sullivan for Brennan (50 mins), S Staunton for Sampson (54 mins), C O’Grady for Power (76 mins).

IT Carlow: A Howlin; S Reck, P Delaney, F Hayes; A Redmond, N Brassill, J Cleere; C Kenny (0-1), C Burke; E Gaughan, E Cody, C Nolan (0-4); S Casey (1-11, 0-8 frees), C Dunbar (0-2), R Higgins (0-5)

Subs: M Kavanagh (1-0) for Gaughan (h/t).

Referee: J Keenan (Wicklow).