TOM CUNNINGHAM AND Cormac Dillon rode to UCC’s rescue with stoppage-time points to tonight ropel the 2023 champions through to the last four of the Sigerson Cup.
For holders DCU, it’s the end of the road but they went down fighting at least in a cracking quarter-final tie at their Glasnevin grounds.
Goals from Ciaran Santry, Kerry senior Ruairi Murphy and a stunner from defender Jacob O’Driscoll helped propel Paul O’Keeffe’s UCC through to a semi-final next week.
'Not bad for a full-back!'@ucc_gaa No 3 Jacob O'Driscoll fired a superb second-half goal in their thrilling @ElectricIreland Quarter-final win at the home of champions DCU.
They are now just an hour from a novel Croke Park final under lights on 11 February and will reflect on how well they hung in the game in the first-half despite playing into the stiff wind.
DCU, who came through the back door after losing to UL on the same pitch in Round 2A, had the wind in the first half and used it to run up a 1-12 to 1-8 lead.
They struck no less than five two-pointers in that first 30 minutes, Finbar McLoughlin grabbing the first of those in the seventh minute before going one better with a goal shortly after.
That left DCU 1-2 to no score up and they didn’t actually do a whole pile wrong after that with Dublin duo Greg McEneaney and Lorcan O’Dell, as well as Westmeath’s Senan Baker, striking four more two-pointers between them before half time.
The thing was, UCC were clinical and ultra efficient at the other end, playing into the wind but taking an impressive 1-8 from an attempts tally that just about got into double figures.
Santry’s 24th minute goal, replicating his green flag against Queens in Round 2A, was a huge score, tying the game up at 1-7 apiece at that stage.
DCU were still four points ahead at the interval but it felt like it needed to be more and UCC duly capitalised with the wind after the restart.
Murphy flicked in the visitors’ second goal in the 38th minute after a Conor Daly point attempt from a free outside the arc dropped short.
UCC's Conor Daly and DCU's Bryan Masterson. Nick Elliott / INPHO
Nick Elliott / INPHO / INPHO
Daly was a key performer as UCC pushed on for a repeat of their 2024 Division 1 league final win on the same pitch.
The Clonakilty man finished with five points but set up several more and played a key role in the Santry goal.
O’Driscoll’s 47th minute goal was the pick of the bunch from UCC, the number three powering through the centre and hammering to the net after a DCU plea for a free at the other end fell on deaf ears.
DCU’s cause wasn’t helped by the loss of Kildare attacker Ryan Sinkey with an apparent leg muscle injury late in the first half, a concern equally for Brian Flanagan and the Lilywhites.
DCU did get a punch from Westmeath senior Sam McCartan’s introduction though and the Tailteann Cup winner registered a point along with another from McLoughlin.
That levelled the game and DCU surely would have sneaked it if either of their two late goal chances from Lorcan O’Dell and Senan Baker had hit the net. Baker in particular couldn’t believe how UCC goalkeeper Austin Murphy managed to block his 59th minute attempt when the scores were tied.
And UCC took full advantage at the other end of the pitch, Cunningham and Dillon finishing off neat moves with stoppage time points that fired them through to within touching distance of a 25th title.
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*****
TU Dublin reply with a quick 1-2 to get them back in the game against Queens. Here's the 2 pointer from Jordan Morris. and the score is now 3-17 to 2-14.
Sigerson Cup semi-final spots were also booked tonight by Queen’s University Belfast, University of Galway, and University of Limerick.
Queen’s defeated TU Dublin by 3-18 to 2-16, while University of Galway had the minimum to spare over UCD, 0-15 to 0-14, and University of Limerick held off Maynooth University to triumph 3-12 to 1-16.
*****
UCC scorers: Conor Daly 0-5 (0-4f), Ruairi Murphy 1-1, James Horgan 0-4 (2 2pt play), Ciaran Santry 1-0, Jacob O’Driscoll 1-0, Michael McSweeney 0-2 (1 2pt play), Cormac Dillon 0-2, Olan Corcoran 0-1, Tom Cunningham 0-1
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UCC finish strong to knock out Sigerson Cup title holders DCU
UCC 3-16
DCU 1-20
Paul Keane reports from DCU Sportsground
TOM CUNNINGHAM AND Cormac Dillon rode to UCC’s rescue with stoppage-time points to tonight ropel the 2023 champions through to the last four of the Sigerson Cup.
For holders DCU, it’s the end of the road but they went down fighting at least in a cracking quarter-final tie at their Glasnevin grounds.
Goals from Ciaran Santry, Kerry senior Ruairi Murphy and a stunner from defender Jacob O’Driscoll helped propel Paul O’Keeffe’s UCC through to a semi-final next week.
They are now just an hour from a novel Croke Park final under lights on 11 February and will reflect on how well they hung in the game in the first-half despite playing into the stiff wind.
DCU, who came through the back door after losing to UL on the same pitch in Round 2A, had the wind in the first half and used it to run up a 1-12 to 1-8 lead.
They struck no less than five two-pointers in that first 30 minutes, Finbar McLoughlin grabbing the first of those in the seventh minute before going one better with a goal shortly after.
That left DCU 1-2 to no score up and they didn’t actually do a whole pile wrong after that with Dublin duo Greg McEneaney and Lorcan O’Dell, as well as Westmeath’s Senan Baker, striking four more two-pointers between them before half time.
The thing was, UCC were clinical and ultra efficient at the other end, playing into the wind but taking an impressive 1-8 from an attempts tally that just about got into double figures.
Santry’s 24th minute goal, replicating his green flag against Queens in Round 2A, was a huge score, tying the game up at 1-7 apiece at that stage.
DCU were still four points ahead at the interval but it felt like it needed to be more and UCC duly capitalised with the wind after the restart.
Murphy flicked in the visitors’ second goal in the 38th minute after a Conor Daly point attempt from a free outside the arc dropped short.
Daly was a key performer as UCC pushed on for a repeat of their 2024 Division 1 league final win on the same pitch.
The Clonakilty man finished with five points but set up several more and played a key role in the Santry goal.
O’Driscoll’s 47th minute goal was the pick of the bunch from UCC, the number three powering through the centre and hammering to the net after a DCU plea for a free at the other end fell on deaf ears.
DCU’s cause wasn’t helped by the loss of Kildare attacker Ryan Sinkey with an apparent leg muscle injury late in the first half, a concern equally for Brian Flanagan and the Lilywhites.
DCU did get a punch from Westmeath senior Sam McCartan’s introduction though and the Tailteann Cup winner registered a point along with another from McLoughlin.
That levelled the game and DCU surely would have sneaked it if either of their two late goal chances from Lorcan O’Dell and Senan Baker had hit the net. Baker in particular couldn’t believe how UCC goalkeeper Austin Murphy managed to block his 59th minute attempt when the scores were tied.
And UCC took full advantage at the other end of the pitch, Cunningham and Dillon finishing off neat moves with stoppage time points that fired them through to within touching distance of a 25th title.
*****
Sigerson Cup semi-final spots were also booked tonight by Queen’s University Belfast, University of Galway, and University of Limerick.
Queen’s defeated TU Dublin by 3-18 to 2-16, while University of Galway had the minimum to spare over UCD, 0-15 to 0-14, and University of Limerick held off Maynooth University to triumph 3-12 to 1-16.
*****
UCC scorers: Conor Daly 0-5 (0-4f), Ruairi Murphy 1-1, James Horgan 0-4 (2 2pt play), Ciaran Santry 1-0, Jacob O’Driscoll 1-0, Michael McSweeney 0-2 (1 2pt play), Cormac Dillon 0-2, Olan Corcoran 0-1, Tom Cunningham 0-1
DCU scorers: Finbar McLoughlin 1-5 (1 2pt play), Lorcan O’Dell 0-4 (1 2pt play), Senan Baker 0-4 (1 2pt play, 1 2pt free), Greg McEneaney 0-2 (1 2pt play), Conor Dolan 0-2, Michael Tansley 0-2 (1 2pt free), Sam McCartan 0-1.
UCC
1. Austin Murphy (Reenard, Kerry)
2. Dan Peet (Clonakilty, Cork)
3. Jacob O’Driscoll (Valley Rovers, Cork)
29. Darragh O’Connor (Kenmare, Kerry)
34. Liam Evans (Keel, Kerry)
31. Colin Molloy (Nemo Rangers, Cork)
7. Chris Kenneally (Clonakilty, Cork)
8. Michael McSweeney (Knocknagree, Cork)
9. Tom Cunningham (Kilshannig, Cork)
27. Olan Corcoran (St Mary’s, Cork)
10. Ruairi Murphy (Listry, Kerry)
12. James Horgan (Firies, Kerry)
25. Cormac Dillon (Duagh, Kerry)
14. Conor Daly (Clonakilty, Cork)
15. Ciaran Santry (Carbery Rangers, Cork)
Subs
DCU
1. Michael Tansley (Austin Stacks, Kerry)
2. Eoghan O’Connor Flanagan (Skerries Harps, Dublin)
3. Liam Kelly (Ratoath, Meath)
4. Bryan Masterson (Abbeylara, Longford)
5. Eoin Ward (Fuerty, Roscommon)
6. Greg McEneaney (Skerries Harps, Dublin)
7. Cian Lynch (Glenflesk, Kerry)
8. Conor Heffernan (Killeshin, Laois)
9. Ethan Dunne (Skerries Harps, Dublin)
10. Finbar McLoughlin (Westport, Mayo)
11. Senan Baker (Caulry, Westmeath)
12. Darragh Swords (Caragh, Kildare)
13. Ryan Sinkey (Kildare)
14. Lorcan O’Dell (Templeogue Synge St., Dublin)
15. Jack Tumulty (Padraig Pearses, Roscommon)
Subs
Referee: Conor Dourneen (Cavan).
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DCU Gaelic Football quarters Sigerson Cup UCC