Burke fires DCU into first Fitzgibbon Cup final

Tue, 13th February 2018

DCU DOCHAS EIREANN 2-20 DIT 1-12

Dublin senior Donal Burke was the hero for DCU Dochas Eireann as they qualified for their first Fitzgibbon Cup final with an impressive 11-point victory over DIT in Tuesday night's semi-final at Parnell Park.

The Na Fianna clubman finished with a personal tally of 1-10, with included seven frees and two successful '65s'. Fellow Dublin senior Fergal Whitely, who came off the bench, also contributed well for the winners with two points from play.

DCU will face UL in the final in Mallow on Saturday week as hurling in the University continues to go from strength to strength.

The eventual winners got off to a great start with Burke's clinically taken goal after just two minutes and that was the advantage they held at the break when leading 1-7 to 0-7.

Westmeath's Niall O’Brien responded with two points, including a free, to spark DIT.

But DCU responded as Waterford's Patrick Curran fired over and with John Donnelly also on target DCU led 1-2 to 0-2 after eight minutes.

O’Brien cut the gap to the minimum with a couple of frees, before Burke’s first free left DCU in front 1-3 to 0-4 inside 15 minutes.

DIT goalkeeper, Cuala's Seán Brennan, denied John Donnelly and also showed his reflexes to repel a Burke effort late in the half.

DCU restarted the second half well to extend their lead with three quick points as Donnelly, Kilmacud Crokes' Fergal Whitely and Burke kept the scoreboard ticking.

Two further Burke frees and one from Donnelly from play moved it out to 1-13 to 0-7 after 38 minutes.

DCU's second goal, this time from Peter Hogan pushed DCU well clear and they led 2-15 to 0-8 with points from Paul Kelly and Fergal Whitely with 15 minutes remaining.

SCORERS - DCU: D Burke 1-10 (0-7f, 0-2 65), P Hogan 1-0, J Donnelly 0-3, J O’Connor, P Curran, F Whitely 0-2 each, P Kelly 0-1. DIT: N O’Brien 1-9 (0-7f), D McNicholas 0-3 (0-1f).

DCU DOCHAS EIREANN: Oisín Foley (Wexford); Paul O’Dea (Dublin), Eoghan O’Donnell (Dublin), Conor McSweeney (Limerick); Aaron Maddock (Wexford), Conor Delaney (Kilkenny), Paudie Foley (Wexford); Darren Mullen (Kilkenny), Joe O’Connor (Wexford); Conor Burke (Dublin), Killian Doyle (Westmeath), Donal Burke (Dublin); John Donnelly (Kilkenny), Rian McBride (Dublin), Patrick Curran (Waterford). Subs: Fergal Whitely (Dublin) for O’Dea (16), Peter Hogan (Waterford) for C Burke (30), Daire Gray (Dublin) for Doyle (40), Paul Kelly (Dublin) for McBride (43).

DIT: Seán Brennan (Dublin); Warren Kavanagh (Wicklow), Thomas Doyle (Westmeath), Phillip Cass (Kilkenny); Liam Blanchfield (Kilkenny), Derek McNicholas (Westmeath), Luke Kelly (Dublin); Justin Cahill (Tipperary), Eoghan Dunne (Wexford); Fiontan McGibb (Dublin), Patrick ‘Bonner’ Maher (Tipperary), Niall Mitchell (Westmeath); Niall O’Brien (Westmeath), Robbie Greville (Westmeath), Conor Ryan (Dublin). Subs: Niall Walsh (Kilkenny) for Greville (36), Joe Kelly (Kilkenny) for Cass (46), Cian O’Donoghue (Kilkenny) for Ryan (53), Jonathan McGurk for Cahill (57).

REF: Alan Kelly (Galway).