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NUI Galway take first Fitzgibbon title since 1980

Written by: Gary Quinn on 6th March 2010

NUI Galway take first Fitzgibbon title since 1980 | read this item

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Clare’s John Conlon provided the winning score to end NUI Galway’s 30-year drought in the Ulster Bank Fitzgibbon Cup after a 1-17 to 1-16 extra-time final victory over Waterford IT this afternoon at Pearse Stadium.

For the second time in the space of 24 hours the Western college were forced to dig deep in extra-time, after a late Seamus Hennessy point earned NUI Galway a final berth.

Chasing their second title in three years, Waterford IT were eager early on in this game and with Tipperary duo Timmy Hammersley (1-11) and Ray McLoughney impressive the South East side led by 1-7 to 0-4 at the break.

Finian Coone (1-6) slotted over three points from placed balls for an NUIG side that came under serious pressure from the WIT attack during the opening half.

McLoughney and Ulster Bank Man of the Match Hammersley were the playmakers in chief with their Tipperary colleague Brian O’Meara also impressive.

Caimin Morey battled bravely to bring the hosts into contention, and contributed his sides first score from play five minutes before the interval to cut the gap to three points.

Morey piled on pressure in search of an equalising goal, but he was kept at bay by WIT goalkeeper Adrian Power who made two excellent saves in quick succession in the 27th minute.

The only goal of the opening half arrived for WIT a minute before the interval, after NUIG defenders Seamus Hennessy and Declan Connolly collided for Hammersley to break free and push his side to a six-point interval lead.

Colm Bonnar’s charges edged 1-11 to 0-5 clear within nine minutes of the restart, but amazingly didn’t score again in normal time as NUI Galway took control.

Coone added his fifth point, before Morey eventually penetrated the WIT rear-guard with a 43rd minute goal.

Morey’s three-pointer and a quick-fire Coone point cut the gap to four points, but the middle third of the second half was blighted by a string of wides from both sides as they struggle to tag on scores.

An inspirational 50th minute John Lee point reignited the NUI Galway comeback, and with points from Conlon and Coone just a point separated the sides as the clock ticked over 60 minutes.

NUIG continued to press hard, with Hennessy’s 62nd minute equaliser forcing extra-time.

Scores flowed freely in the first period of extra-time, with Barry Daly opening the scoring with a point after 30 seconds to give NUIG the lead for the first time.

Hammersley bagged two points for WIT during the first period of extra-time, but a Hennessy point edged NUIG into a 1-14 to 1-13 half-time lead.

WIT blazed out of the blocks on the restart, as scores from Hammersley and substitute Henry Vaughan edged them 1-15 to 1-14 in front.

NUI Galway however weren’t to be denied a rare success and tagged on three of the next four points – including a late Conlon effort to see them snatch silverware.

After an epic 80 plus minutes of hurling GAA President Christy Cooney presented the Fitzgibbon Cup to NUI Galway captain and Mullagh native Finian Coone.

Topics: Fitzgibbon Cup, NUI Galway