Sigerson Cup semi-final: University College Dublin 1-10 University of Limerick 0-11
REIGNING champions UCD will be warm favourites for their Sigerson Cup final against St Mary’s this afternoon after they got the better of UL at the Connacht GAA Centre of Excellence yesterday.
But it could have been so different for the record holders, had UL’s Gearoid Hegarty not blasted his late goal opportunity wide.
UCD have been fancied to win the competition all the way through, but they trailed 0-7 to 0-6 at half-time, and relied on a Paul Mannion (right) goal in the 36th minute to make their lead more comfortable.
Monaghan's Conor McCarthy then stood up in the final minutes, and a couple of points from him ensured they were through to the final against Paddy Tally’s men today.
John Divilly’s side were one behind at the break after playing against the breeze in the first-half, but they began well as Barry O’Sullivan and Eamon Wallace gave them an early lead.
UL hit back with frees from Niall McDermott and Brendan O’Keefe, and Cavan man McDermott scored his second and third points of the half to give UL a 0-7 to 0-6 lead at the interval.
UCD used their bench well after that, but it was their star name Mannion who converted a penalty six minutes after half-time to help them move clear.
However, when UL scored three points in as many minutes from the 40th minute of the second-half – McDermott,
Denis Daly and Michael Geaney all found their range – UCD looked in trouble.
But they held their composure and used their experience to grind out the victory.
Barry McGinn put them in front again, and McCarthy scored two valuable points as UCD held a two-point lead entering the final minutes. Michael Fitzsimons got a black card when he dragged Ian Burke late on and UL had one more opportunity, but Hegarty blazed his goal chance wide.
UCD: C Honan; E Murchan, M Fitzsimons, J Rossiter; S Coen, J McCaffrey (0-1), S O’Dea; B O’Sullivan (0-1), L Casey; S Mullooly, C McCarthy (0-3, 0-1 frees), E Wallace (0-1); L Moran, P Mannion (1-2, 1-0 pen), B McGinn (0-2).
Subs: J Barry for Mullooly (31), C Mullally for Wallace (31), T Hayes for Mannion (39), R McDaid for Mullally (48), E Lowry for Moran (53)
Black cards: Fitzsimons, replaced by McDonnell (56)
Yellow cards: Rossiter (39), Barry (61).
UL: C O’Driscoll; C Long, J Mullins, D Brosnan; P White (0-1), L Boland, P Lillis; G Hegarty, C Sheehan; F Boland (0-1), F Geaney (0-1), B O’Keefe (0-1, 0-1 frees); S Ryan, Daly (0-2, 0-1 45), N McDermott (0-4, 0-3 frees).
Subs: C O’Dea for Ryan (31), I Burke (0-1 free) for O’Keefe (45), J Goulding for Daly (55), C McNamee for Geaney (59), J Naughton for Boland (59).
Yellow cards: Hegarty (17), F Boland (26),
Referee: J Gilmartin (Sligo).
