Reid gives Waterford that bit extra

FITZGIBBON CUP FINAL Waterford IT 1-29 Limerick IT 1-24 After two periods of extra-timeWATERFORD IT produced a sprint finish to capture the Fitzgibbon Cup at the end of an extraordinary final which needed two periods of extra-time, lasting 30 minutes, at Cork IT grounds on Saturday.

The new champions trailed throughout and only edged in front for the first time two minutes from the end of an absorbing tussle, when Eoin Reid blasted home from close range after taking a Ray McLoughney pass.

WIT then found another gear and rattled over three points to put daylight between the teams.

Just before Reid's goal, however, Waterford IT goalkeeper Adrian Power rescued his side with a block on Blaine Early, having earlier denied the same opponent with one of the saves of tournament.

Reid and Power were central figures in their side's second title in three years, especially Reid, who pointed to restore parity at the end of normal time and repeated the trick to force a second period of extra-time.

There was huge sympathy for Galway star Joe Canning, who emerged with an astonishing 1-16 total, including four from long-range sideline cuts, and still ended on the losing team.

WATERFORD IT: A Power; K Lanigan, J Dalton, C Cooney; S Fives, P Hartley, K Moran (0-3); S Lillis, P Kelly; F O'Leary (0-2), TJ Reid (0-3), R Good; R McLoughney (0-12, ten frees, one 65), E Reid (1-5), S O'Sullivan (0-2). Subs: M Gorman for Good (50 mins), S Kelly for Fives (51 mins), G Nolan (0-1) for S Kelly (74 mins), K Grehan (0-1) for Gorman (87 mins).

LIMERICK IT: M Ryan; M Walsh, A Byrne, E Collins; G O'Connell, S Maher, M O'Brien; J Clancy, W McNamara (0-1); W Hyland (0-3), C Donnellan (0-1), J McInerney (0-2); P O'Brien, J Canning (1-16, 1-9 frees, 0-4 sidelines, 0-1 65), N Healy (0-1). Subs: P Early for P O'Brien (40 mins), A Murphy for Clancy (58 mins), J Clancy for Healy (73 mins), Healy for McNamara (79 mins).

Referee: D Kirwan (Cork).