Gaelic Games

Waterford IT come from four points down to earn Fitzgibbon Cup final replay

University of Limerick denied in normal time and extra-time

Waterford’s Liam McGrath attempts to win the sliotar from his marker Eoin Moriarty of UL. Photo: Inpho/Lorraine O’Sullivan
Waterford’s Liam McGrath attempts to win the sliotar from his marker Eoin Moriarty of UL. Photo: Inpho/Lorraine O’Sullivan
Sun Mar 01 2015 - 16:11

After extra-time Waterford 0-21

University of Limerick 3-12

Higher education GAA chiefs are expected to meet tonight to decide on a replay date and venue for the 2015 Fitzgibbon Cup final.

Saturday evening’s epic first instalment at the Gaelic Grounds, Limerick, left Waterford IT (WIT) manager Colm Bonnar insisting the competition should have been finished on the night.

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Meanwhile his opposite number Brian Lohan believed that two extra five-minute periods of extra-time were on the cards.

UL manager Lohan watched his team register 18 wides over the 80 minutes in a game they arguably should have won – but could have lost too.

After never-say-die holders WIT, battling against a gale in the second half, came from four points down to lead by one approaching the end of the regulation hour they looked the likely winners.

Nerveless free

But 2013 hurler of the year Tony Kelly sent the game to extra-time with a nerveless free from the uncovered stand side of the Gaelic Grounds to make it 1-11 to 0-14.

Goals from Jason Forde and substitute Stephen Bennett had UL in the driving seat in extra-time but somehow, WIT came from four points down again to level, with Tom Fox nailing an equaliser in the second minute of stoppage time.

Small margins

Lohan reflected: “Very small margins between victory and defeat – it ended up a draw and we just go away and come back again. I thought there was [further extra-time] from reading the

Clár an Lae

but that was for the semi-final. The final goes to a replay.”

Bonnar said: “I think both teams would rather it was finished out. We’re down here since Thursday night and still haven’t gone home yet.

“In that sense it’s a big cost on a college – you put so much into it and we would rather have seen it out, but you’d hate to lose and go home.

“It would be a terrible trip home but we’re grateful to be still in it.”

UL: P Maher; G Ryan, B Troy, E Moriarty; D Quinn, D McInerney, B Stapleton; J Forde (1-1, 0-1, free), T Kelly (0-2, one free); D Morrissey, J McGrath (0-5, three frees), T Heffernan (1-1); C McInerney (0-1), C Martin, K O’Brien (0-1). Subs: S Bennett (1-0) for McGrath (49 mins), PJ Scully (0-1) for C McInerney (57 mins), M Carmody for O’Brien (68 mins), A McGuane for Martin (76 mins). WIT: D Stapleton; J Maher, O McGrath, G Teehan; T Hamill (0-1), M O’Neill (0-2), T Fox (0-2); J Langton, S Roche; G O’Brien, P Mahony (0-8, five frees, one 65), H Kehoe (0-1); L McGrath, A Gleeson (0-2, 1 sl), J Dillon (0-2). Subs: J Hayes (0-3) for L McGrath (49 mins), C O’Brien for Gleeson (78 mins). Referee: B Gavin (Offaly).