IT WAS hurling heroes past and present as former winning captains Dan Treacy (Clare), Darragh O’Neill (Ahane, Limerick), and Kieran Joyce (Kilkenny) joined current leader Colin Coughlan (Ballybrown, Limerick) for a special reception at Plassey House in recognition of the proud tradition of the University of Limerick (UL) in the Fitzgibbon Cup Colleges’ Hurling Championship.
UL won the competition for the third time in four seasons recently, which chalked up a ninth capture of the famed trophy for the side overall.
The ceremony for the holders and past players with the college was hosted at Plassey House on the university’s Castletroy campus by acting UL president Professor Shane Kilcommins.
“The Fitzgibbon Cup is the pinnacle of hurling championships in higher education, where students push themselves to be the best they can be, on and off the pitch,” he said.
“As a university, we take great pride in fostering an environment where sporting talent is nurtured alongside academic ambition. The success of this Fitzgibbon Cup team reflects that balance and the strong support network in place for our students.”
Fitzgibbon-winning Captain and Limerick star Coughlan added: “The Fitzgibbon Cup is a special competition because you only have a limited number of years to play in it, and even the time we spend together is so short. It creates a special bond – it’s the craic, and it ties in with college life, playing alongside people from other counties.”
“I saw somewhere on the programme for the Fitzgibbon Cup final that it said: ‘Four months friends, eight months enemies.’ It’s great, and it’s something different.”
