Gaelic Games

DCU best UCC to reach Fitzgibbon Cup final as UL dispatch MTU Cork

DCU continue quest for first Fitzgibbon title with four-point win

DCU’s Donal Shirley celebrates scoring a goal against UCC. Photograph: Lorraine O’Sullivan/Inpho
DCU’s Donal Shirley celebrates scoring a goal against UCC. Photograph: Lorraine O’Sullivan/Inpho
Paul Keane
Tue Feb 11 2025 - 21:56
DCU Dochas Éireann 1-20 UCC 1-16
UL 1-28 MTU Cork 0-10

It takes something special to place a team on the brink of a first-ever Fitzgibbon Cup title and Donal Shirley duly delivered for DCU in Carlow.

The Offaly man’s 45th-minute goal, a cracking solo effort worthy of winning any contest, was the decisive score as DCU overcame 2020 champions UCC 1-20 to 1-16.

The north Dublin university, finalists just once before in 2018, trailed by a point at half-time and were two down with 20 minutes to go when they suddenly took over.

Points from Dubliner Joe Flanagan and free-taker Denis Walsh levelled the game before Offaly’s Sam Bourke ran hard from midfield and set Shirley on his way.

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The net bulged and DCU didn’t look back, striking four points in a row between the 51st and 57th minutes to seal a landmark win.

No third-level outfit from beyond Munster has won the Fitzgibbon Cup title since 2010, but DCU, whose footballers are also through to the Sigerson Cup final, could change that this weekend.

They were the better side overall and started strongly, leading 0-6 to 0-3, before being reeled back by a Fionn Coleman UCC goal.

That goal helped Group B table toppers UCC to a 1-10 to 0-12 half-time lead, and scores from Ethan Twomey and William Buckley stretched the gap to two.

But DCU, who dumped holders Mary Immaculate College out at the quarter-final stage last week, finished strongly, outscoring UCC 1-6 to 0-3 in the closing 20 minutes.

Their final opponents will be the 2022 and 2023 winners UL, who comfortably beat MTU Cork by 1-28 to 0-10 in Mallow.

Tipperary senior Gearoid O’Connor and Alan Walsh struck eye-catching scores for UL, who were 0-8 to 0-6 ahead at the break, and benefited from two MTU Cork red cards.

UL took full advantage of the disparity in numbers after the restart scoring 1-7 on the bounce in the third quarter, Clare’s Colm O’Meara batting to the net in the 42nd minute after a ball across the goalmouth to put them 1-13 to 0-8 ahead.

There were no more goals but UL continued to rack up the points as they moved within touching distance of a ninth title.