UCC stay on course for double honours
A huge week coming up for UCC. The hurlers will take on Mary Immaculate College in the Fitzgibbon Cup showdown on Saturday in Waterford IT, but first is the Sigerson Cup decider against St Mary’s University College, Belfast in Parnell Park on Wednesday (7.30pm).
Yesterday in Mallow, UCC, whose last appearance in the Sigerson final was in 2015, had to pull out all the stops before emerging with a three-point cushion. The strong wind blowing straight down the field was always going to be a factor. NUIG, beaten finalists last year having knocked UCC out in the quarter-final, won the toss and elected to play with it. They didn’t take full advantage though, trailing at half-time by a single point.
Hard graft by UCC resulted in a pair of well-taken goals from Kerry county star Sean O’Shea, helping them into a 2-3 to 0-8 lead at the break. For UCC captain Cian Kiely, the work they put into those opening 30 minutes paid dividends.
“The main thing for us in the first half was working the ball through the hands because the wind was so strong. It was fantastic to get the goals. Point shooting was impossible. NUIG really put it up to us. It was a dogfight for the whole game. It was physical, and it is unbelievable to get the win over them.
“We knew it was going to be a very hard game, they have class players all over the pitch. We had two relatively easy games coming into this so we were a bit worried that we hadn’t had a challenge.”
UCC won the opening half exchanges, the goals critical. The first came after three minutes, a move started out the field by Kiely to Conor Geaney who parted to O’Shea. However, NUIG settled and had they displayed a bit more accuracy the situation could have been different. Jack Robinson, Michael Daly, Owen Gallagher and Peter Cooke all kicked points.
O’Shea’s second goal after quarter of an hour was a big blow (2-0 to 0-3). It came after Killian Spillane’s effort was saved and he followed up. It left the westerners with it all to do.
Even so, they restarted brilliantly with John Maher blasting past Mark White from a tight angle. Crucially, Eimhin Courtney replied immediately and UCC went on to outscore NUIG five points to one, 3-8 to 1-9.
NUIG weren’t going away, and by the threequarter mark, the deficit was back to three points. They gathered a bit of momentum through Michael Daly frees and with nine minutes left, they only trailed by one. Geaney, who was another big UCC influence up front, put paid to any comeback when he goaled after being set up by Padraig Clifford.
It did make for a tense finish, NUIG were awarded a late free which was taken quickly by Kieran Molloy (who helped Corofin to victory in the All Ireland club semi-final 24 hours earlier) to Ruairí Greene. But UCC held their composure.
“St Mary’s in the final, I’m not surprised at all to see them beat (favourites) UCD,” said Kiely. “St Mary’s were in the final two years ago, we know they are a strong team and we will start preparing now for them.”
S O’Shea (2-3, 0-2 frees), C Geaney (1-4, 0-1 free), E Courtney (1-1), P Clifford (0-1).
M Daly (0-7 frees), J Maher (1-0), J Robinson (0-3), P Cooke, N Mullen, R Finnerty (free), J Daly (free) and O Gallagher (0-1 each).
M White (Clonakilty, Cork); M Flood (St Bridget’s, Meath), K Flahive (Douglas, Cork), G O’Sullivan (Dromid Pearses, Kerry); J McEntee (Curraha, Meath), B Begley (An Gaeltacht, Kerry), C Kiely (Ballincollig, Cork, Capt); P Lucey (Legion, Kerry), J Kennedy (Clonmel Commercials, Tipperary); P Clifford (Fossa, Kerry), S O’Shea (Kenmare Shamrocks, Kerry), C Horgan (Nemo Rangers, Cork); C Geaney (Dingle, Kerry), E Courtney (Éire Óg, Ennis, Clare), K Spillane (Templenoe, Kerry).
D O’Brien (Glenflesk, Kerry) for J McEntee (23 inj), R Buckley (Listry, Kerry) for C Horgan (39), C O’Hainifin (Éire Óg, Ennis, Clare) for C Kiely (55), G Murphy (Castletownbere, Cork) for K Spillane (57), R Forde (Annaghdown, Galway) for G O’Sullivan (61).
A Brady (Elphin, Roscommon); S Brennan (Claremorris, Mayo), S Mulkerrin (Oileán Árann, Galway), K McDonnell (Castleconnor, Sligo, Capt); K Molloy (Corofin, Galway), R Greene (Kilannin, Galway), N Mullen (Mullinabreena, Sligo); P Cooke (Moycullen, Galway), C Darcy (Caherlistrane, Galway); P O’Donnell (Oileáin Arann,, Galway), E Tierney (Oughterard, Galway), J Maher (Salthill, Galway); R Finnerty (Salthill, Galway), J Robinson (Clogherinkoe, Kildare), M Daly (Mountbellew, Galway).
O Gallagher (St Joseph’s, Antrim) for P O’Donnell (23), J Daly (Mountbellow, Galway) for R Finnerty (39), F Ó Laoi (An Spideal, Galway) for J Maher (46), G Canavan (Mayo Gaels, Mayo) for J Robinson (47 BC), E McGrath (Boyle, Roscommon) for S Brennan (56).
Derek O’Mahony (Tipperary).
