Hurlers Exit Fitz Cup at Group Stage

University College Cork 1-14Limerick IT 2-15

University College Cork will know they have left the chance to progress in this year’s Fitzgibbon Cup behind after a lacklustre performance - particularly in front of goal - saw them surrender a late lead against Limerick IT at the Mardyke.This is the second consecutive year that the Leeside outfit failed to make it out of the group stage, and this time it will be so much harder to take having left so much on the pitch. A poor game livened up in the second half with an away goal, but with a strong breeze having a noticeable impact on both sides, the need for Ger Cunningham’s outfit to increase the deficit was ultimately their downfall as a late LIT goal from a counter-attack ended any hopes for a place in the knockout rounds.An ugly opening saw both teams struggle with a strong crosswind, leading to missed chances and handling errors on both sides. Cormac Murphy hit a fine free from the right to open the scoring for the hosts before David Reidy replied quickly with a free of his own.Despite UCC’s midfield dominance, seven wides in 16 minutes left them only a single point ahead a quarter of the way through the encounter -- despite the fact that the Shannonsiders were onto their third free taker at that stage.UCC then had two excellent goal chances before the half-hour mark, with Waterford senior Tom Devine first deciding to point having been put through on goal before Alan Cadogan’s shot was brilliantly saved by Eibhear Quilligan in the LIT goal. At the other end the home full-back was putting in sterling work, Shane Roche in particular the outstanding party; while Rob O’Shea was slowly getting his eye-in from the set piece, adding a couple of further points to leave the score 0-7 apiece at the break.The second half began on an exciting note after the dour first period, when Cathal Barrett’s high ball wasn’t dealt with by the home defence - allowing Peter Duggan to hammer the ball home past Keith Hogan. UCC responded with two fine frees by O’Shea into a stiffening breeze, but couldn’t restore parity despite their efforts as the half progressed.Cunningham brought in Barry Lawton 10 minutes after the break, and he hit a point before playing a crucial part in UCC’s goal.The Castlemartyr man won a difficult aerial ball before flicking it out wide to Niall McCarthy; the half-forward intelligently found Cadogan who fired the ball into the top right-hand corner of the net with laser precision.With that UCC were a point ahead with eight minutes remaining. But knowing they needed a three point margin to secure a place in the next round they pushed forward - to their eventual cost. A quick LIT counter-attack saw Alan Dempsey put the ball out right to Reidy; he paddled the sliotar into the path of the onrushing David Dempsey who finished strongly from 13 metres.Lawton had a chance to cancel the goal out soon after, but again Quilligan was equal to the task, deflecting it over the bar as UCC slumped to another early exit.