HURLING'S hottest young property Joe Canning of Galway scored 1-8, 1-4 from play, as Limerick IT won their second Fitzgibbon Cup hurling title with a clear eight-point win over NUI Galway at Dr Cullen Park, Carlow yesterday. Canning replicated his semi-final scoring feat of Friday when he also scored 1-8 in LIT's victory over the University of Limerick.

There was no denying the merit of this Limerick IT victory as they regained a title they had won previously in 2005. They were stronger throughout the field than the opposition being able to call on players like Kilkenny's All Ireland winning captain of 2006 Jackie Tyrrell and Tipperary senior players Shane McGrath and Conor O'Mahony in the half-back line.

And when you have a man like Joe Canning wracking up the scores it presented a very formidable task for an NUI Galway side which tried hard but never really got into contention after conceding a sixth-minute goal to Aonghus Callanan the LIT right-corner forward.

There was late first-half drama when both sides were awarded penalties, neither of which were converted.

In the 31st minute Joe Canning's effort was brilliantly saved by NUI keeper David Woods. Two minutes later Tipperary's Dara Egan saw his penalty saved by LIT net minder James Skehill. That penalty was awarded when Skehill crash-tackled Galway's corner-forward David Kenny as he was through.

LIT led 1-5 to 0-5 at half time and really wrapped up this title two minutes after the break when Joe Canning had a simple task of shooting to the net after all the spade work had been done by Aonghus Callanan. LIT maintained a safe margin for the remainder of the game and were clear-cut winners.

While the new champions did have a number of outstanding players, it was John Lee of NUI Galway who claimed Man of the Match status. The former Galway All Ireland minor winner had a magnificent game at the heart of the Galway defence.

LIMERICK IT J Skehill: M Walsh, J Tyrrell, A Byrne; S McGrath, C O'Mahony, M O'Brien; J Clancy, K Murphy; E Caddigan, A Murphy (02), I Tannian (0-1), A Callanan (1-1), J Canning (1-8, 0-4 frees), J McInerney (0-1) Sub B Gaffney (0-2) for Caddagan NUI GALWAY T Woods; R Whyte, M Ryan, L Geraghty; J Dunphy, J Lee, E Barrett; C Ryan (0-1, sideline cut), S Molumphy; P O'Brien (01), D Barrett (0-1), F Coone (0-1); D Kenny, D Egan (0-7, 0-3 frees, 0-1 65), S Glynn (0-1) Referee B Kelly (Westmeath)