Students teach masters lesson

Walsh Cup final: UCD 2-16 Kilkenny 0-5 The students of UCD turned teachers at Nowlan Park on Saturday when they handed out a hurling lesson to double champions, Kilkenny, in a one-sided Walsh Cup final.

The students hit the front in the 12th minute and they led all the way home to become the first non-county team to win a competition that began in 1954.

Kilkenny fielded just one member of their All-Ireland winning side and rarely looked like matching opponents who were superbly led by centre back Diarmuid Fitzgerald. Others prominent were Offaly's Brendan Murphy, Redmond Barry, Dara Walton and Kilkenny man Brian Phelan.

After the teams traded early points, Redmond Barry put the winners in front in the 12th minute. With the addition of a 14th minute goal from John O'Connor, and even after shooting 11 wides, UCD led by 1-11 to 0-3 at the interval.

Kilkenny tried to add life to their team by introducing four reserves at half-time. However, the ploy didn't work and within five minutes the students had the match well and truly wrapped up.

That was after Colm Ryan and Redmond Barry added points and Brendan Murphy raced through for a 40th minute goal to stretch the difference to 2-13 to 0-3.

UCD: M White; D Walton (0-1), M Fitzgerald, E Campion; B Barry, D Fitzgerald, B Buckley; C Ryan (0-3), S Lucey (0-1); R Barry (0-5), J O'Connor (1-1), B Murphy (1-2); T Murphy, B Phelan (0-2), A Barry (0-1). Subs: P Doheny for A Barry (62 mins), D Kearney for O'Connor (62 mins), R Kirwan for E Campion (65 mins), A Fleming for B Buckley (65 mins), T Fitzgerald for T Murphy (68 mins).

KILKENNY: PJ Ryan; M Phelan, C Hickey, G Joyce; R Mullally, E Mackey, J Ryall; P Tennyson, P Cleere; M Rice, J Coogan (0-5), J Maher; A Fogarty, W O'Dwyer, P Quinlan. Subs: W Burke for Phelan (36 mins), P Mullally for Tennyson (36 mins), D Herrity for P J Ryan (36 mins), J Tyrrell for Cleere (36 mins), C Phelan for Quinlan (50 mins).

Referee: Billy Gavin (Offaly)