Donal Shirley and Joe Flanagan were outstanding for the victorious DCU
DCU 1-20
Mary I 1-18
Fitzgibbon Cup champions Mary I have been knocked out at the quarter-final stage by a brilliant DCU side in Dublin tonight.
The loss came despite the best efforts of star forward Shane O’Brien who scored eleven points – including several excellent points from play.
Led by Jamie Wall and Podge Collins, Mary I felt the loss of key players Adam Hogan, Shane Meehan, and Cian Scully who all missed tonight’s clash.
DCU were full value for their win, however, and the Dublin college now advance to the semi-finals to meet either UCC or UL with the other semi-final – TUS Midwest or MTU Cork – to decide the last four of the competition.
DCU showed their intentions from the very first play of the game as Donal Shirley drove at the Mary I defence before putting it over the bar. Shortly after, corner forward Joe Flanagan was given time and space inside and duly slotted the ball over the bar.
After fellow Limerick hurler Oisin O’Farrell was fouled close to goal, Shane O’Brien opened Mary I’s account with a free before adding another – this time much further out.
The Limerick college seemed to have found their rhythm at this point – in form Galway forward Declan McLaughlin scored a brilliant point near the sideline after a DCU back was turned over to give his side the lead. This was followed up by another great score from play, this time it was O’Brien from the other side of the field.
Just when it looked like Mary I were taking control early on, DCU struck back – hitting the Limerick college with five consecutive points including two from play by the rampaging Donal Shirley.
Mary I kept themselves in the contest however, scoring three of the next four points of the game including a long range point by Joe Caesar.
Although Mary I netminder Darragh Conway had sniffed out a DCU goal chance early on, he later fell victim to the conditions as a tame Sam Bourke shot from range ended up in the back of the net for a DCU goal.
With Mary I under pressure, they quickly responded – first through an O’Brien free before Fionn McDonagh scored a goal from his own rebound after hitting the crossbar on his first attempt.
After back to back DCU scores from Cathal Beirne and Cian Boran, O’Brien pointed from a free to cut the gap to four at the break.
Though it looked like Mary I were turning the tide through Ronan Power, Jimmy Quilty, and Shane O’Brien’s points – it was merely a false dawn as DCU hit the next six points with Flanagan, Cathal Beirne, Donal Shirley, and Billy Reid all pointing for the hosts.
Despite late efforts from O’Brien who cut into the DCU lead with a spectacular point, the Dublin college kept them at bay with an important score through substitute Peter Clarke.
Unfortunately for Mary I, at two points down a goal could not be found and they exited the 2025 Fitzgibbon Cup.
DCU scorers
Joe Flanagan 0-5 (0-2f), Sam Bourke 1-1 (0-1 f), Donal Shirley 0-4, Cillian Dunne 0-3 (0-2 f), Cathal Beirne 0-2, Colin Spain 0-2 (0-1 sideline), Cian Boran, Billy Reid and Peter Clarke 0-1 each.
MIC scorers
Shane O’Brien 0-11 (0-8 f, 0-1 65′), Fionn McDonagh 1-0, Jimmy Quilty 0-2, Diarmuid Cahill, Joe Caesar, Ronan Power, Ronan O’Connor and Declan McLaughlin 0-1 each
DCU
Cian Byrne (St Mary’s/Wexford); Ivan Bolger (Graignamanagh/Kilkenny), Paddy Langton (Young Ireland’s/Kilkenny), Padraig Lennon (Carrickshock/Kilkenny); Sam Bourke (Ballinamere/Offaly), Padraic Moylan (Dicksboro/Kilkenny), Billy Reid (Glenmore/Kilkenny); Donal Shirley (Tubber/Offaly), Colin Spain (Kilcormac-Killoughey/Offaly); Cathal Beirne (Glenmore/Kilkenny), James Carroll (Dicksboro/Kilkenny), Darragh Carley (Glynn-Barntown/ Wexford); Joe Flanagan (Naomh Barrog/Dublin), Cian Boran (Naas/Kildare) and Cillian Dunne (Clough-Ballacolla/Laois)
Mary I
Darragh Conway (Lixnaw/Kerry); William Dore (Dromin-Athlacca/Limerick), Eoin Lawless (Athenry/Galway), Vince Harrington (Na Piarsaigh/Limerick); Joe Caesar (Holycross-Ballycahill/Tipperary), Jimmy Quilty (Blackrock/Limerick); Ronan Power (Ballygunner/Waterford); Ronan O’Connor (Feakle/Clare), Conor Hennessy (Nenagh Eire Og/Tipperary); Fionn McDonagh (Moycullen/Galway), Declan McLaughlin (Portumna/Galway), Jamie Ryan (O’Loughlin Gaels/Kilkenny); Oisin O’Farrell (Askeaton/Limerick), Shane O’Brien (Kilmallock/Limerick), Diarmuid Cahill (Corofin/Clare).
Referee: Caymon Flynn (Westmeath)