University of Limerick dominated the college hurling landscape this year
University of Limerick are celebrating an unprecedented clean sweep in Higher Education GAA hurling championships after winning all five major championship titles in a single season for the first time.
The first title came on 15 February, when UL’s senior hurlers reclaimed the Fitzgibbon Cup with a commanding 0-23 to 1-15 victory over DCU.
UL’s Freshers had a great year, with the first team overcoming UCC 1-19 to 0-18 on 27 February, followed by a dramatic win for the second squad, who edged out UCC 1-19 to 1-18 on 3 March.
The success continued when UL’s Intermediate Hurlers secured the All-Ireland Intermediate Championship on March 5th, defeating the University of Galway 1-18 to 0-17.
Just a day later, UL’s inaugural Fresher 3 team completed the clean sweep, triumphing over ATU Galway 1-17 to 0-14 securing their place in history.
To mark this historic achievement, the five captains who led their teams to victory gathered with the five trophies in UL.
Representing UL’s excellence across all levels were Fitzgibbon Cup captain and Limerick senior hurler Colin Coughlan, Intermediate captain Sam Williams, Fresher 1 Captain and Tipperary senior hurling team’s current top scorer Darragh McCarthy, Fresher 2 captain and Limerick U20 hurler Michael Leo, and Fresher 3 captain John Fry, from Westmeath.
Colin Coughlan, a fourth-year student in PE with Maths who captained UL to its ninth Fitzgibbon Cup title, reflected on what this achievement means for the teams involved.
“When you come to college, you focus on furthering your education and making friends. Sport is a huge part of that, and being in a college that thrives in sport makes it even more special. To win a Fitzgibbon Cup as part of this historic clean sweep is something you could only dream of being part of.”
On playing alongside future intercounty rivals, he added: “It’s funny because you might have perceptions of players before you meet them – maybe you’ve only seen them on TV playing for their county. But once you’re on the same team here in UL, you get to know them as people, and that changes everything. It’s incredible to play with top-class players, become friends, and then meet them again as opponents at the highest level.”
UL has long been a breeding ground for top inter-county talent, with many former sports scholars going on to claim All-Star awards and All-Ireland Senior Hurling Final medals. Household names such as Gearóid Hegarty, Mark Rodgers, John McGrath, Killian Sampson, Johnny Glynn, Kieran Joyce, Sean Twomey, Tom Morrissey and Tony Kelly have all donned the UL jersey before making their mark at the highest level.
Acting President Professor Shane Kilcommins said: “Sport at UL is about much more than trophies, it’s about character, resilience, and the friendships forged along the way.
“As a university, we take great pride in fostering an environment where sporting talent is nurtured alongside academic ambition. The success of these teams reflects that balance and the strong support network in place for our students.”