UCC WILL TAKE on Cork IT at the quarter-final stage of the Sigerson Cup next week after both sides won their first round ties today.
It’ll be an all-Cork affair in the last eight after the 2011 champions defeated Trinity College while the 2009 kingpins got the better of IT Carlow.
Here’s how their games unfolded.
UCC 1-14
Trinity College 1-7
DESPITE BEING TESTED, UCC prevailed in the strong wind and rain against Trinity College at UL’s North Campus today.
Leading by 0-10 to 0-3 at half-time, last year’s finalists found themselves under pressure at the outset of the second half in the face of a spirited Trinity fightback.
Paul McPadden’s penalty, after Owen Gallagher had been dragged down, was the catalyst for the Dublin college’s revival, and Gallagher then added a point, unlucky to be denied a goal by a superb Brian Kelly save.
While Paul Geaney’s free – excellently measured, allowing for the severe crosswind – gave UCC breathing space again, points from Trevor English and Gallagher brought Trinity to within two points, 0-11 to 1-6 with little more than a quarter of the game remaining.
That was as close as they got, however, as points from UCC’s Brian O’Driscoll and Michael Quinlivan were followed by a goal from the latter, who finished after Conor Dorman had had his effort saved by Conor McConville.
With the seven-point half-time advantage restored, UCC saw out the game in a controlled fashion, easing into a home quarter-final next week against either Carlow or Cork IT.
In the first half, UCC, managed by Billy Morgan, settled better. Half-forwards Alan Cronin and Brian O’Driscoll regularly dropped deep, allowing Luke Connolly the space to shine and he kicked two points while Geaney and Conor Cox also excelled and Ian Maguire did well in midfield.
Cox was black-carded shortly before half-time, however, and Trinity found another gear or two early in the second period. It would not be enough, though.
UCC manager Billy Morgan
Pic: INPHO/James Crombie
Scorers for UCC: Michael Quinlivan 1-2 (two frees), Conor Cox 0-4 (three frees), Paul Geaney 0-3 (one free), Luke Connolly, Brian O’Driscoll 0-2 each, David Culhane 0-1.
Scorers for Trinity College: Paul McPadden 1-0 (penalty), Luke Turley (two frees), Owen Gallagher 0-2 each, Stephen Cunningham, Conor O’Donoghue, Trevor English (free) 0-1 each.
UCC: Brian Kelly (Kerry); David Culhane (Kerry), Eoin O’Mahony, Fergal McNamara (Kerry); Conor Dorman (Cork), Brian Shanahan (Cork), Eoin Healy (Cork); David Nation (Cork), Ian Maguire (Cork); Luke Connolly (Cork), Alan Cronin (Cork), Brian O’Driscoll; Paul Geaney (Kerry), Michael Quinlivan (Tipperary), Conor Cox (Kerry).
Subs: Tom Hickey (Kerry) for Cox (29, black card), Shaun Keane (Kerry) for Healy (48, injured).
TRINITY COLLEGE: Conor McConville (Dublin); Cormac Noonan (Meath), Tiarnán Daly (Fermanagh), Seán Murray (Dublin); Mark Regan (Mayo), Mick O’Grady (Kildare), James McPadden (Offaly); Paddy O’Higgins (Dublin), Stephen Cunningham (Dublin); Conor O’Donoghue (Westmeath), Trevor English (Westmeath), Owen Gallagher (Antrim); Paul McPadden (Offaly), Luke Turley (Down), Seán Higgins (Kildare).
Subs: Seán Flynn (Longford) for Regan (11, black card), Mark O’Sullivan (Meath) for O’Donoghue (38).
Referee: Pádraig O’Sullivan (Kerry).
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Cork IT 2-12
IT Carlow 0-8
GOALS FROM JOHN Corkery and Cathal Vaughan helped Cork IT win out by ten points tonight against IT Carlow in Carriganore.
In a game played on Waterford IT’s astro-turf pitch – after last night’s tie scheduled for Cork IT was postponed – it was Cork IT’s dominant second-half display that sealed the win.
The teams were level at 0-5 apiece at the break before the 2009 champions upped the ante after the interval to fashion a convincing success.
Cork IT fielded a strong side with Pa Kilkenny and James Walsh having been on the bench for Eamonn Fitzmaurice’s Kerry team last weekend while David Hanrahan, Cathal Vaughan and Donal Óg Hodnett are all involved with the Cork senior side who face Kildare next Sunday.
CORK IT
Pic: @DCUFMSport
IT CARLOW
Pic: @DCUFMSport
