UCC 2-21 Mary I 0-13

Mark Kehoe had one of those days.

The Klsheelan Kilcash youngster was unmarkable for UCC in the Electric Ireland Fitzgibbon Cup final and his 1-4 haul from open play helped Tom Kingston’s side to a record 39th title.

With the sun beating down on the Waterford IT arena and with the Carriganore main pitch glowing, it was an ideal Saturday for a Fitzgibbon final and that man Kehoe was primed.

The sides were evenly balanced in the opening stages. Gillane was sniping the frees for Mary I and Chris O’Leary was doing similar for the men of Cork.

Then, Mark Kehoe announced his arrival and UCC wouldn’t look back from there. 12 minutes were on the clock when his teammate Niall O’Leary sprayed one out onto the far wing for Kehoe to run onto.

For the lay man, there didn’t look to be much on, Kehoe sees things differently.

The Tipperary man took it from there, taking five Mary I defenders for a ride with him before burying home one of the finest goals in Fitzgibbon Cup history.

Mark Kehoe of @KilsheelanGAA has just scored the goal of a lifetime in the Fitzgibbon Cup final pic.twitter.com/jQryLwl4MZ

— GAA JOE (@GAA__JOE) February 23, 2019

That seemed to just settle UCC into the game, and Mary I wouldn’t get much change from then on in.

Colm Roche from the Shamrocks club in Waterford reeled off three sumptuous points in a row for them before the sprightly Darragh Fitzgibbon got in on the act with a trademark effort off the left.

Thomas Monaghan and Luke Meade were battling hard for Mary I but UCC just had too much. The towering half back line of O’Loughlin, O’Leary and Griffin were taking over and Kehoe was still doing the damage up top.

1-12 to 0-7 was the half-time score and the second half would follow the same pattern.

Conor Browne came flying into the game and he scored a belter of a goal and a cracking point in a two minute spell.

Conor Browne of @VillageGAA is unstoppable 🚃🚃 pic.twitter.com/rQzdkj0djK

— GAA JOE (@GAA__JOE) February 23, 2019

Gillane and Meade continued to fight hard for Mary I, but it was UCC’s day with Shane Kingston putting the icing on the cake.

UCC team

UCC: Jack Barry; Niall O’Leary (0-1), Eddie Gunning, Killian Dwyer; Chris O’Leary (0-2f), Eoghan Murphy, David Griffin (0-1), Mark Coleman, Paddy O’Loughlin; Conor Browne (1-1), Shane Kingston (0-1), Colm Roche (0-3); Mark Kehoe (1-4), Shane Conway (0-6, 0-5f)), Darragh Fitzgibbon (0-1)

Subs: Robbie O’Flynn (0-1) for Eoghan Murphy (inj, 13 min), David Lowney for Killian O’Dwyer (52) Dara Lynch for Chris O’Leary (52) Ross Donohoe for Roche (58)

Mary I team

Eoghan Cahill, Eoghan Ryan, David Prendergast, Seamus Downey; Craig Morgan, Darren Browne, Thomas Grimes; Thomas Monaghan (0-1), Luke Meade (0-1), Aaron Gillane (0-8f), Michael O’Loughlin (0-1), Colin O’Brien (0-2) Gary Cooney, Colin Guilfoyle, Phillip Hickey.

Subs: Brian Buckley for Seamus Downey (16), Colin English (0-1) for O’Loughlin (HT) Ray McCormack for Colin O’Brien (57), for Sean Burke for Gary Cooney (52)

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