ULSTER University’s long wait for a Sigerson title goes on – and they will take little consolation from the fact that they played their part in a sensational semi-final against University College Dublin in Inniskeen last night.
Ninety minutes were needed to separate the sides, UCD eventually emerging 0-18 to 1-13 winners after their opponents had forced extra-time and extra extra-time.
The first half provided no indication of the excitement that would come, the opening 30 minutes resembling a low-paced challenge match rather than the semi-final of the famous competition.
John Divilly’s side, who had Con O’Callaghan in their starting line-up, had a strong breeze at their backs in the first half and they opened the scoring in the third minute through Liam Casey before Frank Burns responded three minutes later after Ryan McAnespie had brilliantly chased down a ball that looked set to go over the sideline.
The game was badly missing imagination but Conor Mullaly did show some ambition as he charged straight through the middle before he was clumsily felled leaving Eoin Lowry with the easiest of frees.
Ronan McNamee and Evan O’Carroll, from a ‘45’, swapped scores but neither side could get a rhythm going.
The teams went in sharing six points as UU’s Terence O’Brien kicked a superb free from the left on the whistle.
The opening 90 seconds of the second half provided more entertainment than the entire first half.
Some direct running allowed UCD’s Jack Barry to break through but his goal-bound shot was brilliantly blocked by Michael McKernan.
A minute later, the Coalisland defender was up at the other end finishing off a good team move from a tight angle to put his side in front for the first time.
Casey drew UCD level in the 33rd minute before UU hit a purple patch that saw them rattle off three points in two minutes.
Rory Brennan got them on their way before Niall Madine fired over after he found an inch of space off Cillian O’Shea.
Paul Rouse’s side really could have taken a foothold in the 35th minute as Lee Brennan found himself with a glorious goal opportunity, but having finished so confidently for Tyrone against Kildare last Sunday, he fluffed his lines and his shot was deflected out for a ‘45’, which he converted.
O’Carroll reduced the deficit when he pointed a free that had been brought forward for backchat before Burns responded with his second point.
That seemed to be the wake-up call that UCD needed and they were soon level after a few minutes dominating Sean Fox’s kick-outs.
It started when O’Carroll pointed a good free in the 46th minute. From the resulting restart, Barry O’Sullivan rose brilliantly and was fouled coming down.
The sublime Conor McCarthy pointed that effort and from the next kick-out, O’Sullivan’s midfield partner Barry broke the ball and was fouled, O’Callaghan opening his account with the resulting kick to leave it 0-8 to 0-8 with 15 minutes remaining.
UU were rocked back but a moment of magic put them back ahead as Brennan sold an audacious dummy and sliced over for the score of the night.
There was another contender five minutes later, though, as McCarthy kicked over brilliantly with the outside of his boot to level things up again.
McCarthy was proving the man of the moment for UCD and he landed a real pressure free and a sumptuous effort from play to put distance between the sides.
McNamee and substitute Liam Silke exchanged scores before a Brennan free left the minimum three minutes into injury-time.
It looked like it wouldn’t be enough but McKinless popped up with a monster effort from out on the wing to force an additional 20 minutes.
UU got off to the perfect start in extra-time, O’Brien and Lee Brennan combining beautifully to release Bradley and a clever dummy allowed him to blast past Charlie Manton.
Back UCD came and scores from O’Carroll and McCarthy (2) leveled things up once more.
A huge O’Carroll ‘45’ looked like it had once again dumped UU out, but Rory Brennan ensured another 10 minutes when he blasted over when the goal was on.
The first period of extra extra-time didn’t produce a score but points from O’Seanachain and O’Callaghan (free) saw UCD into Saturday’s final with NUI Galway, extending UU’s wait for a first title since 2008 in the process.
NUI Galway are into their first Sigerson final since 2003 after they defeated Dublin IT by three points in Mullingar last night.
DIT never managed to get ahead in the contest in Mullingar and NUIG struck for crucial goals in either half to advance to the final.
A superb goal from Seán Kelly two minutes from the break helped NUIG lead by 1-6 to 0-7 at the interval.
DIT produced a good third-quarter which saw them draw level at 1-9 to 0-12, but then Eoin Finnerty struck a huge blow for NUIG when he blasted home their second goal 12 minutes from time to set up a 2-12 to 0-15 victory.
MATCH STATS
Ulster University: S Fox; M Magee, M McKernan (0-1), M McAvoy; R Brennan (0-2); R McNamee (0-2), Gareth McKinless (0-1); T O’Brien (0-1, 0-1f), J Munroe; R McAnespie; M Bradley (1-0), E McHugh; L Brennan (0-3, 0-1 ‘45’, 0-1f), N Madine (0-1), F Burns (0-2)
Subs: D Mulgrew for Madine (45), D Gallagher for Burns (57), D Tallon for McAnespie (60), Burns for McNamee (ht et), McAnespie for McHugh (78)
University College Dublin: C Manton; L Fortune, C O’Shea, P Healy; S Coen, C Mullally, J Feehan; B O’Sullivan, J Barry; L Casey (0-2), C McCarthy (0-6, 0-3fs), B Byrne; C O’Callaghan (0-2, 0-2fs),
E O’Carroll (0-5, 0-3fs, 0-2 ‘45s’), E Lowry (0-1, 0-1f).
Subs: B O’Seanachain (0-1) for Casey (40), T Hayes for Lowry (44), L Silke (0-1) for B Byrne, P O’Connor for Feeham (ht et), L Moran for O’Connor (78
Referee: S Hurson (Tyrone)
THIS WEEK’S HE FIXTURES
Today
Ryan Cup Second Place Play-Off
Athlone IT v UU
(7.45pm, venue TBC)
Tomorrow
Trench Cup semi-finals
(at Santry Avenue)
Waterford IT v LIT (1pm)
Letterkenny IT v Mary Immaculate College (3pm)
Corn Na Mac Leinn semi-finals (at St Vincent’s GAA Club)
RCSI v BUGAA Winner (11am)
UU Magee v New York Winner
Corn Comhairle Ardoideachais final
(at St Vincent’s)
National College of Ireland Carlow Institute of Further Education (3pm)
Saturday
Trench Cup final:
Santry Avenue, 3.30pm
Sigerson Cup final:
UCD v NUI Galway
(Santry Avenue, 3.30pm)
Corn Na Mac Leinn finals
(at St Vincent’s)
Shield final (11am); Final (11.30am)
