fitzgibbon cup Archives - SportsNewsIreland

Cathal O’Neill Graduates from UL After All-Ireland Heroics

JoeNa Connacht — Wed, 26 Aug 2026 11:35:17 +0000

Cathal O’Neill graduates from UL weeks after All-Ireland heroics with Limerick

Limerick hurling star Cathal O’Neill has celebrated another major milestone, graduating from the University of Limerick just weeks after being named Man of the Match in the All-Ireland final.

Cathal O’Neill: From All-Ireland glory to graduation

Age: 24
Club: Crecora-Manister
County: Limerick
Degree: BSc in Physical Education with Irish
2026 All-Ireland Final: 1-4 and Man of the Match
Next step: Teaching PE and Irish at Coláiste Chiaráin, Croom

The Limerick star graduated with a BSc in Physical Education with Irish, joining more than 3,000 students at UL’s autumn conferring ceremonies. His graduation comes just weeks after one of the biggest performances of his hurling career. O’Neill scored 1-4 in the All-Ireland final and was named Man of the Match, with his memorable second-half goal among the defining moments of Limerick’s victory.

“I remember getting free and in fairness to Aaron Gillane, he played an unbelievable pass inside and I just decided to go for it. It’s a lovely moment to look back on for sure.”

For O’Neill, returning to the top of the hurling world carried extra significance following the disappointment of the previous two seasons.

“I think it was particularly special given the two years previous we had. 2024 and 2025 hurt us a lot and just to get to the top again means a great deal.”

Balancing Limerick hurling and university life

A recipient of a UL Sports Scholarship, O’Neill believes the university environment played an important role in allowing him to combine elite inter-county hurling with his studies.

“I think in UL it’s actually easier than most colleges to balance your studies and sport because you are looking around at hundreds of other athletes doing the very same thing. “The facilities for training are top notch and also you’ve the library there to put in hours needed for studying.”

From Crecora-Manister to Limerick

A native of Crecora, O’Neill’s GAA journey began with Crecora-Manister and at Scoil Naomh Iósaf in Adare. Former Limerick hurler Stephen Lavin was among the teachers who helped develop his passion for hurling, Gaeilge and teaching.

“Scoil Naomh Iósaf had a profound impact on me with regards to hurling. The school is steeped in GAA tradition and the teachers there had a massive enthusiasm for sport.”

His development continued at Ardscoil Rís, where O’Neill emerged as one of the country’s outstanding young hurlers. As a third-year student, he scored 2-19 across three games as Ardscoil Rís won the 2018 Dr Harty Cup. He was subsequently named on the 2018 Minor Hurling Team of the Year before captaining Limerick to the Munster minor title in 2019. In 2021, O’Neill made his Limerick senior debut while he was still a secondary school student.

Fitzgibbon Cup success with UL

University of Limerick was a natural destination for O’Neill, who had spent years attending Limerick underage training and Fitzgibbon Cup matches at the campus.

“I chose UL because I had grown up going to training for Limerick underage out there. My father also used to take me to Fitzgibbon Cup games so, I suppose, I was never going to go anywhere else.”

He went on to become a major figure in UL hurling. O’Neill won his first Fitzgibbon Cup medal in 2023 before adding another in 2025. He returned to the competition in 2026 and produced an outstanding display against Mary Immaculate College in the final as UL secured a record 10th Fitzgibbon Cup title.

26.08.2026. REPRO FREE
Limerick senior hurling star and All-Ireland Man of the Match, Cathal O’Neill, continued his sporting success as he graduated with a BSc in Physical Education with Irish from University of Limerick pictured here with Professor Shane Kilcommins, President UL.
He joined more that 3,000 students graduating this week as part of the University’s autumn conferring ceremonies. Picture by Alan Place

O’Neill begins teaching career

Graduation also marks the beginning of the next chapter of O’Neill’s life away from the hurling field. The 24-year-old is beginning a teaching position at Coláiste Chiaráin in Croom, teaching the two subjects he studied at UL – PE and Irish.

“I’m starting a teaching job in Coláiste Chiaráin the day after my graduation. I’m teaching PE and Irish with full 22 hours so I’m delighted with that. “I did my last placement there and I loved it so I’m very excited to go back now as an actual teacher.”

Club championship now the focus

After an extraordinary summer with Limerick and another milestone off the field, O’Neill’s attention has already turned back to hurling. His immediate focus is now on the club championship with Crecora-Manister.

“As an athlete I think you are always trying to just look forward to the next thing and the club has my full attention at the moment. “I’m aware how fortunate I am to be part of this Limerick hurling team at this time and have some incredible memories of the last six years.”

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Fitzgibbon Cup Semi-Final Line-Up Confirmed as UL and University of Galway Advance

JoeNa Connacht — Thu, 29 Jan 2026 11:02:41 +0000

Fitzgibbon Cup Semi-Final Line-Up Confirmed as UL and University of Galway Advance

UL booked their place in the Fitzgibbon Cup semi-finals with an impressive 0-20 to 0-12 victory over UCC at the UL Grounds on Wednesday night, underlining their status as favourites for this year’s competition.

Tipperary star Darragh McCarthy led the scoring for the hosts with an outstanding 0-9, while Adam English, Diarmuid Stritch and Adam Screeney each contributed 0-2 as UL pulled clear in the second half to seal an eight-point win.

University of Galway Set Up Semi-Final Clash With UL

In Dangan, University of Galway secured their place in the last four with a 1-21 to 1-14 win over SETU Waterford.

The Galway students trailed 1-5 to 0-6 at half-time, with Tom O’Connell’s goal giving the visitors the early edge. However, a dominant second-half performance turned the contest decisively in Galway’s favour.

Sam O’Farrell was the standout performer, finishing with 0-11, while a late goal from Darragh Neary sealed a seven-point victory and confirmed a Fitzgibbon Cup semi-final meeting with UL next week.

DCU and Mary Immaculate Complete Semi-Final Pairings

The second Fitzgibbon Cup semi-final will see DCU take on Mary Immaculate College, after both sides progressed from their quarter-finals on Wednesday.

DCU recorded a 4-13 to 2-15 away win against MTU Cork, with goals proving decisive. Sam Byrne struck 2 goals (including a penalty), while Denis Walsh (1-5) and Luke Murphy also found the net as the Dublin side advanced.

Mary Immaculate Too Strong for UCD

In Limerick, Mary Immaculate College produced one of the performances of the round, cruising to a 3-22 to 0-13 victory over UCD.

Oisín O’Farrell starred with 2-3, while Shane O’Brien (0-8) and Shane Walsh (1-5) were also among the scorers as Mary I powered into the semi-finals in emphatic fashion.

Fitzgibbon Cup Semi-Finals

UL vs University of Galway
DCU vs Mary Immaculate College

With the competition now down to its final four, the Fitzgibbon Cup title race is set for an exciting climax over the coming week.

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Fitzgibbon Cup Hurling 2022 – Fixtures, Results & Live Scores

JoeNa Connacht — Tue, 08 Feb 2022 20:00:54 +0000

Fitzgibbon Cup Hurling 2022- Fixtures, Results & Live Scores, we have some great matches and outright betting on the winner.

CLICK HERE FOR FITZGIBBON CUP HURLING LIVE SCORES

Tuesday 8th February
Fitzgibbon Quarter-Finals
IT Carlow 1-17 0-14 UCC Result
UL 2-22 1-19 MTU Cork Result

Wednesday 9th February
Fitzgibbon Quarter-Finals
GMIT 1-19 1-12 MTU Midwest Result
NUI Galway 1-22 2-13 Waterford IT Result

Wednesday 2 February 2022

Fitzgibbon Cup Round 3
N.U.I. Galway 0-23 0-14 University College Cork Result

Fitzgibbon Cup Round 3 –
Mary I 6-15 6-15 UCD Result DRAW

Fitzgibbon Cup Round 3
DCU 2-13 3-10 IT Carlow Result

Fitzgibbon Cup Round 3
Waterford IT 5-17 0-20 Maynooth Result

Thursday 3 February 2022

Thursday 3 February 2022

Fitzgibbon Round 3 – TU Dublin Grangegorman
TU Dublin 1-13 5-25 University of Limerick Result

Fitzgibbon Round 3 – MTU Cork Campus
MTU Cork 1-17 1-19 G.M.I.T. 7:30pm Result

Electric Ireland HE GAA Fitzgibbon Cup Finals

Wednesday 9 February 2022

Quarter-Final A

Winner A

19:00

Runner Up B

Quarter-Final B

Winner B

19:00

Runner Up A

Thursday 10 February 2022

Quarter-Final C

Winner C

19:00

Runner Up D

Quarter-Final D

Winner D

19:00

Runner Up C

Thursday 17 February 2022

Semi-Final

Quarter-Final A Winner

TBC

Quarter-Final C Winner

Semi-Final

Quarter-Final B Winner

TBC

Quarter-Final D Winner

Saturday 19 February 2022

Final

Semi-Final Winner

TBC

Semi-Final Winner

Wednesday 26th January

Fitzgibbon Hurling
It Carlow 2-22 2-19 NUI Maynooth Result
UCC 3-22 1-14 UCD Result
NUI Galway 1-20 2-09 Mary I Result
DCU 0-18 2-20 WIT Result

Thursday 26th January
Fitzgibbon Cup
TUS Midwest v TU Dublin, 2pm
Trinty v MTU Cork, 7pm

Fitzgibbon Cup Hurling

Mary I 0-19 1-21 UCC Result
NUI Maynooth 0-11 0-21 DCU Result
WIT 2-16 1-21 IT Carlow Result
UCD 1-18 1-21 NUI Galway Result

Thursday 20th January
GMIT v Trinity, 2pm
UL v TUS Midlands, 7pm

Outright betting
UCC 7/4
IT CArlow 5/1
NUIG 5/1
UL 5/1
DCU 7/1
Mary I 14/1

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