UUJ wrap it up early

UCD’s footballers filed through the doors of the large entertainment tent adjacent to the main stand at half-time in this Sigerson Cup semi-final.

John Divilly’s men had returned for the start of the second period, but with no sign of UUJ and the rain continuing to bucket down, the Belfield outfit headed for the only available cover.

For anyone not accustomed to half-time team talks in the GAA world yesterday provided quite the education. UCD officials, already fuming over UUJ’s ploy of lining out their team in different numbered jerseys as to what was printed in the match programme, had had enough.

“They are trying to make a mockery of us,” bellowed one individual.

UCD had been annihilated during the first period and with the elements now in their favour, they vowed to make a game of it. Alas, it proved nothing more than hot air, in very short supply mind you on bitterly cold night at the Dub, as they failed to make any meaningful inroad into UUJ’s lead.

The northerners elected to play with the gale in the opening half and didn’t hang about, registering the game’s only goal inside three minutes. Armagh’s Jamie Clarke, put through by Colin Walsh, struck low into the right corner of Eoghan Keogh’s goal. It proved a tonic start and from there to the break UUJ were relentless in pushing through UCD’s defensive barriers.

Monaghan’s Kieran Hughes proved tormentor-in-chief, kicking four first-half points, with Jamie Clarke, Ronan O’Neill, Cathal McAliskey and Mattie Donnelly also etching their names onto the scoresheet.

Jordanstown’s midfield partnership of Donnelly and Niall McKeever served as the springboard for their first-half onslaught, the UUJ pair not only feeding an ample amount of ball into their hugely industrious forward unit, but also severing completely the supply of possession into UCD’s attackers.

Indeed, the contest was 15 minutes old before John Divilly’s outfit raised a flag of any description, Paul Mannion converting from close range. The Dublin forward, hampered by a hamstring injury, enjoyed no great influence on proceedings and was substituted early in the second period – indicative of UCD’s evening. John Heslin kicked three fine second-half points for the losers, but capable assistance was almost non-existent.

UUJ manager Adrian McGuckian praised the first-half effort of his team and said their 1-10 to 0-2 interval margin, from a psychological viewpoint, was paramount in preventing a UCD reprieve.

“We won the toss and we decided to take the chance and play with the wind. The goal was a huge boost and to get it so early on was a big bonus. The scores always start to go over a bit easier when you have a bit of a cushion. Credit to the lads, they took every chance that came their way. Anything less than the lead we had at half-time would have left us in trouble because UCD would have been able to peg it back.

“If our lead was only five or six points there would have been a doubt, but the lads were excellent in the first-half. The conditions didn’t help, but they just ploughed on regardless.

“The second-half was a containment job and we didn’t mind that. You set out your stall at the start of the year to make a Sigerson final and we are delighted to be there.”

Scorers for UUJ: K Hughes 0-5 (0-4 frees); J Clarke (1-1); C McAliskey (0-2); R O’Neill (0-2, 0-1 free); C O’Boyle, M Donnelly (0-1 each).

Scorers for UCD: J Heslin 0-4 (0- 3 frees), M Hughes, P Mannion (0-1 free), C Sheridan (0-1 each).

UUJ: R Beggan (Monaghan); B Tierney (Tyrone), C McKaigue (Derry), D McNally (Tyrone); L Keaney (Donegal), C Walshe (Monaghan), K Clarke (Cavan); M Donnelly (Tyrone), N McKeever (Antrim); K Hughes (Monaghan), R O’Neill (Tyrone), D Savage (Down); J Clarke (Armagh), C O’Boyle (Derry), C McAlliskey (Tyrone).

Subs: P Devlin (Antrim) for O’Neill (49 mins), R Donnelly (Tyrone) for O’Boyle (50 mins), C Duggan (Down) for M Donnelly (55 mins), P Hughes (Sligo) for Clarke (57 mins), R O’Neill (Tyrone) for Clarke (BC, 59 mins).

UCD: E Keogh (Laois); R Wylie (Monaghan), D Byrne (Dublin), R Tierney (Wexford); C Lenehan (Meath), P O’Harnan (Meath), J McCaffrey (Dublin); J Maloney (Offaly), J Heslin (Westmeath); B Fenton (Dublin), M O’Hanlon (Wexford), R McDaid (Dublin); R Basquel (Dublin), M Hughes (Longford), P Mannion (Dublin).

Subs: J Hayes (Cavan) for Tierney (36 mins), A Ó Murichu (Wicklow) for O’Harnan (38 mins), L Connerton (Longford) for O’Hanlon (43 mins), P Kingston (Laois) for Mannion (40 mins), C Sheridan (Meath) for Fenton (47 mins).

Referee: Martin Higgins (Fermanagh).