Champions UCC get massive scare

UCC 1-13 NUIG 0-14

Given the way the Mary I v GMIT game panned out, a draw would have been enough for the hosts, though with just under five minutes left, NUIG looked the more likely to take the last-eight spot.

Having outscored their opponents by 0-7 to 0-2 between the 36th and 56th minutes, the Galway college were given a great chance to take the lead when UCC sub Fives was pulled for over-carrying around the middle.

However, after scoring 11 points in a flawless display of free-taking until then, Niall Burke pulled the resultant free wide. A minute later, Niall Deasy’s delivery afforded Ger Donoghue a goal chance but goalkeeper Darren McCarthy put him off and Joseph Cooney’s follow-up was judged to have gone wide, despite Galway protests for a ‘65.

Buoyed by the let-offs, UCC attacked again and in the 60th minute NUIG goalkeeper Donal Tuohy was penalised for lying on the ball in the goalmouth, Harnedy pointing the resultant free, and with the game’s final act Fives’s long-range effort went over the bar.

Job done, with the method less important than the outcome, in the view of UCC GAA Development Officer John Grainger.

“This was one of the most even groups of all time, so it was always going to be like this. These fellas are what I’d call inter-county U21 players, they’ve done a lot and they’re good hurlers, they never panicked and it’s really satisfying to have qualified.”

Brian O’Sullivan’s palmed goal from a Harnedy delivery had given UCC a 1-4 to 0-5 lead in the 20th minutes after they had laboured early on, the forwards finding it difficult though centre-back William Egan and Paul Haughney at midfield were showing up well.

Burke was NUIG’s main source of scores, though Kevin Downes also chipped in. But after the goal UCC rallied and good points from Midleton pair Haughney and Conor Lehane gave the home side a 1-7 to 0-7 interval lead.

When Harnedy, from a nice Brian Hartnett pass, and Brian Murray extended that lead to five points within two minutes of the restart, UCC should have powered on to secure the win, but the free-taking was a big problem, Hartnett and Egan both missing chances.

While Burke had a goal effort from a 20m free saved, he continued to send over any other efforts, with Billy Lane’s running at the UCC defence drawing fouls.

UCC withdrew Murray as a third midfielder to stem the flow, but that only allowed the NUIG defence to dominate with their extra manpower, and points from Burke on 48, 54 and 57 had the game tied. Ultimately, though, they could not complete the turnaround.

Scorers for UCC: B O’Sullivan 1-1, S Harnedy (0-1f), P Haughney, C Lehane 0-3 each, B Hartnett (0-1f), D Fives (0-1f), B Murray 0-1 each.

Scorers for NUIG: N Burke 0-11 (0-7f), K Downes 0-2, J Cooney 0-1.

UCC (Cork unless stated): D McCarthy; S Maher (Tipperary), D Glynn (Kilkenny), K Murphy; J Barry (Tipperary), L Egan, P Prendergast (Waterford); B Lawton, P Haughney; B Hartnett, D McCormack (Tipperary), S Harnedy; B O’Sullivan (Waterford), B Murray, C Lehane.

Subs: D Fives (Waterford) for Prendergast (11-24, blood), A Breen (Limerick) for Hartnett (37, injured), C Murphy for Murray, Fives for Prendergast (both 57), M Sugrue for McCormack (58).

NUIG (Galway unless stated): D Tuohy (Clare); D Magner (Offaly), B Flaherty, K Moynihan (Clare); E Glynn (Clare), D Burke, S McCormack (Tipperary); L Markham (Clare), J Cooney; B Lane, K Downes (Limerick), D Higgins; A Cunningham (Clare), N Burke, B Daly.

Subs: G Donoghue for McCormack (16-17, blood), Donoghue for Cunningham (33), E Fahy for Magner (39), N Deasy (Clare) for Higgins (46).

Referee: S Hourigan (Limerick).