Darragh McCarthy and Tipp teammates help UL to retain their Freshers Championship title

Masita GAA All-Ireland Post Primary Schools Croke Cup Hurling Semi-Final

University of Limerick 1-24

University College Cork 1-16

The University of Limerick retained their Freshers 1 Hurling Championship title in Mallow on Thursday evening, with a distinct Tipperary influence contributing to the victory on a cold and heavy evening.

Five Tipperary players contributed to the Limerick college’s win, which made it a league and championship double victory over UCC, whom UL defeated in the league decider back in October at the same venue.

Darragh McCarthy continued his fine scoring form for UL and played a captain’s role, scoring all of his frees, scoring two points from play for a total of twelve points, while also executing the killer pass for Jack O’Neill’s goal on the stroke of the 60th minute that finally finished the contest.

McCarthy had able assistance from Tipperary teammates with Jamie Ormond hitting three points in the half forward line, while Oisin O’Donoghue and Cathal English covered an amount of ground throughout; Podge O’Dwyer was introduced late on to shore up the defence as UCC came hunting goals.

There was also a Tipperary player who wore the skull and crossbones on the night, with Tadhg Sheehan playing at full-back for the game and had a very good outing with his marker Tadgh Boddy being whipped in the second half.

Despite winning the game with a degree of comfort late on, this was far from an easy victory for a star-studded UL side who boasted a litany of intercounty talent from across Munster and beyond, as the UCC team came storming out of the blocks in the opening minutes of the game.

Within four minutes, the Cork side had raced into a 1-3 to no score lead with three points in as many minutes after the throw-in from Daniel Scully, Adam O’Sullivan, and Peter O’Shea getting them off to a strong start, and when John Wiggington Barrett was fed in to finish to the back of the net in the fourth minute, it was dream stuff for UCC.

UL were well and truly behind the eight ball and hardly had a chance to get their hands on the ball by the time the damage was done, but they managed to settle down fairly well after that major from UCC and it was three Tipperary scorers that got them going with Oisin O’Donoghue landing his team’s first score and that was quickly followed by scores from Darragh McCarthy and Jamie Ormond to bring back to the goal margin after eight minutes.

However, it was still the UCC men who were in the ascendancy and had pushed out to a 1-6 to 0-4 lead by the halfway stage of the first half, thanks to scores from Shane Murnane and free-taker Diarmuid Wall, while midfielder Adam O’Sullivan swept a sublime sideline cut over the bar in that time also.

UL were far from their fluid best but by hook or by crook, they managed to drag themselves into the contest, with the heavy pitch playing a big factor in the standard of play. 

Jamie Ormond was the pick of the forwards at this point and set up a point for Fintan Fitzgerald and won a free for McCarthy to convert, which was one of three in the row between the 17th and 20th minute.

Diarmuid Stritch was impressing too for UL, bringing great energy and forward running to the team in what was a very scrappy contest, but despite UCC’s dominance early on, there was just one point between the sides by the 25th minute mark at 1-7 to 0-9.

UCC made a break for the half-time lead soon after with a Wall free and a classy effort from Dara Ferland pushing them three ahead, and only for a smart stop from UL netminder Daniel O’Connell from Daniel Scully’s effort in the 28th minute, it could have been more.

As it happens, that would become a key theme in the second half but the UL players made the most of the get out of jail moment and with Darragh McCarthy, Tadgh Boddy, and Fintan Fitzgerald pointing with the last three scores of the half, it was level pegging at the break at 0-12 to 1-9.

UL were lucky to be level heading into the second half based on the balance of play and that would certainly have been the message at the half-time break from their management team and that seemed to sink in for the players after the restart.

Jamie Ormond had a glorious goal chance scuppered by goalkeeper Fionn O’Brien within a minute of the restart - the goalie making up for a mistake before the chance - but the scores inside the first five minutes put UL ahead for the first time in the game thanks to two Darragh McCarthy frees.

Fine efforts from Clare duo Diarmuid Stritch and Jack O’Neill, along with a second from play from Jamie Ormond had UL ahead 0-17 to 1-12 but the Limerick side still looked vulnerable at the back and they had the post to thank for denying a second goal for Wiggington Barrett who sped in on goal and rattled off a low effort that cannoned off the post.

That was a big let off for UL but these moments seemed to kick them out of their slumps on each occasion as they went on a scoring spree of four points in a row thereafter with three McCarthy frees and a fine long range effort from Oisin Fitzgerald pushing them into a five point lead with eight minutes of normal time remaining.

Diarmuid Wall reduced the arrears to four with a free in the 53rd minute and with the clock ticking down, UCC will have felt that it just wasn’t going to be their night as they shook the post again with a shot three minutes later; Wall finding space on the angle to unleash his effort but the frame came to UL’s rescue.

UCC did recycle that possession to point through substitute Finn O’Brien, but it turned out to be UL’s night after all with Darragh McCarthy scoring his second from play soon after, and with a converted free following soon after, McCarthy made it safe when he produced a clever pass to Jack O’Neill close to goal who sauntered in on goal and finished low to the net.

Game over.

Jamie Ormond capped off the scoring with a long range score in added time with Thomas Walsh blowing the full time whistle soon after to confirm UL’s title retention in Mallow.

Scorers: UL: Darragh McCarthy (0-12, 0-9f, 0-1 65), Jack O’Neill 1-1, Jamie Ormond, Diarmuid Stritch 0-3 each, Fintan Fitzgerald 0-2, Oisin O’Donoghue, Oisin Fitzgerald, Tadgh Boddy all 0-1 each.

UCC: Diarmuid Wall 0-7f, John Wiggington Barrett 1-0, Finn O’Brien 0-2, Adam O’Sullivan (0-2, 0-1f), Daniel Scully, Shane Murnane, Peter O’Shea, Dara Ferland, Robert Troy all 0-1 each.

UL: Daniel O’Connell (Dromina, Limerick); Adam O’Sullivan (John Lockes, Kilkenny), Ruairi Kelly (Lusmagh, Offaly), John Cahill (Clooney Quin, Clare); Eoin McMahon (St Joseph’s Doora Barefield, Clare), Eoghan Lyng (Rower Inistioge, Kilkenny), Oisin Fitzgerald (St. Catherine’s, Cork); Jack O’Neill (Clooney Quin, Clare), Fintan Fitzgerald (Mungret St Paul’s, Limerick); Oisin O’Donoghue (Cashel King Cormacs, Tipperary), Jamie Ormond (JK Brackens, Tipperary), Diarmuid Stritch (Clonlara, Clare); Tadgh Boddy (Dromin Athlacca, Limerick), Cathal English (Fr Sheehy’s, Tipperary), Darragh McCarthy (Toomevara, Tipperary).

Subs used: Conor Gleeson (Gortnahoe Glengoole) for O Fitzgerald (26, blood sub); Tadgh Whyte (Moneygall) for Boddy (46); Podge O’Dwyer (Killenaule, Tipperary) for A O’Sullivan (55).

UCC: Fionn O’Brien (Bruree, Limerick); Harry Boyle (Clara, Kilkenny), Billy O’Connell (Abbeyside, Waterford), Timmy Kelly (Bennettsbridge, Kilkenny); Shane Murnane (St Colum’s, Cork), Tadgh Sheehan (St Mary’s, Tipperary), Peter O’Shea (Erins Own, Cork); Tadgh Hourigan (Pallaskenry, Limerick), Adam O’Sullivan (Ballinhassig, Cork); Alex Cass (Thomastown, Kilkenny), Dara Ferland (Monaleen, Limerick), Daniel Scully (Dromin Athlacca, Limerick); John Wiggington Barrett (St Finbarr’s, Cork), Diarmuid Wall (Glen Rovers, Cork), Robert Troy (Newtownshandrum, Cork).

Subs used: Ed McDermott (James Stephens, Kilkenny) for Troy (HT); Finn O’Brien (Erins Own, Cork) for McDermott (33, inj); Sean O’Neill (Ballincollig, Cork) for Hourigan (44).

Referee: Thomas Walsh (Waterford)