Rice puts UCC top of table

GMIT 1-11 UCC 1-11: There may have been no winner on the field at Ballinderreen, but both teams could celebrate as a draw was enough to send the two through to the quarter-finals.

It took a Michael Rice point in the dying moments to salvage a draw for the Cork side in an entertaining Fitzgibbon Cup match.

Rice's intervention was crucial as it guaranteed UCC topped the group and secured a home quarter-final next week against St Pat's/Mater Dei. GMIT will have to travel to play CIT.

GMIT began the brighter, with Limerick senior Andrew O'Shaughnessy showing the way with early points. Then, in the 11th minute, his long-range free flew all the way to the net.

UCC quickly responded at the other end with a Stephen Moylan goal. The Cork side dominated the rest of the half, Eoin Murphy's accuracy from frees left it 1-6 to 1-3 in their favour at the break.

Late on O'Shaughnessy struck over a 65 to hand his side the advantage, 1-11 to 1-10.

Then Rice landed the equaliser.

GMIT : E Ward; P Callanan, G Mahon, C Flannery; C Horan, B Regan, D Barry (0-1) ; N Rogers, D Maher; C Hynes, C Egan, M Flaherty; A O'Shaughnessy (1-8, 1-7 frees, 0-1 65) , K Burke, C Kavanagh (0-1). Sub: E Feeney (0-1) for Hynes (half-time).

UCC : A Nash; C O'Driscoll, D Cody, M Cahill; S O'Neill (0-1) , R Foley, D McSweeney; M Rice (0-1) , K Hartnett; J Nagle, B Beckett, J O'Gorman; P Barry, E Murphy (0-9, six frees, two 65s), S Moylan (1-0). Subs : J Halbert for O'Gorman (half-time); A Quilligan for McSweeney (43 mins); A Harte for Barry (54 mins).

Referee: M Haverty (Galway).

© 2008 The Irish Times

This article appears in the print edition of the Irish Times