UCC 2-17 DCU 0-22 (aet)
An 82nd-minute penalty from Chris O’Leary gave UCC a dramatic extra-time win over DCU in a tense Fitzgibbon semi-final in Waterford on Tuesday night. Tom Kingston’s side held on, despite a late, late penalty appeal from their opponents, to celebrate a first final appearance in six years.
The Valley Rovers defender struck 1-5 in total, including four long-distance efforts from play, two in extra time. Cork attacker Shane Kingston contributed 1-5 while Kerry forward Shane Conway finished with six points.
The sides were level on nine occasions, with DCU talisman James Bergin, who amassed 0-10, forcing the additional 20 minutes with a free two minutes into stoppage time.
Kingston shot 1-3 in the opening half as the Cork students recovered from a slow start to lead 1-8 to 0-10 at the break. On 24 minutes, O’ Leary’s long-range free fell kindly for the full forward and he blasted to the roof of the net.
DCU earned a two-point lead with 13 minutes left but Shane Conway had other ideas. A wonderful solo point in front of the stand followed by a free made it all square. He then set up Kingston for the lead score on 54 minutes but Bergin brought it to extra time.
When play resumed, Conway registered a disputed free for UCC. The sides were tied on three further occasions before Darren Mullen and Bergin regained a two-point gap for DCU.
O’Leary struck two monster scores but Chris Crummey drove forward to leave it 0-22 to 1-17 on 76 minutes. In added time, UCC sub Seán Hayes was bundled over by Eoghan O’Donnell and O’Leary’s penalty squirmed under Oisín Foley.
UCC: J Barry ; N O'Leary, E Gunning, K Dwyer; C O'Leary (1-5, 1-0 pen, one free), E Murphy, D Griffin; M Coleman (0-1), C Browne; P O'Loughlin, S Kingston (1-5), S Conway (0-6, four frees); M O'Halloran, M Kehoe, C Roche.
Subs: E Sheehan for O'Halloran (3 mins), D Fitzgibbon for Kehoe (25), Kehoe for Sheehan (48), R Donohue for Roche (53), S Hayes for Kehoe (61), D Lynch for Dwyer (63), D Walsh for Donohue (70).
DCU: O Foley; P Smyth, E O'Donnell, A Maddock; P Foley, C Delaney, C Crummey (0-1); D Reck (0-1), R McBride (0-1); D Burke (0-1), R O'Connor (0-3), F Whitely; B Ryan, J Bergin (0-10, eight frees), S Morrissey (0-2).
Subs: J Donnelly for Burke, F McGibb for Morrissey (both 40 mins), K Doyle for Ryan (55), D Mullen (0-1) for Maddock (59), Brian Ryan for Doyle, Billy Ryan (0-2) for McGibb (both 60), C Burke for Billy Ryan (77), D Gray for O'Connor (79).
Referee: Thomas Walsh (Waterford).
