ONeills
UCD, DCU and UL joined UUJ in the semi-finals of the 2016 Independent.ie HE GAA Sigerson Cup after quarter-final wins on Thursday.
Independent.ie HE GAA Sigerson Cup Quarter-Final: DCU 0-14 IT Carlow 0-7
Reigning champions delivered a powerful second half performance in Carlow last night to keep the defence of their crown on course.
The sides were locked at 0-5 apiece at the break, but DCU hit four successive points at the start of the second half, Shane Carey (0-3f) and Enda Smith on the mark for the north Dublin outfit.
The DCU defence performed superbly after the break, restricting their opponents to just two points in the period, while subs David Mannix added to their winning margin.
Scorers for DCU: S Carey 0-7 (4f), D O'Connor, E Smith, D Mannix 0-2 each, S O'Brien 0-1.
Scorers for IT Carlow: C Conroy 0-5 (4f), M Hurley, C Healy 0-1 each.
DCU: B Flynn; J Smith, K Feely, S Attride; K Daly, C Moynagh, C Begley; S Carthy, C McGonagle; M Quinn, D Byrne, D O'Connor; S Carey, C McGraynor, E Smith. Subs: S O'Brien for McGonagle (30); E Smith for McGraynor (40); D Mannix for Carthy (44); C McHugh for Carey (46); R Lyons for Moynagh (black card) (48); C Breheny for Smith.
IT Carlow: R Samson; I Ilunga, T Featherson, T O'Connell; T Dever, D Dunne, D Smyth; M Russell, W Young; C Conroy, K Ryan, C Ward; C Healy, M Sherry, M Hurley. Sub: B McHugh for Hurley (40).
Referee: A Nolan (Wicklow)
**Independent.ie HE GAA Sigerson Cup Quarter-Final: UCD 3-11 UCC 1-9 **
By Denis Hurley at The Mardyke
UCD are two games away from a first title in 20 years after they overcame UCC at the Mardyke on Thursday. The competition’s record winners held a five-point lead at half-time, 1-8 to 1-3 in front, but found themselves under pressure as UCC started the second half well.
Four points by Conox Cox and a long-range Luke Connolly effort had Billy Morgan’s side back to within a point, 1-9 to 1-8, as Jack McCaffrey registered the visitors’ only score of the opening 10 minutes after the restart. However, against the run of play, UCD scored a priceless second goal. When the ball was worked to Conor McCarthy in space, he carried the ball at the UCC defence before laying off to Eoin Lowry, who had an easy task to finish.
UCC were rocked by that goal and found it tough to find a way back into the game, with a Cox point on 47 minutes proving to be their last score. UCD, well in control, rounded off the win when Conor McCarthy netted the rebound after Micheál Martin had saved from the outstanding Paul Mannion.
Dublin star Mannion was instrumental as UCD laid the foundations in the first half, though there was an element of fortune to their opening goal, which came in the eighth minute after the game’s opening four points were shared. As a Lowry 45 dropped, UCC’s Gary O’Sullivan couldn’t claim the ball cleanly, confusing goalkeeper Martin, who allowed it to slip from his grasp and into the net.
McCarthy and James McEntee added further points to put UCD 1-4 to 0-2 in front, though UCC looked to have got themselves back in it when Luke Connolly converted a penalty. Niall Kelly, Darragh Murphy and John Heslin added further points for UCD before the break though and they pushed on in the second half.
Scorers for UCD: C McCarthy 1-1, J Heslin 0-3 (0-2 frees), E Lowry 1-0, N Kelly, P Mannion (0-1 free) 0-2 each, J McCaffrey, D Murphy, J McEntee 0-1 each, 1-0 own goal.
**Scorers for UCC: **C Cox 0-6 (0-4 frees), L Connolly 1-1 (1-0 penalty), K Davis, D Harrington 0-1 each.
**UCD: **E Keogh (Mountmellick, Laois); M Fitzsimons (Cuala, Dublin), S O’Dea (Kilteely-Dromkeen, Limerick), R Wylie (Ballybay, Monaghan); D Hyland (Athy, Kildare), D Byrne (St Olaf’s, Dublin), J McCaffrey (Clontarf, Dublin); B O’Sullivan (Dingle, Kerry), D Murphy (Valley Rovers, Cork); C McCarthy (Scotstown, Monaghan), J Heslin (St Loman’s Mullingar, Westmeath), J McEntee (Curraha, Meath); E Lowry (Killeshin, Laois), P Mannion (Kilmacud Crokes, Dublin), N Kelly (Athy, Kildare). Subs: J Barry (Na Gaeil, Kerry) for O’Sullivan (half-time, injured), C Mullally (Cuala, Dublin) for Murphy (33, injured), T Hayes (Cootehill, Cavan) for Lowry (50), T Moolick (Leixlip, Kildare) for McCarthy (56), P Kingston (Arles Killeen, Laois) for Mannion (60).
UCC (Cork clubs unless stated): M Martin (Nemo Rangers); J Davis (Douglas), J McGuire (Listowel Emmets, Kerry), K Fulignati (Nemo Rangers); K Crowley (Millstreet), B O’Driscoll (Tadhg Mac Cárthaigh), J Walsh (Knocknagoshel, Kerry); G O’Sullivan (Listry, Kerry), I Maguire (St Finbarr’s); S Kiely (Ballincollig), L Connolly (Nemo Rangers), K Davis (O’Donovan Rossa); J Kiely (Dr Crokes, Kerry), C Cox (Listowel Emmets, Kerry), D Harrington (Adrigole). Subs: C Hyde (Naomh Abán) for O’Sullivan (half-time), C Horgan (Nemo Rangers) for Kiely (46), S Cronin (Nemo Rangers) for Hyde (48), S White (Clonakilty) for Crowley (50), J Horgan (Nemo Rangers) for Davis (53).
Referee: B Kelly (Clare).
**Independent.ie HE GAA Sigerson Cup Quarter-Final: UL 0-12 Queen’s University 1-8 **
By John Fallon at UL
A magnificent comeback by Queen’s came up just short when Bryan O’Shea landed his eighth point to seal a dramatic late win for UL in this exciting Sigerson Cup quarter-final. Queen’s looked to be dead an buried when UL extended their advantage early in the second-half to lead by 0-9 to 0-2.
But James McCartan’s men rallied superbly and looked like they would push on and claim a semi-final spot against UCD when they drew level with over ten minutes remaining. However, there was only one further score and while both teams had chances to win it, it was the Dr Croke’s clubman O’Shea who slotted a free from 25 metres in the closing stages to secure a dramatic victory.
It will be a concern to UL that they only scored 0-4 in the final three qu454arters of the match on a calm afternoon in Limerick, but if they can repeat their blistering opening then they could be poised for a first ever Sigerson Cup success. Brian Carson’s men were awesome in the opening quarter with O’Shea and Limerick’s Kevin Moore lead the way as they raced into a 0-8 to 0-0 lead after just 14 minutes.
Marty Clarke got Queen’s opening score after 19 minutes and the introduction of Antrim’s Brendan Bradley at the interval gave them a target up front as they tried to cope without the controversially suspended Armagh player Ciaran O’Hanlon. Queen’s, who trailed 0-8 to 0-2 at the break, clawed their way back and a goal from Clarke after 47 minutes cut the gap to two. But while Bradley and Fermanagh’s
Ruairi Corrigan pointed to level the match, Queen’s could not edge in front and a black card to Clarke five minutes from time did not help their cause before O’Shea landed the winner a minute from the end of normal time.
Scorers for UL: B O’Shea 0-8 (0-6f), K Moore 0-2 (0-1f), A Rowan 0-1, R Deane 0-1.
Scorers for Queen’s University: M Clarke 1-2 (0-2f), B Bradley 0-4 (0-3f), B Burns 0-1, R Corrigan 0-1.
University of Limerick: C O’Driscoll (Cork); E Kiely (Kerry), C Long (Kerry), P O’Connor (Kerry); A Rowan (Longford), D Daly (Kerry), F Boland (Mayo); G Hegarty (Limerick), R Deane (Cork); D Neville (Limerick), S Killoran (Roscommon), C Sheehan (Limerick); I Burke (Galway), K Moore (Limerick), B O’Shea (Kerry). Subs: C O’Dea (Clare) for Sheehan (52 mins), James Naughton (Limerick) for Killoran (45), P White (Limerick) for Rowan (60).
**Queen’s University, Belfast: **J Deeney (Down); G McCabe (Armagh), C Cullen (Fermanagh), B Burns (Tyrone); N Delargy (Antrim), S Heffron (Armagh), M Monan (Down); B Rogers (Derry), H Brown (Down); A Morgan (Down), M Clarke (Down), R Corrigan (Fermanagh); R Murray (Antrim), G McGovern (Down), D McAleese (Antrim). Subs: B Bradley (Antrim) for Monan (30 mins), C Martin (Armagh) for McAleese (47), A Doherty (Down) for Clarke (BC, 56). Referee:
Seán Hehir (Galway).
