DIT and UCC advance to Sigerson decider

DIT and UCC booked their places in tomorrow's Sigerson Cup Final at 3pm in Athlone IT following semi-final wins over DCU and AIT respectively this afternoon.

In ideal weather conditions, both the reigning champions and the weekend hosts made their respective exits from the premier Higher Education Gaelic Football competition.

Offaly's Bernard Allen helped spring DIT to victory over DCU thanks to a 51st minute goal in their 1-11 to 0-9 win in the first of the semi-finals at AIT GAA pitch.

Substitute Allen sent a spectacular shot past DCU keeper James Farrelly to book a final berth for the reigning league champions for the first time since 2009.

Meath's Bryan Menton and Mayo's Aidan O'Shea put in commanding displays for the eventual winners throughout this match.

Full-back Menton holding DCU's scorer-in-chief Michael Murphy scoreless from open play, while O'Shea was a driving force throughout and withstood some hard knocks during the course of this match.

O'Shea's college and county colleague Jason Doherty also put in a fine innings with six points, five of those from placed balls.

DIT led by 0-8 to 0-4 at half-time with three of DCU's four points coming from placed balls.

DCU battled back to without two points of DIT with 17 minutes remaining, but DIT drove on with Allen's goal sealing a final berth for only the second time in Dublin City Centre college's history.

Kerry's Conor Cox bagged 10 points as UCC advanced to their third final in four years, thanks to a 1-20 to 1-9 win over Athlone IT.

The weekend hosts started brightly with Longford's James McGivney netting an 11th minute goal, but Martin McCabe's charges failed to push on from this as UCC, who last took the title in 2011, took command.

Four of the next seven points came from UCC in the form of Listowel Emmetts clubman Cox as UCC took a 0-7 to 1-3 lead, and extended their advantage by the interval to hold a 0-11 to 1-3 lead.

Conor Sweeney extended UCC's advantage on the restart, and although McGivney and Kieran Martin tried hard for the hosts, UCC continued to look dangerous.

The nail in AIT's coffin was firmly placed in the 56th minute as Conor Sweeney bagged UCC's lone goal to help them to an 11-point win, and keep their ambitions for a 21st title intact.

Meanwhile, tomorrow's Trench Cup final will be an all-Dublin affair after semi-final wins for St. Patrick's College, Drumcondra and IT Blanchardstown.

St Pat's led by just a point at half-time against their teacher training college colleagues in Marino, but drove on in the second half to take a 1-17 to 1-9 win.

IT Blanchardstown laid the foundations for a final berth in the opening half with a goal from Leitrim's Ciaran Gilheaney in their 1-12 to 0-6 win over John Moore's University, Liverpool at Pairc Chiarain.

Froebel College and Southern Regional College will contest the Corn na Mac Leinn final after their victories this afternoon.

Froebel College, with Dublin's Michael Daragh Macauley among their squad needed extra-time before accounting for North West Regional College at Caulry GAA Club.

Goals were the difference as the Blackrock college claimed a 2-13 to 0-13 win.

Division 3 league champions Southern Regional College were always comfortable in their 1-14 to 0-9 win over Cavan Institute.

National College of Ireland were crowned the first champions of the weekend, following their 1-11 to 2-7 win over the Cadets in the fourth tier Corn Comhairle Ardoideachais final at Garrycastle GAA Club.