DUBLIN STAR LORCAN O’Dell made a big impact as a second-half substitute with an important goal to help secure DCU’s Sigerson Cup semi-final place.
The 2020 champions were considerable favourites to take care of business on home soil but needed four second-half goals in the end to advance, joining holders Ulster University who won earlier today.
DCU could never quite shake off a determined TUS Midlands team and were grateful to O’Dell who came on in the third quarter for his first appearance of their four-game campaign.
The Templeogue Synge Street attacker’s first act was to win a free that was sent short to captain Ciaran Caulfield for a DCU goal.
Then O’Dell hit the net himself in the 46th minute, a blistering finish off his left foot to the top corner which put the five-times champions four points ahead at that stage.
Eoghan O’Connor Flanagan, one of three Skerries players in the DCU lineup, added a fourth goal late on and they needed all of those goals.
That’s because TUS Midlands, the 2023 Trench Cup champions who recorded wins over Maynooth and MTU Cork previously, had a star man in Matthew Whittaker who struck two second-half goals.
TUS Midlands had built on their 1-7 to 0-9 half-time with those 35th and 38th minute Whittaker goals to take a two-point lead at that stage.
But a superb DCU point from a Conor Dolan ’45 was followed by the hosts’ third goal, from O’Dell, as well as points from Prior and Luke Marren to put the Glasnevin side 3-14 to 3-9 clear.
TUS Midlands refused to throw in the towel and got it back to a two-point game late on but were caught with a counter attack that ended with O’Connor Flanagan lobbing to an empty net for DCU’s fourth goal.
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DCU's Tom Prior and Daniel Farrell of TUS Midlands. Laszlo Geczo / INPHO
Laszlo Geczo / INPHO / INPHO
TUS Midlands' Brandon Kelly celebrates scoring a goal. Laszlo Geczo / INPHO
Laszlo Geczo / INPHO / INPHO
Sigerson Cup holders Ulster University won their quarter-final tie earlier in the afternoon, beating Maynooth by 0-12 to 0-10 in Jordanstown.
It’s the second year running that Ulster University have knocked out Maynooth though they required stoppage time points from Lorcan McGarrity and Conor Cush to get them through this time.
Meath’s Eoghan Frayne hit five points for Maynooth who were on level terms at half-time at 0-7 apiece. Luke Crowley, son of Kerry great Johnny, as well as Kildare’s Paddy McDermott were on the mark for Maynooth too.
It remained neck and neck throughout the second-half with the sides entering stoppage time deadlocked at 0-10 apiece before Tyrone duo McGarrity and Cush intervened.
DCU scorers: Tom Prior 1-3, Luke Marren 0-5 (0-3f), Ciaran Caulfield 1-1, Lorcan O’Dell 1-0, Eoghan O’Connor Flanagan 1-0, Eoin Ward 0-2, Conor Dolan 0-2 (0-1 45), Ethan Dunne 0-1.
TUS Midlands scorers: Matthew Whittaker 2-1, Mark Gibbons 0-5 (0-5f), Brandon Kelly 1-2, Brian Cooney 0-2, Declan Kenny 0-2 (0-2f), Darragh Flynn 0-1.
DCU
1. Eoin McGuinness (Longford Slashers, Longford)
2. Eoghan O’Connor Flanagan (Skerries Harps, Dublin)
3. Alex Gavin (Ballyboden St Enda’s, Dublin)
4. Bryan Masterson (Abbeylara, Longford)
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DCU and Ulster University book Sigerson Cup semi-final spots
Results – Sigerson Cup
Quarter-finals
*****
DUBLIN STAR LORCAN O’Dell made a big impact as a second-half substitute with an important goal to help secure DCU’s Sigerson Cup semi-final place.
The 2020 champions were considerable favourites to take care of business on home soil but needed four second-half goals in the end to advance, joining holders Ulster University who won earlier today.
DCU could never quite shake off a determined TUS Midlands team and were grateful to O’Dell who came on in the third quarter for his first appearance of their four-game campaign.
The Templeogue Synge Street attacker’s first act was to win a free that was sent short to captain Ciaran Caulfield for a DCU goal.
Then O’Dell hit the net himself in the 46th minute, a blistering finish off his left foot to the top corner which put the five-times champions four points ahead at that stage.
Eoghan O’Connor Flanagan, one of three Skerries players in the DCU lineup, added a fourth goal late on and they needed all of those goals.
That’s because TUS Midlands, the 2023 Trench Cup champions who recorded wins over Maynooth and MTU Cork previously, had a star man in Matthew Whittaker who struck two second-half goals.
TUS Midlands had built on their 1-7 to 0-9 half-time with those 35th and 38th minute Whittaker goals to take a two-point lead at that stage.
But a superb DCU point from a Conor Dolan ’45 was followed by the hosts’ third goal, from O’Dell, as well as points from Prior and Luke Marren to put the Glasnevin side 3-14 to 3-9 clear.
TUS Midlands refused to throw in the towel and got it back to a two-point game late on but were caught with a counter attack that ended with O’Connor Flanagan lobbing to an empty net for DCU’s fourth goal.
Sigerson Cup holders Ulster University won their quarter-final tie earlier in the afternoon, beating Maynooth by 0-12 to 0-10 in Jordanstown.
It’s the second year running that Ulster University have knocked out Maynooth though they required stoppage time points from Lorcan McGarrity and Conor Cush to get them through this time.
Meath’s Eoghan Frayne hit five points for Maynooth who were on level terms at half-time at 0-7 apiece. Luke Crowley, son of Kerry great Johnny, as well as Kildare’s Paddy McDermott were on the mark for Maynooth too.
It remained neck and neck throughout the second-half with the sides entering stoppage time deadlocked at 0-10 apiece before Tyrone duo McGarrity and Cush intervened.
DCU scorers: Tom Prior 1-3, Luke Marren 0-5 (0-3f), Ciaran Caulfield 1-1, Lorcan O’Dell 1-0, Eoghan O’Connor Flanagan 1-0, Eoin Ward 0-2, Conor Dolan 0-2 (0-1 45), Ethan Dunne 0-1.
TUS Midlands scorers: Matthew Whittaker 2-1, Mark Gibbons 0-5 (0-5f), Brandon Kelly 1-2, Brian Cooney 0-2, Declan Kenny 0-2 (0-2f), Darragh Flynn 0-1.
DCU
1. Eoin McGuinness (Longford Slashers, Longford)
2. Eoghan O’Connor Flanagan (Skerries Harps, Dublin)
3. Alex Gavin (Ballyboden St Enda’s, Dublin)
4. Bryan Masterson (Abbeylara, Longford)
5. Darragh Joyce (Clarorris, Mayo)
6. Ronan Gallagher (Downings, Donegal)
7. Ciaran Caulfield (Trim, Meath)
8. Greg McEneaney (Skerries Harps, Dublin)
9. Ethan Dunne (Skerries Harps, Dublin)
10. Conor Heffernan (Killeshin, Laois)
11. Ryan Donoghue (Gowna, Cavan)
12. Conor Dolan (Man O’War, Dublin)
13. Luke Marren (Bunninadden, Sligo)
14. Niall Dolan (Raheens, Kildare)
15. Tom Prior (Ballinamore, Leitrim).
Subs
19. Eoin Ward (Fuerty, Roscommon) for Joyce (17)
21. Finbarr McLoughlin (Westport, Mayo) for Niall Dolan (h/t)
27. Lorcan O’Dell (Templeogue Synge Street, Dublin) for Donoghue (37)
28. Luke Glennon (Boyle, Roscommon) for McLoughlin (44-f/t, blood)
20. Evan Crowe (Ballyhaise, Cavan) for Conor Dolan (52)
17. Darragh Swords (Caragh, Kildare) for Marren (54)
TUS Midlands
1. Eoin Moran (Maryland, Westmeath)
20. Josh Gahan (Coralstown Kinnegad, Westmeath)
3. Daniel Farrell (Padraig Pearses, Roscommon)
4. Jack Dowd (Annaghdown, Galway)
7. Matthew Whittaker (Tubberclair, Westmeath)
2. Darragh McVann (Summerhill, Meath)
6. Declan Kenny (Padraig Pearses, Roscommon)
8. Sean Kelly (Mountbellew Moylough, Galway)
9. Simon Finn (Ballinabrackey, Meath)
10. Oisin Flynn (Castleconner, Sligo)
11. Shane Fleming (Coralstown Kinnegad, Westmeath)
12. Brian Cooney (Coralstown Kinnegad, Westmeath)
14. Mark Gibbons (Garrymore, Mayo)
15. Darragh Flynn (Ferbane, Offaly)
13. Brandon Kelly (Milltownpass, Westmeath)
Subs
18. Cillian Plunkett (St Loman’s, Westmeath) for Darragh Flynn (52)
19. Cillian Hunt (Parnells, Dublin) for Fleming (56)
27. Darragh Finlass (Ballymahon, Longford) for Finn (57)
Referee: Andrew Smith (Meath).
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DCU GAA Gaelic Football Last Four Sigerson Cup ulster university