Electric Ireland Fitzgibbon Cup Final: Mary Immaculate 2-14 University of Limerick 1-15
Jamie Wall believes the Fitzgibbon Cup is the best tournament the GAA has to offer, but after his Mary Immaculate team defeated city rivals University of Limerick in Saturday’s final It was easy to understand the appeal.
UL were aiming to become the first side since University College Cork in the 1990s to win three consecutive Fitzgibbons games, but they were beaten by their neighbors and hit a brick wall in the north Kerry countryside.
Mary Immaculate led by four points at half-time but would have been concerned with 13 wides recorded before the break. All goals came in the first half. Devon Ryan and Jason Gillane had fortuitous shots for Immaculate, while Gearoid O’Connor responded with a fine finish for UL.
With UL’s front line struggling to make an impact on the game, Mary Immaculate gained the upper hand thanks to Gillane’s three long-range shots, as well as strikes from Cathal Quinn and Diarmuid Ryan.
UL gained momentum after the break, with Brian Ryan’s side scoring seven of their eight points in the third quarter, with Colin Coughlan and subs Colm O’Meara and Ian Brine finding the scoring position. Castletry looked to have all the cards from this point on, but goals from Devon Ryan and captain Colin O’Brien saw Mary Immaculate cross the finish line.
“As far as I know, this is the best competition in GAA,” Wall, who has been on Mary Immaculate’s coaching staff for much of the past decade, told Jerome Quinn at the final whistle.
“No, it’s a very emotional thing for everyone involved. If you look this week, Ulster University won. [the Sigerson Cup]Tommy Joe [Farrell] Someone who spent years there. You’ll remember guys like Dave Billing from UCD and Eamonn Cregan from Mary I who was in charge for a long time before winning. There are people like this at every university. It’s not really about throwing. ”
Emotions ran high after Wall, who celebrated with his cousin Podge Collins on the sideline after Saturday’s win, but was soon able to put events at Abbeydorney into perspective. Graduate from college, get your degree, and become part of our world. ” he added.
“It is so encouraging to see them continue to become teachers around the world. They will be great colleagues and great role models. The future is bright.
“I’m so proud of them, because when they led by two points, it looked like we were left behind. I think that makes the win even more beautiful and more gratifying, because it… Not because of a walk or a lucky break, but because we rallied, rallied and took the hit.
“They’re great mates and just role models. I mean, look at Cathal Quinn and the ball he won. We took Shane the Bull O’Brien off the field and he won the ball. He won the ball off the field when the ball wasn’t coming in.
“He’s very reminiscent of sophomore Aaron Gillane, who could play inside and outside. He’s still under 20 years old and his potential is scary.”