10 points for Galway star Niland to fire NUIG into Fitzgibbon Cup quarter-finals

NUIG 1-20
Mary Immaculate 2-9

John Fallon reports from Dangan

NUIG ADVANCED TO the quarter-finals of the Fitzgibbon Cup with an accomplished display in dreadful conditions on their college grounds in Galway as Mary I fell to a second defeat in the competition.

Incessant rain, a strong breeze and a very wet surface made conditions extremely testing for both sides but they still served up a good contest for the sizeable crowd on a miserable night on the banks of the Corrib.

NUIG held an edge throughout and Clarinbridge’s Evan Niland showed the sort of pinpoint accuracy which he will hope to take into the Allianz League in Henry Shefflin’s first year in charge of Galway.

It helps, of course, in such testing conditions to have the Hurler of the Year in your ranks and the deft touches of Cian Lynch were pivotal throughout as the Galway college got on top.

Galway senior Brian Concannon was also influential as they used the breeze to build up a 0-7 to 0-1 lead after 12 minutes before the Limerick college responded with a handful of frees from Devon Ryan which saw the gap cut to 0-8 to 0-5 eight minutes from the break.

But NUIG finished the half strongly and a good point from impressive corner-back Conor Caulfield and a couple of more frees from Niland saw them lead 0-12 to 0-5 at the interval.

Mary I needed a good start to the second-half and they got it when goalkeeper Eamon Foudy blasted home a penalty and Ryan added another free to cut the gap to 0-12 to 1-6.

Niland and Phillp Wall exchanged points before another one from the Galway sharpshooter pushed them four clear and they never looked back when Concannon soloed in from the left and blasted to the net and another Niland point pushed the gap out to 1-15 1-7 with ten minutes left.

NUIG never looked like getting caught and while Diarmuid Ryan got a late goal they were unable to rescue a lost cause and bowed out with a second defeat.

Scorers for NUIG: Evan Niland 0-10 (0-8f), Brian Concannon 1-3, Conor Caulfield 0-1, Mark Gill 0-1, Ian McGlynn 0-1, Diarmuid Kilcommins 0-1, Conor Walsh 0-1, Cian Lynch 0-1, Mark Kennedy 0-1.

Scorers for Mary Immaculate: Devon Ryan 0-6f, Diarmuid Ryan 1-0, Eamon Foudy 1-0pen, Phillip Wall 0-2, Colin O’Brien 0-1.

NUIG

1 Liam O’Reilly (Castlegar, Galway)

2 Eoin Lawless (Athenry, Galway

3 Jack Fitzgerald (Killimordaly, Galway)

4 Conor Caulfield (Kilconieron, Galway)

5 Caimin Killeen (Loughrea, Galway)

6 Darren Morrissey (Sarsfields, Galway)

7 Mark Gill (Castlegar, Galway)

8 Ian McGlynn (Kilconieron, Galway)

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9 Diarmuid Kilcommins (Annaghdown, Galway)

10 Conor Walsh (Turloughmore, Galway)

11 Cian Lynch (Patrickswell, Limerick)

12 Brian Concannon (Killimordaly, Galway)

13 Phillip Hickey (Eire Og Nenagh, Tipperary)

14 John Fleming (Meelick/Eyrecourt, Galway)

15 Evan Niland (Clarinbridge, Galway)

Subs:

26 Mark Kennedy (Clarinbridge, Galway) for Hickey (39)

25 Niall Collins (Cappataggle, Galway) for Fleming (56)

18 Sean Burke (Kilconieron, Galway) for McGlynn (58)

21 Oisin Salmon (Clarinbridge, Galway) for Walsh (58)

 

Mary Immaculate College, Limerick:

1 Eamon Foudy (Inagh-Kilnamona, Clare)

2 Johnny Ryan (Arravale Rovers, Tipperary)

3 Keith Ryan (Upperchurch Drombane, Tipperary)

4 PJ Fanning (Mount Sion, Waterford)

5 Shane Ryan (Clarinbridge, Galway)

6 Diarmuid Ryan (Cratloe, Clare)

7 Darragh Lohan (Wolfe Tones, Clare)

8 Aaron Ryan (Upperchurch Drombane, Tipperary)

30 Cormac Power (Ballygunner, Waterford)

10 Jason Gillane (Patrickswell, Limerick)

11 Devon Ryan (Cashel King Cormacs, Tipperary)

12 Eanna McBride (JK Brackens, Tipperary)

13 Phillip Wall (Kilbrittain, Cork)

14 Andrew Ormond (JK Brackens, Tipperary)

15 Colin O’Brien (Liscarroll Churchtown Gaels, Cork)

Subs:

27. Jack Ryan (Clonoulty/Rossmore, Tipperary) for Fanning (10)

Referee: Fergal Horgan (Tipperary)