O'Driscoll goal secures UCC's quarter-final berth

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.

It was only when wing-forward Kevin O’Driscoll buried a fierce drive to the net in the 57th minute that UCC could relax and be assured that they were set to progress, as GMIT had proved to be stubborn opponents to shake off. When these colleges clashed at the same venue in last season’s competition, GMIT had produced a similarly strong challenge and entering the closing stages of yesterday’s game they crucially held the momentum. Their excellent full-forward Stephen Griffin had held his nerve to split the posts with three successive placed balls and succeed in whittling UCC’s advantage down to 0-10 to 0-9.

GMIT wing-forward Steven Kavanagh then made a vital intervention in the 56th minute when he raced back to block a goalbound drive by Barry O’Driscoll and his team sought to build possession from the back as they pursued an equalising score. However disaster struck when the alert Stephen O’Brien intercepted a wayward pass and he combined with Daithí Casey to feed O’Driscoll who confidently dispatched the ball past GMIT netminder Brendan Walsh.

That represented a forceful finish by UCC and it was in marked contrast to their lethargic opening to the match. GMIT gained an early foothold courtesy of midfielder Paul Conroy and roving corner-forward Martin Coady. In Donegal attacker Griffin they had a player in sparkling form with his constant movement and precise shooting contributing heavily to GMIT gaining a 0-5 to 0-2 advantage by the 14th minute. Indeed GMIT could have embellished that advantage further only for Griffin’s to miss two frees and gradually UCC moved back into contention.

Wing-back Sean Kiely, midfielder James Fitzpatrick and particularly centre-forward Mark Collins provided the inspiration as they started to control the play and pin GMIT back in their own half. Kiely launched over a fabulous point from the sideline in the 21st minute before Will Kennedy tapped over another two minutes later. They maintained that initiative before the interval to move into the ascendancy on the scoreboard with their inside danger men O’Driscoll and Casey claiming a point apiece to create a 0-6 to 0-5 advantage.

In the second-half UCC’s continued to command the exchanges. Fitzpatrick ensured that GMIT’s midfield dominance was broken and the absence of injured star Johnny Buckley was not as keenly felt. Eoin O’Mahony got to grips with the threat posed by Griffin when switched onto him and Collins orchestrated a plethora of attacking moves. O’Brien, Casey and Fitzpatrick tacked on points to enable UCC to surge 0-10 to 0-6 ahead by the 47th minute. However they had to sustain a late GMIT rally before O’Driscoll’s goal sealed the tie.

Scorers for UCC: K O’Driscoll 1-0; D Casey 0-3 (0-3f); J Fitzpatrick 0-2; S Kiely, W Kennedy, B O’Driscoll (0-1f), M Collins, S O’Brien 0-1 each.

Scorers for GMIT: S Griffin 0-7 (0-4f); C Hands, E Monahan 0-1 each.

UCC: K O’Halloran (Cork); P Crowley (Kerry), E O’Mahony (Cork), J O’Sullivan (Cork); S Kiely (Cork), A Greaney (Kerry), B Daly (Cork); W Kennedy (Cork), J Fitzpatrick (Cork); K O’Driscoll (Cork), M Collins (Cork), JB Spillane (Kerry); B O’Driscoll (Cork), D Casey (Kerry), S O’Brien (Kerry). Subs: M Griffin (Kerry) for Spillane (63).

GMIT: B Walsh (Mayo); K Boyle (Donegal), A Tierney (Galway), D Crawford (Donegal); D Lee (Galway), G Kelly (Clare), J Duane (Galway); P Conroy (Galway), P McGonagle (Donegal); D Clabby (Roscommon), C Hands (Galway), S Kavanagh (Galway); M Coady (Galway), S Griffin (Donegal), A Thompson (Donegal). Subs: E Monahan for Hands (28), N Prenty (Mayo) for Clabby (40), E Ward (Leitrim) for McGonagle (45).

Referee: Maurice Condon (Waterford).