Fitzgibbon Cup Quarter-finals/Limerick IT 2-10 UCD 0-11:Limerick IT kept on course to retain the Fitzgibbon Cup with a resolute performance in the quarter-final against UCD at Belfield yesterday. Goals from Willie Hyland and Cyril Donnellan proved the difference between the sides in the end, while the accuracy of Clare's Bernard Gaffney from frees - he converted eight - was also crucial.
UCD had their own dead-ball expert in Maurice Nolan, who registered 0-6, but the inability to breach the last line of defence proved the hosts' undoing.
LIT goalkeeper Matthew Ryan has the ideal manager in Clare's Davy Fitzgerald and he showed the benefit of that tutelage when saving a pile-driver from PJ Nolan just minutes before blocking Stephen Nolan's 20-metre free. Before that Maurice Nolan hit the upright with a stinging shot as UCD threw everything at the champions.
The Shannonsiders have clearly benefited from being able to call on the expertise of Fitzgerald and former Galway boss Cyril Farrell, however. They remained calm when Dublin's Joey Boland reduced the deficit to two points, finishing with three points in succession to secure their progress.
LIMERICK IT: M Ryan; M Walsh, A Byrne, E Collins; G O'Connell, S Maher, M O'Brien; W McNamara, J Clancy; W Hyland (1-1), C Donnellan (1-0), A Murphy; S Herlihy, B Gaffney (0-8, frees), J McInerney. Subs: P O'Brien for McNamara (blood, 22-26 mins), P O'Brien for Herlihy (38 mins), G O'Mahony (0-1) for Murphy (41 mins).
UCD: P Carroll; E O'Shea, T Brady, B Travers; N Prendergast, S Nolan (0-1), D Fitzgerald; PJ Nolan, J Walsh; J Boland (0-1), R O'Carroll, B Murphy (0-1); M Nolan (0-6, five frees), T Fitzgerald (0-2), N Curran. Subs: C Lyng for Murphy (38 mins), C McBride for Walsh (49 mins).
Referee: A Stapleton (Laois).
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