Kerry 2-12 UCC 0-10

Only a few months into his tenure as Kerry manager and Eamonn Fitzmaurice is ready to quit. No, not his new job, which he’s thoroughly enjoying, his playing career.

For the first time since 1976, NUI Maynooth will feature in the Sigerson Cup final as the John Divilly’s outfit ended a luckless run of semi-final defeats at Dangan yesterday.

UCC looked set to surrender their crown in Edenderry yesterday but produced a late rally to book a place in the Sigerson Cup semi-finals.

LOSING an All-Ireland final is a tough experience for any player or management.

They will face tougher examinations during their efforts to retain the Sigerson Cup title but UCC made as positive and productive a start as possible in last night’s first-round tie in the Mardyke.

MARK Collins grabbed the late point that ensured UCC warmed up for their forthcoming Sigerson Cup campaign in perfect fashion, as they claimed victory over Carlow IT in last night’s HE SFL Division 1 (Ryan Cup) final at the Waterford IT grounds in Carriganore.

UCC sent out a chilling warning ahead of the defence of their Sigerson Cup title at this end of this month with an emphatic victory over Limerick in Rathkeale’s Mick Neville Park.

DÁITHÍ CASEY joked that he may need a few bodyguards the next time he ventures down a UCC corridor.

EOIN BROSNAN spent some of the best years of his life in UCC but the Dr Crokes star admits there is no room for sentiment ahead of tomorrow’s Munster club SFC final against his alma mater.

MUNSTER senior club football finalists UCC are just as good as an inter-county side, reckons Dr Crokes manager Harry O’Neill.

A REMARKABLE football year for University College Cork could have an ending to match on December 4.

IT took over 80 minutes of absorbing action before the contest was settled in Cloughduv yesterday with UCC’s greater energy and ball retention skills proving decisive in this Munster Club SFC quarter-final.

AS he left Fitzgerald Stadium last Saturday afternoon, JB Spillane reflected on the end of his Kerry championship season.

THE importance of leadership in a college team competing in the county championship cannot be overstated.

THE glory they experienced in the third-level arena last spring ensured 2011 would always be filled with special memories for the UCC football camp.

ANOTHER week, another nerve-shredding encounter for Dr Crokes.

FOUR UCC players potentially face a hectic fixture schedule on the weekend of October 15 and 16 as they could be involved in Kerry SFC semi-finals the day before their Cork SFC final meeting with Castlehaven in Páirc Uí Chaoimh.

THEIR progress this season has taken many by surprise, including some in their own camp, but UCC have gained confidence throughout the SFC and that was reflected in their controlled display to overcome Avondhu in Saturday night’s semi-final tie in Páirc Uí Rinn.

CORK boss Conor Counihan has made six changes for Sunday’s Munster SFC semi-final against Waterford from the team that defeated Clare in last month’s quarter-final.

KERRY cruised into a Munster JFC semi-final after a fine second-half display against Tipperary at Fitzgerald Stadium yesterday.

UCC claimed the notable scalp of Carbery in their opening assignment of the Cork SFC with an excellent success in Cloughduv last night.

KERRY U21 boss John Kennedy has stepped down from his post a fortnight after his side were hammered by Cork in the Munster championship final.

Some of the most promising footballers and hurlers in the country will be honoured at the Ulster Bank Rising Stars awards ceremony at the bank's headquarters in Dublin tonight.

2009 Footballer of the Year Paul Galvin will make his first start of the season for Kerry in Sunday's Allianz Football League Division 1 game against Monaghan at Inniskeen (throw-in 2.30pm).

After ousting competition favourites DCU and the final’s hosts UCD, the Billy Morgan managed team rounded matters off by taking the scalp of the formidable northern outfit.

UCC 0-10 UUJ 0-7

UCC claimed the significant scalp of competition favourites DCU at the quarter-final stage of the Sigerson Cup in Belfield yesterday as they prevailed by a slender one-point margin after a terrific game of football.

Beaten league finalists UCC dethroned reigning Sigerson champions DCU this afternoon, while competition hosts UCD also progressed through to tomorrow's semi-finals.

LAST year’s finalists UCC endured a testing Sigerson Cup opener in the Mardyke yesterday afternoon before prevailing against GMIT and advancing to a repeat of last season’s final in the last eight against DCU.

KERRY star Paul Galvin was looking on as his new DIT team-mates displayed their Sigerson Cup credentials in stunning fashion with a clinical dismantling of UCC in the Ryan Cup final at Ballykelly last night.

UCC will have home advantage in the quarter-finals of the Ulster Bank Higher Education Football League Division 1 after they held out to record a one-point win at CIT in their final group game last night.

AUSTRALIA got their trip to Ireland off to a successful start in Páirc Uí Rinn last night, but it’s a moot point as to whether they gleaned much information before the decisive clashes that lie ahead.

MICHAEL SHIELDS has been ruled out of Ireland’s plans for Saturday’s International Rules first test against Australia at the Gaelic Grounds due to his involvement in Sunday’s Cork SFC final.

ALL-IRELAND champions Cork have been dealt a massive blow ahead of Saturday’s Munster U21 FC quarter-final against Kerry with senior defender Aidan Walsh a doubt due to a hamstring injury.

THEY may not have replicated the sparkling football that carried them to the All-Ireland final stage, but Castlegregory’s heart and persistence made them worthy junior champions in Croke Park yesterday.

Cork 1-17 Kerry 0-09

The focus of the latest Cork-Kerry clash will undoubtedly be on David Moran and Tommy Walsh, the senior stars who already have U21 All-Ireland medals in their collection.

COUNTY senior hurling champions Sarsfields will face fellow east Cork side Castlelyons in their first defence of their title on Saturday May 2, a game down for decision in Midleton.

Galway qualified for their first All-Ireland minor football final since 1994 thanks to a three-point win over Kerry at Croke Park today.

Dr. Crokes clubman Jamie Doolan has been drafted into the Kerry team for Sunday's All-Ireland minor football semi-final against Galway (Croke Park, throw-in 1.45pm).