Darragh Flynn helps point UCC into Fitzgibbon quarter-finals with victory at UCD

UCC 0-19 UCD 0-13

Jerome Boylan of UCC in action against Liam Murphy of UCD during the HE GAA Fitzgibbon Cup Group C match at Billings Park in Belfield, Dublin. Photo by Seb Daly/Sportsfile

February 02 2023 08:46 PM

Nine points from placed balls by Darragh Flynn proved telling as University College Cork recorded a deserved six-point victory over a disappointing University College Dublin in their Fitzgibbon Cup Group C encounter at Belfield on Thursday evening.

Both teams enjoyed narrow wins over Maynooth University in their initial outings and it was the visitors who booked a precious home quarter-final with a dominant performance from the opening whistle.

Despite falling behind to a brace of early frees from Dónal O’Shea, UCC seized the initiative in the opening quarter with Eoin Carey’s double from play augmented by two scores from placed balls by Flynn.

With the wind at their backs, the visitors continued to dominate as they tagged on points through Robert Cotter and Shane Barrett with UCD’s difficulties at the opposite end reflected in their reliance on O’Shea’s excellence from frees.

The Galway native fired over seven first-half points but his team’s inability to score from play in the half ensured they trailed by 0-11 to 0-7 at the interval.

Dara Purcell corrected that statistic with a typically classy effort within two minutes of the restart and a Cian O’Sullivan score soon after left just three points between the sides.

However, that brief bout of momentum stalled as UCC regained their supremacy through scores by Luke Elliot and Brian Hayes with Flynn taking advantage of the opportunities that came his way.

The hosts finished strongly thanks to Cian Rogers and Purcell but those scores never looked likely to inconvenience their opponents, who cruised into the last eight.

Scorers – UCC: D Flynn 0-9 (8f, 1 ‘65’), S Barrett 0-3 (1f), E Carey 0-2, L Elliot, S Daly, C Cahalane, R Cotter, B Hayes 0-1 each. UCD: D O’Shea 0-7 (7f), D Purcell 0-3, C O’Sullivan, E Guilfoyle, C Rogers 0-1 each.

UCC: B Saunderson; J Boylan, N O’Leary, I Daly; C O’Brien, E Roche, L Elliot; D Flynn, S Daly; E Carey, D Hogan, C Cahalane; S Barrett, B Hayes, R Cotter. Subs: G Millerick for Daly (20), P Power for Cotter (42), C McCarthy for Boylan (45), R Fox for Hogan (55).

UCD: E Hogan; I Ó hEithir, M Walsh, D Crowe; D O’Carroll, C Ó Cathasaigh, E Geraghty; D Purcell, K Egan; C Prendiville, C O’Sullivan, D O’Shea; C Foley, J Duggan, L Murphy. Subs: D O’Donovan for Geraghty (30), C Hoban for Egan (half-time), M Twomey for O’Carroll (half-time), C Rogers for Duggan (42), O’Carroll for Crowe (46), L O’Brien for Foley (52).

Referee: John Keenan (Wicklow).