Sigerson Cup Round 2A: Ulster University 1-10 University of Limerick 1-9
Despite fielding without a handful of key players, Ulster University made their way through to the last eight of the 2025 Sigerson Cup with a one-point win over University of Limerick last night, leaning heavily on a fine scoring display from Conor Cush and a number of big plays from their half-back line in the closing stages.
Even the first half, after which UU trailed by a single point to their Munster opponents, saw the reigning Sigerson Cup champions play slightly better football than their opponents, with the lion’s share of the possession going their way.
Cush kicked a couple of early points to put the Ulster side into a strong position on a pristine playing surface in Abbotstown, but they failed to capitalise on their marked supremacy when it came to possession, and a couple of outstanding points from distance from Cork panellist Darragh Cashman left UL 0-6 to 0-5 to the good at the interval.
Neither side caught fire in the third quarter but the game got an injection of life when Pádraig White’s first play after he was introduced as a substitute saw him fire a long-range shot off the upright, and Jack McCabe was on hand to gather the rebound and hit the net for UL.
UU had just three minutes to wait before they replied in kind, Cush sliding a low shot underneath goalkeeper Billy Hogan from close range after good approach play from Ciarán Daly helped to open up the Limerick defence.
UU had chances to close it out from there, but two shots were dropped short and another two wides left the contest in the balance.
When Conal Dawson and Josh Largo Ellis traded monster scores from distance, there was still just a point in it going down the stretch.
Cashman had the chance to equalise for UL but his effort was met with a heroic block from Danny Magill, and the Burren man followed up by reacting sharply to the break and driving out of defence, setting up a Charlie Diamond score.
That cushion of a two-point lead meant that Cian McHale’s closing point wasn’t enough to salvage extra time for UL, and so they go back into the qualifier round next week, with UU advancing into the last eight on the direct route, alongside UCD, TU Dublin, and surprise package TUS Midlands.
ULSTER UNIVERSITY: R McGeehin; D Curran, L Kelly, F O’Brien; D Magill (0-1), E McEvoy, J Largo Ellis (0-1), O McCann (0-1), S Carr; C Diamond (0-1), M Hamill, E Mulholland; D Fullerton (0-2), C Daly, C Cush (1-4, 0-1f).
SUBS: L McGarrity for Hamill (43), E Brown for Mulholland (47), C O’Neill for Fullerton (47), S Kearney for Daly (58).
Wides: 9
Yellow Cards: None
Red Cards: None.
UNIVERSITY OF LIMERICK: B Hogan; F Kelly, C Woulfe, P O’Driscoll; D Walsh, D Cashman (0-2), E Clifford; J Fallon, D O’Hagan; C Dawson (0-1), C McHale (0-3, 0-2f), D Heneghan; C O’Sullivan, S McDonnell (0-2f), C O’Grady.
SUBS: J McHale (1-1) for Fallon (6), T Doyle for O’Sullivan (38), P White for McDonnell (45)
Wides: 7
Yellow Cards: None.
Red Cards: None.
Referee: M McNally (Monaghan).