UL 1-21 NUIG 2-15
Mikey Kiely was the hero once again as University of Limerick captured their seventh Fitzgibbon Cup in dramatic circumstances after Hurler of the Year Cian Lynch was controversially sent off in the closing stages.
Lynch was harshly red-carded by Tipperary referee Fergal Horgan, after consulting linesman Sean Cleere, following an apparent trip on UL centre-back Bryan O'Mara three minutes from time with NUIG leading by 2-15 to 0-17 and poised to complete a Sigerson and Fitzgibbon Cup double.
But the dismissal of Lynch proved decisive and UL came storming back to shoot points in a row and draw level in stoppage time before Kiely, who shot a last gasp goal to beat IT Carlow in the semi-final on Thursday night, then soloed through and finished the ball to the net in the third and final minute of injury-time and capture their first crown since 2018.
NUIG, with Lynch operating in the full-forward line in the opening half when they had the breeze, led by four points at the break.
The opening five points of the game came from frees, with Evan Niland hitting three for NUIG and Gearoid O’Connor responding with a brace for UL before John Fleming hit the first from play after 14 minutes to push the Galway college 0-04 to 0-02 in front.
Bryan O’Mara cut the gap with a long range free but then Fleming soloed through and superbly flicked the ball with one hand past UL goalkeeper Dean Mason after 16 minutes.
The response from UL was impressive, with Kiely, Ciaran Connolly and O’Mara shooting points in a blistering three-minute spell, but the next three scores came from NUIG.
Niland pointed two more frees and was involved in sending Conor Walsh through to set up Mark Kennedy for a goal to extend the lead to 2-06 to 0-6 five minutes from the break.
Once more UL hit back with O’Connor landing a couple of frees before himself and Niland exchanged points to leave it 2-07 to 0-09 at the interval.
It took UL less than six minutes at the start of the second-half to wipe out that lead when they had the wind at their backs. Indeed, it took a superb save from Liam Reilly to deflect a Kiely effort over the bar just ten seconds after the restart, with O’Mara landing two more from distance and O’Connor getting one from play to tie the sides.
Ross Hayes edged UL in front for the first time in game just seconds after he came on after 37 minutes but Niland tied the sides almost immediately when he converted another free to leave it 2-08 to 0-14.
A good hook from corner-back Conor Caulfield and a save from Reilly denied Niall Brennan as the Kilkenny man bore down on goal after 42 minutes and the Limerick college did not score again for nine minutes.
NUIG pulled away to open up a four-point lead before Connolly hit his second point of the game and then Niland took his haul to 0-14 as they led by five with just over three minutes left. Brian O’Sullivan pulled back a point for UL before Lynch was controversially sent off and the Limerick college made the most of the extra man as NUIG failed to score after that.
O’Connor landed a ’65, Brian O’Grady got one from play, then O’Connor got a close-range free before Connolly’s third point of the contest tied the sides in the second minute of injury-time.
And they were not finished there. Kiely gained possession and as he tried to make room to shoot, an opening emerged in front of him and the Waterford man soloed through to crown a remarkable week by shooting the winner to claim the title.
UL: Dean Mason; Conor Flaherty, TJ Brennan, Mike Gough; Killian Sampson, Bryan O’Mara (0-04, 3f), Cian Galvin; Brian O’Grady (0-01), Ciaran Connolly (0-03); Niall Brennan, Gearoid O’Connor (0-09, 7f, 1 '65), Darragh Corcoran; Mikey Kiely (1-02), Sean Twomey, Billy Power.
Subs: Ross Hayes (0-01) for Galvin (37), Brian O’Sullivan (0-01) for Brennan (49), Shane Staunton for Sampson (54).
NUIG: Liam Reilly; Eoin Lawless, Jack Fitzgerald, Conor Caulfield; Caimin Killeen, Daniel Loftus, Mark Gill; Ian McGlynn, Phillip Hickey; Conor Walsh, Evan Niland (0-14, 12f), Fionn McDonagh; Mark Kennedy (1-00), John Fleming (1-01), Cian Lynch.
Subs: Diarmuid Kilcommins for McGlynn (20), Oisin Flannery for McDonagh (39), Adrian Prendergast for Hickey (39), Cian Salmon for Kennedy (46).
Referee: Fergal Horgan (Tipperary).
