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JB Spillane of UCC with David Givney of DIT. ©INPHO/Donall Farmer
Sigerson Cup

Sigerson Cup: Dublin IT claim historic first title

Ciaran Reddin, Jason Doherty and David Givney raised green flags for the winners against UCC this afternoon.

Dublin IT 3-8
UCC 0-7

DUBLIN IT CLAIMED their first ever Sigerson Cup title this afternoon with a dominant display helping them achieve victory over UCC at the Athlone IT grounds.

DIT were contesting only their second ever final, they had lost the decider in 2009, but entered the match buoyed by a semi-final win yesterday over competition favorites DCU.

Goals from Dublin’s Ciaran Reddin and Mayo’s Jason Doherty helped push DIT into a half-time lead and the third goal in the closing stages from impressive Cavan midfielder David Givney sealed their triumph.

DIT got off to a bright start with Givney raising a white flag after a move from the throw-in and Reddin added to that tally with a point soon after as DIT moved two points clear.

But UCC settled and soon warmed to the task with Tomas Clancy fisting over a point and Kinsale clubman Brian Coughlan popping over a neat score in the 11th minute to tie the teams at 0-2 apiece.

Then DIT pounced for the opening goal of the game. Kerry’s Darran O’Sullivan made an incisive break through the UCC rearguard and offloaded to Reddin. Last year’s Dublin All-Ireland U21 winner fired a low, assured shot across goalkeeper Sean Mellet and the ball nestled in the bottom corner of the net.

The teams swapped points then, Gary O’Hare for DIT and Conor Sweeney for UCC, before DIT struck a crucial second goal approaching half-time. Kildare’s Tomas O’Connor palmed a high ball down into the path of Doherty who planted the ball in the back of the net and followed it up by converting a free soon after.

UCC finished the half with a Conor Cox point but DIT were in control at the midway mark as they lead by 2-4 to 0-4.

UCC attempted to fight back in the second-half with Tipperary senior Conor Sweeney kicking some fine points and they cut the gap to 2-5 to 0-6 at one juncture. However DIT never allowed their opponents to get closer on the scoreboard with man-of-the-match Bryan Menton shoring up a defence that also featured captain Colin Walshe from Monaghan.

Their triumph was sealed when Givney latched onto a breaking ball with minutes remaining and fired the ball past UCC’s Sean Mellet for their third goal and UCC’s woes were compounded when substitute Darragh O’Sullivan was sent-off late on.

Scorers for Dublin IT: Jason Doherty (0-1f), David Givney 1-2 each, Ciaran Reddin 1-1, Gary O’Hare, Tomas O’Connor, Paul Maguire 0-1 each.
Scorers for UCC: Conor Sweeney 0-3 (0-2f), Luke Connolly (0-1 ’45), Tomas Clancy, Brian Coughlan, Conor Cox (0-1f) 0-1 each

DUBLIN IT: Robert Lambert (Aughrim, Wicklow); Kevin O’Brien (Naomh Mearnóg, Dublin), Bryan Menton (Donaghmore-Ashbourne, Meath), Gary O’Hare (Na Piarsaigh, Louth); Ross Sheridan (Killygarry, Cavan), Nick Devereaux (Ballinteer St John’s, Dublin), Colin Walshe (Doohamlet, Monaghan); Aidan O’Shea (Breaffy, Mayo), David Givney (Mountnugent, Cavan); Martin Reilly (Killygarry, Cavan), Mark Collins (Castlehaven, Cork), Darran O’Sullivan (Glenbeigh-Glencar, Kerry); Ciarán Reddin (St Maur’s, Dublin) Tomás O’Connor (Clane, Kildare), Jason Doherty (Burrishoole, Mayo).

Subs: Bernard Allen (Tubber, Offaly) for Reddin, Alan Nestor (Blackhall Gaels, Meath) for Sheridan, Paul Maguire (St Jude’s, Dublin) for Reilly, Shane O’Connor (St Sylvester’s, Dublin) for O’Sullivan, John McGrath (Baltinglass, Wicklow) for Tomas O’Connor.

UCC: Sean Mellet (Carrigaline, Cork); Philip Galvin (Ballymacelligot, Kerry), Eoin O’Mahony (Macroom, Cork), Peter Crowley (Laune Rangers, Kerry); Jamie O’Sullivan (Bishopstown, Cork), Niall Daly (Padraig Pearses, Roscommon), Tomas Clancy (Fermoy, Cork); Peter Acheson (Moyle Rovers, Tipperary), JB Spillane (Castlegregory, Kerry); Kevin O’Driscoll (Tadgh MacCarthaigh, Cork), Brian Coughlan (Kinsale, Cork), Luke Connolly (Nemo Rangers, Cork); Gavin O’Grady (Glenbeigh-Glencar, Kerry), Conor Cox (Listowel Emmett’s, Kerry), Conor Sweeney (Ballyporeen, Tipperary).

Subs: Darragh O’Sullivan (Dingle, Kerry) for Coughlan, Paul Murphy (Rathmore, Kerry) for Clancy, Eoghan Buckley (St Michael’s, Cork) for O’Grady.

Referee: Maurice Deegan (Laois)

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