FIRST-HALF substitute Shane King struck late in the game to end Queen’s 100 per cent Ryan Cup record at the Dub, as UUJ ran out 1-6 to 0-6 winners.
The Fermanagh attacker profited from a superb John McEntee catch and handpass on the edge of the square, and blasted past 'keeper Queen’s Chris Rafferty with only three minutes remaining.
Davitt McElroy turned in a hard-working performance at centrefield, aided by Crossmaglen's John McEntee, but the Poly forwards, with the exception of lively corner-forward Ciaran Higgins, failed to translate this possession into scores during the opening quarter.
The exchanges were typically robust, perhaps surprising given that both teams had already qualified for the semi-finals.
Queen's held a 0-3 to 0-2 advantage at the break.
But the second half saw King's influence on the game was beginning to exhert itself. With the help of the two McEntees, he rocked the Malone men with that clinching goal.
Meanwhile, St Mary's look certain to be handed the points after Sligo RTC decided not to travel to Belfast on Saturday.
Queen's: C Rafferty, E McNulty, C McGleenan, D McKenna, D Teague, C Holmes (0-1), A McGrath, J Considine (0-1), J McNulty, P McNulty, B O'Hagan (0-1), D Marsden (0-2), D Wilson (0-1), C Coleman, M Rodgers.
Subs: B Ward for Considine, A Moohan for Rodgers.
UUJ: M Conlon, P Tierney, N Farren, B Dillon, F Crossan, S Lockhart, S McGuckin, J McEntee (0-1), D McElroy, R Johnson, K Donnelly, C Starrs, C Higgins (0-2), T McEntee, K Madden.
Subs: S King (1-2) for Higgins (inj), G Cunningham (0-1) for Madden (inj).
Referee: Gerry McClory (St Teresa's
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MEXICAN world champion Eric Morales has dismissed Belfastman John Lowey's demands for a re-match.
In the Tijuana Auditorium at the weekend, Lowey was forced to retire at the end of the seventh round of their WBC super-bantamweight title fight with a broken right hand.
Morales, 21, slammed Lowey's “use of the head” and said: “I'll never fight him again.”
But Lowey's coach John Breen believes a rematch must happen following the 31-year-old's brave challenge which saw him deducted three points for head-butting.
“It doesn't surprise me that he doesn't want to fight John again because John showed him up as still a bit of a novice and if it wasn't for the hand injury he would have won,” said Breen.
“I will personally be contacting the World Boxing Council to get the rematch.”
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IF Harald Brattbakk was overawed by the tremendous ovation he received from almost 50,000 fans on his debut at Celtic Park on Saturday – he didn’t show it.
The wiry Norwegian may be an unlikely looking scoring sensation but within minutes of replacing the yet again disappointing Regi Blinker on the hour mark, Brattbakk displayed all the predatory instincts you would expect from a successful Champions League striker.
It was left to the composed finishing of Craig Burley to secure the points but Brattbakk showed enough, including some exhilarating bursts of speed which took a few Hearts defenders by surprise, to whet the appetite of the always expectant Celtic support.
