CIT 1-17
UCC 0-19

A 60th minute John O'Dwyer pointed free, ensured CIT braved a determined UCC comeback, to end the back-to-back Fitzgibbon Cup champions three-in-a-row hopes, following a hard-earned one-point win over their Lee-side rivals at Queens University Belfast this evening.

Leading by 1-12 to 0-7 at the break, CIT only managed one point over the next 22 minutes, as UCC took the lead, but Pat Mulcahy's charges registered three of the final six points to book a date with fellow Institute of Technology WIT, and a place in their second final in three years.

Unbeaten since 2011 in the competition, UCC started strongly and held a 0-4 to 0-2 lead after six minutes.

CIT dug deep to level the tie, with points from David Drake and O'Dwyer ensuring parity on nine minutes.

UCC again took a two-point lead by the 12th minute, but CIT's hunger couldn't be supressed.

John Cronin and Conor Lehane swapped points to ensure UCC led by 0-7 to 0-5, but the second quarter belonged to CIT.

The Bishopstown college held UCC scoreless before the break, with O'Dwyer leading the charge.

The Tipperary native fired six unanswered points, including scores from frees and 65's to ensure an 0-11 to 0-7 lead, before a Drake point opened up a five-point advantage, three minutes before the break.

CIT's advances couldn't be stopped, and they managed the only goal of the contest in the final minute of the half, as a John Cronin goal handed them a 1-12 to 0-7 interval lead.

O'Dwyer opened the second half scoring, with another point, but a 33rd minute pointed free from Lehane kick-started a UCC comeback.

Lehane was immense from deadballs, with fellow Cork Senior, Seamus Harnedy also getting in on the scoring act.

Lehane fired over three frees, while Harnedy pointed from play as UCC cut the gap to five points, eight minutes into the half.

Waterford's Jamie Barron added to the UCC tally, before a brace of pointed Lehane frees cut the gap to two, with 13 minutes left on the clock.

UCC continued to work hard, with defender Pat Sullivan landing a 48th minute score, before Lehane equalised, with his sixth point of the half.

Substitute Colm Spillane edged the three-in-a-row chasers 0-17 to 1-13 ahead in the 52nd minute, but CIT responded.

Substitute Kevin O'Connor was just two minutes on the pitch when he ended CIT's 17-minute barron spell without a score.

Lehane edged UCC ahead once more, but scores from O'Dwyer and Kevin Hallissey edged CIT 1-16 to 0-18 in front.

Douglas's Alan Cadogan levelled the tie with over a minute remaining, but CIT dug deep for O'Dwyer to snatch a late winner.

CIT: S Nyhan; S Murphy, A Dennehy, T Lawrence; E Keane, M Ellis, P Butler; M O'Sullivan, J Coughlan; J O'Dwyer (0-11, 7f, 1 65), J Cronin (1-2), C Hammersley; B Cooper, D Dooley, D Drake (0-2). Subs: K O'Connor (0-1) for Dooley (46); W Murphy for O'Sullivan (51); K Hallissey (0-1) for Coughlan (56).

UCC: D McCarthy; S Maher, D Glynn, P Sullivan (0-1); J Barry, P Prendergast (0-1), C Murphy; B Murray, A Cadogan (0-2); S Harnedy (0-2), D McCormack, R O'Shea; W Griffin, C Lehane (0-11, 9f), J Barron (0-1). Subs: C Spillane (0-1) for Maher (37); S O'Donnell for Lehane (46); B Lawton for Griffin (46); B Lawton for McCormack (53).

REFEREE: Alan Kelly (Galway)

Video by Jerome Quinn Media for the HE GAA . Tweet

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