UL seal Fresher 1 League three-in-a-row with victory over DCU

Despite the contest being delayed for close to an hour, UL were at the top of their game in wintry conditions.

UL were crowned Electric Ireland HE GAA Fresher 1 League Hurling Champions following their comfortable 1-21 to 0-13 victory over DCU DE last night in Clonad.

It completes a three-in-a-row for the Castletroy outfit as they will seek to retain their All-Ireland Championship title in the new year.

There were eight Limerick men involved in the win with Conor Hanely Clarke (Kilmallock), Evan O’Leary (Ahane) and Liam Dennehy (Glenroe) named from the start. Killian Quaid (Murroe Boher), John Fitzgerald (Na Piarsaigh), Mark Riordan (Castletown Ballyagran), PJ Hogan (Cappamore) and Rian O’Byrne (Crecora Manister) among the substitutes.

The final, which was initially set for a 7:45pm throw-in, didn’t get started until close to half past 8 due to traffic problems around the pitch.

When proceedings finally got underway, both sides exchanged points for the first ten minutes with Conor Hanley Clarke opening the scoring for UL from a free while Keith Smyth added a second to draw the contest level at two points apiece.

A quick blitz from the Limerick students saw them put five over the bar as they pushed into a three-point lead midway through the first half in a physical contest.

The game continued in this manner up until the interval with both teams finding their success from frees throughout with Smyth and Hanley Clarke providing the goods for UL. 0-11 to 0-7 the score read as the half-time whistle was blown.

UL pulled away after the restart as they quickly moved into an eight-point advantage. Smyth continued in the same vein and found UL’s first goal of the game, adding a point to his growing collection on top of that.

This allowed UL to slow down the game and a DCU point was the only score in the corresponding ten minutes from the goal. The Limerick men continued to keep the scoreboard ticking, as well as DCU, who seemed to have accepted fate leading up to the final whistle.

Both teams added two more points in the final ten minutes to make the score 1-19 to 0-13 in UL’s favour as they ended 2022 with another piece of silverware.

Scorers for UL: Keith Smyth (1-6, 4 frees), Conor Hanley Clarke (0-5, 5 frees), Sean O’Neill (0-3), Sean Rynne, Rory O’Connell, Colm Cleary, Liam Dennehy, Oisin Walsh (all 0-1).

Watch the game in full below:

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