UCC secured comfortable progression to a fifth Sigerson Cup final in six years at the Mardyke this afternoon.
Billy Morgan’s outfit delivered a polished second-half display to kill off a spirted IT Carlow side. The winners limited their opponents to just two white flags at the change of ends, running out 10-point winners.
Luke Connolly’s goal on 34 minutes put UCC on the road to victory, Thomas Hickey adding a second on 50 minutes – the Castleisland Desmonds forward finishing a sweeping passage of play involving Brian O’Driscoll, Conor Cox, Shaun Kiely and Connolly.
UCC’s dominant finish was far removed from a most lethargic opening half effort where had it not been for the accuracy of corner-forward Conor Cox, Billy Morgan’s troops could have trailed by far more than a solitary point at the break.
Liam Boland, Barry McHugh and goalkeeper Shane Murphy splits the posts for IT Carlow, the visitors growing in confidence as the half progressed. Brendan Murphy landed a fine score early in the second-half, but their challenged faded dramatically thereafter.
Scorers for UCC: C Cox (0-8, 0-4 frees); L Connolly, T Hickey (1-0 each); D Harrington (0-2); D Culhane, S Keane (0-1 each).
Scorers for IT Carlow: B McHugh (0-1, 45, 0-1 free), L Boland (0-2 each); S Murphy (0-1 free), B Murphy, K Ryan, A Forde (0-1 each).
UCC: M Martin (Nemo Rangers); F McNamara (Austin Stacks), J McGuire (Listowel Emmets), P O’Connor (Legion); C Dorman (Bishopstown), D Culhane (Ballylongford), T Clancy (Fermoy); S Kiely (Ballincollig), G O’Sullivan (Listry); S Keane (Legion), L Connolly (Nemo Rangers), B O’Driscoll (Tadhg MacCathraigh); T Hickey (Castleisland Desmonds), D Harrington (Ardrigole), C Cox (Listowel Emmets).
Subs: A O’Donovan (Nemo Rangers) for Dorman (51 mins), A Spillane (Templenoe) for O’Sullivan (58), K Davis (O’Donovan Rossa) for Keane (58), E Ó Conchúir for Connolly (58), C Horgan (Nemo Rangers) for Kiely (58), R Murphy (Beaufort) for Harrington (58, inj).
IT Carlow: S Murphy (Kerry); T O’Connell (Kildare), C Lawlor (Kildare), D Smyth (Meath); E Lynch (Meath), T Featherston (Roscommon), E Walsh (Galway); W Young (Laois), M Sherry (Kildare); K Ryan (Meath), A Dever (Mayo), A Forde (Meath); L Boland (Tipperary), B Murphy (Carlow), B McHugh (Galway).
Subs: M Mangan (Kerry) for Dever (HT), C Conroy (Cavan) for McHugh (44), T Shiel (Laois) for Boland (49), K Mulvany (Cavan) for B Murphy (53, bc).
Referee: D O’Mahoney (Tipperary).