Kilkenny stars to the fore as Fitzgibbon Cup kicks into action

The Fitzgibbon Cup kicked into gear last week with a huge number of Kilkenny players involved in the premier third level hurling competition.

In total there are over 50 players from the county involved across eight different colleges with DCU leading the way with 12 Kilkenny stars on show.

University of Limerick are the defending champions and are red hot favourites to retain their title. They have a Kilkenny connection with Killian Doyle serving as their captain for the campaign while the Rower-Inistioge’s Eoghan Lyng is also part of the squad.

The Munster college opened up their campaign with a huge victory over Maynooth University as Tipperary’s All-Ireland senior winners Oisin O’Donoghue and Darragh McCarthy netted goals in a team that also included national stars in Adam Screeney (Offaly), Adam English (Limerick), Cathal O’Neill (Limerick) and Mark Fitzgerald (Waterford).

Killian Doyle got a point from midfield and he was up against a number of his county colleagues with Niall Holland, Michael Ahern, Oisin Bateman, Ciaran Phelan and Colin Hayes starting with Cillian Hackett, Michael Brennan, Jeff Neary and Cian Farrell coming off the bench for the Maynooth team.

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In total, there are 15 Kilkenny players on the Maynooth University squad with their next closest being DCU. The two colleges will be in opposition tonight (Wednesday) for a crucial clash.

The DCU outfit includes Kilkenny senior stars in the shape of Billy Reid, Cathal Beirne, Ivan Bolger, Denis Walsh and Paddy Langton and they will fancy their chances of claiming victory against a Maynooth team that will be aiming to rebound from the heavy round one loss to University of Limerick.

Elsewhere MTU Cork ran put 10-point winners over UCC in a Leeside derby at the Mardyke where Graigue-Ballycallan’s Aaron McEvoy netted the goal for the winners.

McEvoy was facing a number of Kilkenny players on the opposing side with Sean Moore, Ed McDermott and Timmy Kelly all getting gametime.

There was more Kilkenny representation in the third level competition with Mary I of Limerick beating SETU of Waterford with Dean Walsh, Gearoid Dunne, Killian Carey and Christian Connick all representing the Waterford college.

Limerick hurling star Oisín O’Farrell was the ultimate hero as he found the net on four occasions for the side from the Treaty County.

The last of the opening round games saw University of Galway have nine points to spare over UCD with Tipperary star Sam O’Farrell the leading light for the winners. The UCD side had three Kilkenny hurlers on show with Graigue-Ballycallan’s Sean McGrath between the sticks alongside the Thomastown pair of Peter and Luke Connellan.

Plenty more action to come this week.

The Kilkenny players in Fitzgibbon Cup action are:

DCU (12) - Billy Fitzpatrick (Dicksboro), Billy Reid (Glenmore), Cathal Beirne (Glenmore), Denis Walsh (Dunnamaggin), Eoin Dempsey (Mullinavat), Greg Kelly (O’Loughlin Gaels), Ivan Bolger (Graignamanagh), James Carroll (Dicksboro), James Coogan (Erin’s Own), Paddy Langton (Young Irelands), Sam Byrne (Blacks and Whites), Stephen Manogue (James Stephens).

Mary Immaculate College Limerick (3) - Shane Walsh (Tullaroan), Donacha Hogan (Mooncoin), Liam Hogan (Mooncoin).

Maynooth University (15) - Niall Holland (Tullaroan), Ciaran Phelan (John Lockes), Jeff Neary (Graigue Ballycallan), Cillian Hackett (Dicksboro), Michael Brennan (Erin’s Own), Darragh Queally (Emeralds), Oisin Cahill (Conahy Shamrocks), Oisin Bateman (James Stephens), Colin Hayes (St Martin’s), Ronan O’Brien (Windgap), Cian Farrell (Thomastown), Paddy Lacey (James Stephens), Rory Glynn (Clara), Michael Ahern (Emeralds), Harry Shine (Dicksboro).

MTU Cork (1) - Aaron McEvoy (Graigue-Ballycallan).

SETU Waterford (10) - Billy O’Callaghan (Piltown), Dean Walsh (Mullinavat), Christian Connick (St Patrick’s Ballyragget), Donnchadh Walsh (Mullinavat), Niall O’Brien (Piltown), Harry Roche (Cloneen), Ross O’Neill (Dunnamaggin), Killian Carey (Young Irelands), Gearoid Dunne (Tullaroan), Stephen Donnelly (Thomastown).

UCC (4) - Ed McDermott (James Stephens), Richard McEvoy (Lisdowney), Sean Moore (Carrickshock, Timmy Kelly (Bennettsbridge).

UCD (5) - Peter McDonald (Thomastown), Luke Connellan (Thomastown), Peter Connellan (Thomastown), Cillian Tallon (Dunnamaggin), Sean McGrath (Graigue-Ballycallan).

University of Limerick (2) - Eoghan Lyng (Rower-Inistioge), Killian Doyle (Emeralds).