The Official 2011 Club Championship Thread

I take it your being sarcastic? I know you mentioned he had a suspected broken collarbone last week, but I hadn’t seen it confirmed anywhere since.

Latest from Belfield: UCD 0-07 1-09 Limerick IT

CIT 2-04 1-10 DIT, 2pm
UUJ 0-08 2-05 G.M.I.T, 2pm
UCC 3-11 1-04 DCU, 2pm
UCD 0-15 1-15 Limerick IT Result

NUIG going out as things stand.

Good point regards to Callinan, wtb…i terms of ability he is certainly the real deal, lovely touch and strike of a ball and has an eye for goal…Would have thought at the start of 2009 he was nearly the lad Tipp would want to be building a forward line around in years to come to try and get the very best out of him but you would have to wonder now…Aside from centre forward there are very few positions you could play him, any time i have seen him played in the corner he looks disinterested and has on interest getting out in front of his man to the ball while he could well end up on the periphery of games on the wing, he would be completeky wasted at 14…given Noel McGrath’s performances at 11 towards the end of last year he looks the far likelier option there for Tipp in the medium term…Thought the Galway game summed up Callinan for all the wrong reasons, he came on and scored a goal soon after his introduction but was anonymous second half while Og Regan cleared ball after ball uncontested and he was one of the main reasons Galway came back into the match…

He is a lad who could just as easily slip away to the edges of a panel and off it as he could go on and win HOTY…Which is a shame, from a pure hurling point of view you would hope it is the latter as he is great player to watch in full flow

In fairness to him, he had an outstanding cameo in the AI Final, not just his 2 points. He chased back and made a great clearance from his own half-back line. Never saw him do that before.
The way the Tipp forward line has developed, he would be moving around anyway, doesn’t really matter what position he is played in.
He can be infuriating to watch, as, at times, he looks as if he just doesn’t want to know.
As you say though, he is a great player to watch in full flow…

Quarter Final draw

UL v UCD
LIT v NUIG
CIT v GMIT
Pats v UCC

CIT 3-10 1-12 DIT, 2pm
UUJ 0-10 2-10 G.M.I.T, 2pm
UCC 3-11 1-04 DCU, 2pm
UCD 0-15 1-15 Limerick IT Result

Don’t know the final score but CIT won by more than a point so NUIG are through.

That should make the quarters:

LIT vs NUIG
CIT vs St. Pats
GMIT vs UCC
UL vs UCD

Would fancy UCC and the three other home teams to go through. Not certain but I think this could mean all Cork and all Limerick semi-finals. Should be a good weekend.

CIT and UCC will both win comfortably and UL with home advantage and the depth they have should be too strong for UCD…Hard to see NUIG getting over LIT without Hennessey but they will have the physicality to get at them and I wouldn’t rule out any team with three of southeast clare’s finest on it but it is looking like a Limerick and Cork finals weekend

How long is Canning out for with that heel injury? Surely Davy will want him for the weekend anyway if they get there.

LIT edge out UCD, but both qualify for last eight
LIT 1-15 UCD 0-15
By John Harrington

Wednesday, February 09, 2011

LIMERICK IT were deserving victors in this entertaining Fitzgibbon Cup tie at Belfield yesterday, but UCD will look on it as a mission accomplished too

Read more: http://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/gaa/lit-edge-out-ucd-but-both-qualify-for-last-eight-144629.html#ixzz1DSHMBigz

By limiting their defeat to a three point margin the hosts also managed to squeeze through to the quarter-finals at the expense of Waterford IT.

Both teams were tied on points and scoring difference, but UCD advance because they scored two more points than WIT managed in their two round-robin matches.

Those permutations were the source of much dispute and consternation after the final whistle, but what wasn’t up for debate was that LIT deserved to win this match.

They played a technically snappier brand of hurling for most of the tie, and when it looked like a wind-aided UCD might come from behind to snatch the win in the second half they dug deep to dredge up a late winning burst. Even without their injured stars Joe Canning and Seamus Callinan, who watched from the sideline, LIT looked like a better balanced team than UCD who were over-reliant on Tipperary’s Noel McGrath.

The sides were level 1-1 to 0-4 after 12 minutes, but thereafter LIT started to take a grip and outscored the hosts by seven points to three in the remainder of the first half.

Rather than strike hit-and-hope efforts into their forwards, they were finding their men with nicely angled deliveries and LIT corner-forwards Sean Tobin and Stephen Lambert in particular, made the most of such a supply.

When LIT tacked on two quick points after half-time to move into a 1-10 to 0-7 lead it looked like they might win this match comfortably, but then UCD came roaring back.

McGrath was the catalyst for everything good they did, punishing LIT indiscipline with accurate free-taking and chipping in with a converted sideline and a nice point from play too while Liam Rushe was giving them a great outlet at full-forward.

With just three minutes of normal time remaining a Rushe point brought UCD level and it seemed like they had all the momentum, but instead it was LIT who found the finishing burst.

A Bernard Gaffney free edged them ahead, and then two fine points in injury-time from impressive midfielder Paul Browne and lethal corner-forward Tobin made a hard-earned victory safe.

As round-robin Group A winners, LIT will now play NUIG in the quarter-finals, while UCD have a daunting task against a University of Limerick team dripping with inter-county talent.

Scorers for LIT: P O’Brien 1-1, B Gaffney 0-4 (3f), S Tobin, S Lambert (0-3) each, P Browne, S Collins, W Hyland, D Reale (0-1) each.

Scorers for UCD: N McGrath 0-10 (0-6f, 0-1 sideline, 1 ‘65), W Walsh 0-2, L Rushe, K Hogan, J O’Loughlin (0-1) each.

LIT: M Ryan (Tipp); E Glynn (Clare), C Cowan (Tipp), C Cooney (Clare); P Donnellan (Clare), J McInerney (Clare), J O’Keefe (Tipp); P Browne (Limerick), P O’Brien (Limerick); S Collins (Clare), W Hyland (Laois), D Reale (Limerick); S Lambert (Clare), B Gaffney (Clare), S Tobin (Limerick).

UCD: J Ryan (Galway); J Doyle (Wexford), S Cummins (Kilkenny), O Gough (Dublin); N Prendergast (Kilkenny), E O’Shea (Kilkenny), S Norton (Kilkenny); C MacGiolla-Bhride (Dublin), D Fox (Galway); J O’Loughlin (Laois), L Rushe (Dublin), D O’Connor (Dublin); N McGrath (Tipp), K Hogan (Kilkenny), W Walsh (Kilkenny).

Sub: C Allis (Limerick) for D O’Connor (41)

Referee: O Elliott

This appeared in the printed version of the Irish Examiner Wednesday, February 09, 2011

Read more: http://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/gaa/lit-edge-out-ucd-but-both-qualify-for-last-eight-144629.html#ixzz1DSHRmUsW

Cork IT seal top spot in style
Cork IT 4-13 Dublin IT 1-13
By Fintan O’Toole

Wednesday, February 09, 2011

THEY may have been safely ensconced in the Fitzgibbon Cup quarter-finals before throw-in, but that did not impinge on Cork IT’s focus against Dublin IT yesterday.

Read more: http://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/gaa/cork-it-seal-top-spot-in-style-144628.html#ixzz1DSI3IoO4

The home side were intent on nailing down the top spot in Group B and achieved that in style with a nine-point winning margin illustrative of the standard of hurling they produced.

The incentive of a home quarter-final draw next Tuesdaywas clearly foremost in CIT’s thoughts. They now entertain St Pat’s-Mater Dei in the last eight instead of facing an arduous trip to LIT.

The other major beneficiary of yesterday’s outcome was NUIG. The champions were the bystanders requiring a huge favour by CIT to prolong their interest in the campaign and this result ensured that. The scale of the defeat suffered by DIT proved critical as NUIG’s superior scoring difference ensured they shaded the race for second place in Group B.

This match was defined by the testing conditions with a strong breeze blowing downfield in the first-half and driving rain falling in the second-half. CIT coped impressively, hurling against the wind in the opening period and at the break only trailed 1-10 to 2-4.

There was a goal rush inside the opening 12 minutes with the two strikes CIT plundered being of immense importance. Patrick O’Connor grabbed the first in the eighth minute when he rammed a shot to the roof of the net after Colin Fennelly had brilliantly engineered the opportunity. Four minutes later Michael Bowles gathered a loose ball and fired a fierce drive past Finn McGarry for CIT’s second green flag.

Sandwiched in between, DIT corner-forward Paul Ryan rifled a 20-yard free to the net but it was CIT who led 2-3 to 1-2 by the 14th minute when Ryan Clifford split the posts.

DIT settled to play their best hurling in the second quarter. Dublin senior Tomas Brady and Kilkenny’s Pat Hartley began to shine while Ballyboden St Enda’s sharpshooter Ryan was prolific from placed balls. He rifled over four frees in an eight-minute period that tied the match. DIT were also creative from open play with John Walsh and Liam Óg McGovern clipping over splendid points as they went in at the break in the ascendancy.

However, CIT never panicked and in the second-half exerted complete control to outscore their opponents 2-9 to 0-3. They received an early fillip when Bowles showed the opportunism to find the net after Fennelly had made the initial break. When centre-back Ross Cashman burst forward to fire over an inspirational point in the 33rd minute, CIT edged ahead on the scoreboard and they never relinquished that position.

In a team heavily influenced by local players, the Cork backline deprived DIT of the requisite space to cut loose, with Jack Herlihy, Eoin Dillon and Cashman to the fore. At midfield Lorcan McLoughlin moved possession forward with speed while Colm Casey and Clifford showed accuracy in their shooting.

DIT fought manfully to the finish and when Ryan converted a fine free in the 53rd minute, they had shaved the gap to 3-11 to 1-13. But CIT copperfastened their victory three minutes later when Fennelly blasted home the goal that his excellent attacking performance merited.

Ballyhale Shamrocks All-Ireland Club run ruled Fennelly out of action last season, yet he looks a valuable weapon in CIT’s armoury for this campaign. Two fine late points by substitute Pádraig Gould stretched CIT’s advantage and ensured they had plenty to spare at the finish.

Scorers for Cork IT: M Bowles 2-1; C Fennelly 1-2; P O’Connor 1-1 (one free); R Clifford 0-3 (two frees); C Casey, P Gould 0-2 each; L McLoughlin, R Cashman 0-1 each.

DIT: P Ryan 1-7 (1-6 frees); E Murphy 0-2; H Kehoe, P Hartley, J Walsh, L Óg McGovern 0-1 each.

CORK IT: T Quaid (Limerick); J Herlihy (Cork), E Dillon (Cork), J O’Callaghan (Cork); S McDonnell (Cork), R Cashman (Cork), C Leahy (Cork); S White (Cork), L McLoughlin (Cork); P O’Connor (Clare), C Casey (Cork), M Bowles (Cork); M O’Sullivan (Cork), C Fennelly (Kilkenny), R Clifford (Cork).

Subs: S Corcoran (Cork) for White (inj) (27), S Daniels (Waterford) for Dillon (inj) (29), Dillon for Leahy (46), P Gould (Cork) for Casey (53).

DIT: F McGarry (Dublin); P Schutte (Dublin), O Walsh (Kilkenny), L Barron (Kilkenny); P Phelan (Kilkenny), T Brady (Dublin), J Walsh (Laois); P Hartley (Kilkenny), P Kelly (Dublin); E Murphy (Kilkenny), M Murphy (Kilkenny), P Donnelly (Wexford); H Kehoe (Wexford), L Óg McGovern (Wexford), P Ryan (Dublin).

Subs: M Moloney (Kilkenny) for Donnelly (25), P Morris (Wexford) for Kehoe (37), D English (Carlow) for Phelan (41), J Mulrooney (Offaly) for Kelly (46).

Referee: James Owens (Wexford).

This appeared in the printed version of the Irish Examiner Wednesday, February 09, 2011

Read more: http://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/gaa/cork-it-seal-top-spot-in-style-144628.html#ixzz1DSHxA1ED

UCC thunder into quarter-finals after first-half scoring spree
UCC 4-18 DCU 1-8
By Diarmuid O’Flynn

Wednesday, February 09, 2011

JOB done, quarter-final berth secured – albeit an away game against GMIT on February 15 – but a facile win for UCC over DCU at the Mardyke yesterday in this group D Fitzgibbon Cup final-round game

Read more: http://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/gaa/ucc-thunder-into-quarter-finals-after-first-half-scoring-spree-144626.html#ixzz1DSIR3oaL

Inside seven minutes the writing was on the wall, a goal apiece from inside forwards Graeme Mulcahy and James Cassin helping UCC to a 2-2 to zero lead, a plucky DCU hopelessly outclassed.

By half-time that lead was extended to 13 points, 3-11 to 1-4, the flying Mulcahy with his second and UCC’s third goal, DCU keeper Bill McCormack coming forward to blast home a penalty for the visitor’s only major of this mismatch.

That McCormack then ended up as second-best scorer for DCU was no surprise – two points was all they managed from play over the hour, the first of those from midfielder Wes O’Brien, one of their most impressive performers, the second coming late in the second-half from wing-forward Eoin O’Mahony (Wexford).

Then again this is a very polished UCC defence, established county players such as Mickey Cahill and Kevin Moran augmented by fledgling stars in Conor O’Sullivan, James Nagle and William Egan (all Cork), with commanding full-back Phillip O’Loughlin sure to feature at some stage later this year with Limerick, especially if he maintains this form.

The first five minutes of the second-half saw DCU raise their game, nothing scored but nothing conceded either. They were only going to hold back the red-and-black tide for so long, however, and hard-working centre-forward Kevin Keehan (Galway) soon got UCC going again, a goal and a point in three minutes, after which – as the rain started to fall — it was simply a question of the final winning margin.

Kilmallock’s Bryan O’Sullivan had been introduced at the break and he, along with Phillip O’Mahony dominated the middle of the park, ensuring a good supply inside. Dean Brosnan prospered, struck some fine points, as did Keehan, O’Sullivan himself with two fine long-range frees, and sub Paul Haughney.

All in all, far too easy for UCC, and a game from which they will have learned very little.

Scorers for UCC: G Mulcahy 2-0; D Brosnan 0-5; K Keehan 1-3 (0-1 free); J Cassin 1-0; W Egan 0-3 (all frees); S Bourke 0-2; B O’Sullivan 0-2 (frees); J Nagle, D Honan, P Haughney, 0-1 each.

Scorers for DCU: P McAllister 0-4 (all frees); B McCormack 1-0 (pen); JJ Lennon 0-2 (0-1 free, 0-1 65); E O’Mahony, W O’Brien, 0-1 each.

UCC: D McCarthy (Cork); C O’Sullivan (Cork), P O’Loughlin (Limerick), M Cahill (Tipperary); J Nagle (Cork), K Moran (Waterford), W Egan (Cork); P O’Mahony (Waterford), D Kearney (Cork); S Bourke (Tipperary), K Keehan (Galway), D Brosnan (Cork); D Honan (Clare), J Cassin (Tipperary), G Mulcahy (Limerick).

Subs: R White (Cork) for Bourke (30); B O’Sullivan (Limerick) for D Kearney (30); L O’Farrell (Cork) for Mulcahy (40); P Haughney (Cork) for Honan (45); W Kearney (Cork) for O’Loughlin (49).

DCU: B McCormack (Tipperary); S Kelly (Carlow), A Moran (Kilkenny), W Eviston (Tipperary); A Griffith (Wexford, capt.), B Flaherty (Galway), D Horan (Offaly); W O’Brien (Cork), T Ó hUallaicháin (Dublin); JJ Lennon (Kilkenny), A Creane (Dublin), E O’Mahony (Wexford); P McAllister (Dublin), C Woodgate (Dublin), E Kent (Wexford).

Sub: J Cullen (Wexford) for Ó hUallaicháin (inj. 42).

Referee: D Copps (Cork).

This appeared in the printed version of the Irish Examiner Wednesday, February 09, 2011

Read more: http://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/gaa/ucc-thunder-into-quarter-finals-after-first-half-scoring-spree-144626.html#ixzz1DSIMgtDj

GMIT secure last eight spot with gutsy victory
GMIT 2-16 UUJ 1-10
By Cian O’Connell

Wednesday, February 09, 2011

GMIT’s encouraging Fitzgibbon Cup campaign continued at Innisfalls GAA Club yesterday where they beat UUJ. and set up a quarter-final meeting next Tuesday with UCC.

Read more: http://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/gaa/gmit-secure-last-eight-spot-with-gutsy-victory-144624.html#ixzz1DSImg0bj

Having surprised St Patrick’s-Mater Dei, GMIT were forced to deal with a gutsy UUJ display. The Galway students were struggling to contain a lively Jordanstown forward line who benefited from a shoot on sight policy as they opened up a 0-7 to 0-3 lead by the 19th minute.

Corner-forward Paddy Henry was especially effective for the underdogs, while bustling centre-forward Frank Corvan was accurate too.

Despite Jordanstown’s initial burst, GMIT remained cool and they struck for a crucial 19th minute goal when Daniel Loughnane dashed clear to trim the deficit. Man-of-the-match Colin Egan and Henry then traded points, but GMIT finished the half strongly which vexed Jordanstown.

Kenny Feeney drilled over a routine free to restore parity and then an opportunistic goal from James Liddy in the last minute of the first half gave GMIT a 2-5 to 0-8 advantage.

Considering the determined manner in which UUJ had hurled, the scoreline at that stage was a tad unjust, but after the restart GMIT really seized the initiative. Egan was a central figure as they enjoyed sustained spells of supremacy, with Feeney sharp from frees and Jason O’Gorman providing a genuine threat inside.

In the third quarter GMIT outscored their northern opponents 0-7 to 0-2 as they moved eight points clear and it seemed as they would canter to a facile victory. Jordanstown summoned a brief rally and when GMIT’s excellent goalkeeper Joe Keane was adjudged to have picked the sliothar from the deck in the 50th minute referee Brian Gavin awarded a penalty.

Wing back Simon McCrory rattled the GMIT net with a venomous drive and Jordanstown were given an injection of hope.

GMIT weren’t too bothered, though, and within a couple of minutes normal service had been restored. Inevitably a brace of splendid efforts from Egan put GMIT on their way again and substitute Tomas Flannery, and O’Gorman sealed the match.

GMIT may lack the marquee names of the other Fitzgibbon pretenders, but any team containing Galway’s Ger Mahon, Limerick’s Wayne McNamara, and Offaly’s Colin Egan deserve to be respected as UCC prepare to hit the west on Tuesday.

Scorers for GMIT: K Feeney (0-6, 4fs), C Egan (0-4), J O’Gorman (0-3), D Loughnane (1-0), J Liddy (1-0), A Lawless, T Flannery, C Flannery (0-1) each.

Scorers for UUJ: P Henry (0-4, 3fs), F Corvan (0-3), S McCrory (1-0, pen), B Cashman, O McCloskey, D Hamill (0-1) each.

GMIT: J Keane (Galway); T Martin (Offaly), C Flannery (Offaly), K Waters (Offaly; C Duggan (Tipperary), G Mahon (Galway, S Hynes (Galway); A Lawless (Galway), W McNamara (Limerick); C Egan (Offaly), A Lynch (Clare), D Loughnane (Galway); K Feeney (Mayo), J O’Gorman (Galway), J Liddy (Clare).

Subs: G O’Halloran (Galway) for Waters (41 mins), T Flannery (Galway) for Liddy (47 mins), D Maher (Tipperary) for Mahon (49 mins).

UUJ: E Gillan (Antrim); S Dobbin (Antrim), F Neeson (Antrim), N McAuley (Antrim); S McCrory (Antrim), N Curry (Armagh), J Downey (Antrim); O McCloskey (Derry), P Murphy (Wexford); B Ennis (Down), F Corvan (Armagh), D Hamill (Antrim); P Henry (Derry), B Cashman (Cork), A Clarke (Down).

Subs: C Rocks (Antrim) for Clarke (41 mins).

Referee: B Gavin (Offaly).

This appeared in the printed version of the Irish Examiner Wednesday, February 09, 2011

Read more: http://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/gaa/gmit-secure-last-eight-spot-with-gutsy-victory-144624.html#ixzz1DSIhuOnX

Good bet in the Sigerson that i’ll have a look at, and investigate, UCC are 17.00 to win it out. The 2 Dublin colleges are strong favs, and rightly so, but this price for UCC is based i would imagine on their League Final hammering to DIT, but they were down 12 players for that, including all the Nemo and Crokes lads. They are the 3rd favourites IMO, and have already beaten DCU this year with both teams near full strength. The difference in odds is crazy.

DCU 2.37 (Nuts for the Sigerson)
DIT 3.25
UCD 10.00
Queens 11.00 (good bet)
CIT 13.00 (good bet)
UCC 17.00 (very good bet)

Are ye all ready for the Lockes’ big day lads?

LIT 4-11 NUIG 0-04 at half time…

6-16 to 9 points for a finish up…The champions took some hammering

That’s a bit of an embarrassment alright. Great to see our next manager is continuing to impress though. Roll on 2012.

Ulster Bank Fitzgibbon Cup Quarter Finals

Limerick IT 6.16 0-09 NUI Galway FT
Cork IT 1-11 1-09 St Pats-Mater Dei FT
GMIT 0-08 0-16 UCC FT
UL 0-15 0-12 UCD FT

Narrow escape for CIT. UL will probably take them next day out. LIT/UCC should be a good battle.

Ya, you’re probably bang on, not much between LIT & UCC. But UL seem a more physical team than CIT, where its played may have alot to do with it. I’d go for an all Limerick Final if i had to chose, but it could be any of the possible combinations.

the more i think about it the more the Fitz and Sigerson need to go to before Christmas and/or the National leagues should go later in the year. I mean what kind of a week can the County Senior panelists be having this week for instance.

The GAA for all its surveys and reports isn’t learning alot, and this fucking training ban is by far the stupidest thing they have come up with for a good while.