Electric Ireland Sigerson Cup: UL advance after epic semi-final encounter

​Electric Ireland Sigerson Cup semi-final

University of Limerick 3-23 Queen's University Belfast 2-21

After extra time

By Paul Keane at the GAA National Games Development Centre, Abbotstown

This Electric Ireland Sigerson Cup semi-final was supposed to be played 24 hours earlier, just up the road at DCU's sports grounds. Then, after being postponed and moved to Abbotstown, it was taken off the main grass pitch there because of the poor conditions and played on an artificial surface.

After all that, to serve up such a sumptuous Sigerson Cup feast for us was a credit to both UL and Queen's who defied driving rain and a stiff breeze to duke it out over 80-plus minutes.

UL eventually prevailed to take their place in next Wednesday evening's final at Croke Park alongside UCC in what will be a repeat of the 2023 final.

Nobody associated with David Power's crew will need any reminding that they lost that final, matching their 2022 defeat to NUI Galway.

Cian McHale's 1-8 haul was decisive this time while fellow Mayo man Frank Irwin registered four important points in atrocious conditions at the GAA's National Games Development Centre.

The really significant score though was Cathal Brosnan's beauty of a goal deep into stoppage time of normal time, sensationally levelling the game at 3-13 to 1-19 and forcing extra time.

It was virtually the last kick of the game and only a goal would do, prompting Currow man Brosnan to strike to the top corner of the Queen's net.

Cork's Tommy Walsh grabbed the other UL goal, a terrific dinked finish too after a powerful run in from the right earlier in the second half.

And all of that is still only tipping the iceberg of trying to explain just how this lung burster of a semi-final unfolded.

Queen's, managed by former Sigerson Cup winning captains Feargal Logan and Dan McCartan, will surely feel that they left it behind them in normal time.

Because while they trailed by 0-11 to 2-11 with 15 minutes of normal time remaining, they turned it around to lead by five themselves with the hour played.

In this period, Queen's outscored UL by 1-8 to no score to put themselves within touching distance of the trip to Croke Park with a 1-19 to 2-11 lead. In truth, it was hard to see any way back for UL as Conal Higgins, Ruairí Cassidy and goalscorer Ryan McQuillan took complete control of the game for Queen's.

But a converted two-point free by Conal Dawson two minutes into stoppage time, followed by the Brosnan goal, suddenly turned UL's five-point deficit into a level game.

The wild ride continued into extra time with UL scoring all five points in the first half to open up a five-point lead, 3-18 to 1-19.

Now it was time for Queen's to wipe out a five-point deficit, a two-pointer from rising Tyrone star Cassidy and McQuillan's second goal of the evening, a bundled score from close range, doing the needful.

We wondered just where the rollercoaster encounter could possibly take us next and it turned out it was in the direction of UL who finished strongly.

Game intelligence, fitness and sheer determination to keep their dream of a first ever title success alive all came bubbling to the surface as they struck the game's last five points.

Substitutes Ciaran Collins, Micheál Freaney and Newcestown's David Buckley delivered four of those scores as UL got a vital kick from their bench. Queen's are out but they went down swinging.

University of Limerick scorers: Cian McHale 1-8 (1 tpf, 3f), Frank Irwin 0-4 (1 tpf), Cathal Brosnan, Tommy Walsh 1-0 each; Conal Dawson 0-3 (1 tpf), Ciaran Collins 0-2, Cathal Ryan, Ben Dempsey, Brian McNamara, Seán Morahan, Micheál Freaney, David Buckley 0-1 each.

Queen's University Belfast scorers: Ryan McQuillan 2-2, Ronan Cassidy 0-6 (1 tpf, 3 frees), Conal Higgins 0-4, Conor O'Neill 0-3 (1 tp), Luke Diamond, Donal Scullion 0-2 each, Joey Clarke, Noah Grimes 0-1 each.

UNIVERSITY OF LIMERICK: Tristan O'Callaghan (St Breckan's, Clare); Tommy Walsh (Kanturk, Cork), Thomas Ross (Curry, Sligo), Ben Dempsey (Portlaoise, Laois); Paddy O'Driscoll (Gabriel Rangers, Cork), Seán Morahan (Castlebar Mitchels, Mayo), Charlie King (Ballina, Tipperary); Brian McNamara (Cooraclare, Clare), Cathal Brosnan (Currow, Kerry); Conal Dawson (Westport, Mayo), Jack McCabe (Corofin, Galway), Cathal Ryan (Rathmore, Kerry); Cathal Keaveney (Parke KC, Mayo), Cian McHale (Moy Davitts, Mayo), Frank Irwin (Ballina Stephenites).

SUBS: Hugh O'Loughlin (Kilmaine, Mayo) Keaveney (3), Micheál Freaney (Kilsheelan Kilcash, Tipperary) for King (36), Daithí Hogan (St Patrick's, Tipperary) for McCabe (41), Evan Looney (Dr Crokes, Kerry) for O'Loughlin (49), Cillian Campbell (St Barry's, Roscommon) for Dempsey (51), David Buckley (Newcestown, Cork) for O'Driscoll (e/t), Jack Melvin (Davitts, Mayo) for Brosnan (66), Ciaran Collins (Rathmore, Kerry) for Irwin (h/t e/t), Killian Butler (Moyle Rovers, Tipperary) for Ross (78).

QUEEN'S UNIVERSITY BELFAST: Aaron Lee (Fingal Ravens, Dublin); Joey Clarke (Donaghmore, Tyrone), Matthew Ennis (Donaghmoyne, Monaghan), Patrick McGurk (Lavey, Derry); Ruairí Forbes (Ballinderry, Derry), Conor O'Neill (Donaghmore, Tyrone), Donal Scullion (Clann Na Banna, Down); Cathal Hynds (Glenravel, Antrim), Anton Tohill (Swatragh, Derry); Conal Higgins (Magherafelt, Derry), Ronan Cassidy (Donaghmore, Tyrone), Luke Diamond (Bellaghy, Derry); Noah Grimes (Donaghmore, Tyrone), Michael Burnett (Portadown, Armagh), Ryan McQuillan (Con Magee's Glenravel, Antrim).

SUBS: Ruairí Callaghan (Sean MacCumhaills, Donegal) for Ennis (34), Luke McManus (Monaghan Harps, Monaghan) for Scullion (56), Niall Duffy (St Brigid's, Antrim) for Clarke (66), Joe Corrigan (Galbally, Tyrone) for Diamond (h/t e/t), Scullion for Burnett (76).

Referee: Conor Dourneen (Cavan).