UL 3-12
WIT 0-21
(after extra-time)

A draw was a fair result as holders WIT and UL produced a fantastic advertisement for third level gaelic games at a wet and windy Gaelic Grounds this evening.

The pendulum swung to and fro throughout a drama filled 80 minutes and, in the end, Tom Fox applied the finishing touch to a spirited WIT revival to send the final to a replay.

The shoe was on the other foot at the end of normal time when Tony Kelly came to UL's rescue to force extra-time.

Tommy Heffernan netted UL's first goal two minutes into the second-half to parachute Brian Lohan's men into a 1-6 to 0-5 lead but three points without reply from Tom Fox, Jake Dillon and Pauric Mahony brought WIT back to within touching distance entering the final quarter.

The Colm Bonnar coached WIT had one hand on the silverware when Johnny Hayes put them ahead on the stroke of full-time but Kelly (free) had other ideas and the regulation 60 minutes finished UL 1-11, WIT 0-14.

Mahony drew first blood for the team in blue and red in extra-time before Jake Dillon doubled their lead with a fantastic effort from play but the tide turned once again in UL's favour when midfielder Jason Forde bagged their second goal.

UL turned around with a slender 2-11 to 0-16 lead and they looked to have broken WIT's brave resistance when David McInerney set up Stephen Bennett who fired home his side's third goal.

To their credit, WIT refused to accept defeat and they were rewarded with Fox's late, late leveller and no one could argue with the outcome.

UL - P Maher; G Ryan, B Troy, E Moriarty; D Quinn, D McInerney, B Stapleton; J Forde (1-1, 0-1f), T Kelly (0-2, 1f); D Morrissey, J McGrath (0-5, 3f), T Heffernan (1-1); C McInerney (0-1), C Martin, K O'Brien (0-1). Subs: S Bennett (1-0) for J McGrath, PJ Scully (0-1) for C McInerney, M Carmody for K O'Brien, A McGuane for C Martin.

WIT - D Stapleton; J Maher, O McGrath, G Teehan; T Hamill (0-1), M O'Neill (0-2), T Fox (0-2); J Langton, S Roche; G O'Brien, P Mahony (0-8, 5f, 1'65), H Kehoe (0-1); L McGrath, A Gleeson (0-2, 1sl), J Dillon (0-2). Subs: J Hayes (0-3) for L McGrath, C O'Brien for A Gleeson.

Referee - B Gavin.

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