UCC hold firm against late Muskerry rally

UCC will play Duhallow in the Cork Premier SFC Colleges/Divisions final on Sunday for the right to enter the county championship at the quarter-final stage

Conor Geaney of UCC up against Aidan Murphy and William Ronan of Muskerry. Picture: Jim Coughlan.

UCC 2-13 Muskerry 2-11 

A place in the Bon Secours Cork Premier SFC Colleges/Divisions final was achieved by UCC with a win over Muskerry at Páirc Uí Rinn on Wednesday night.

UCC will play Duhallow in the final on Sunday for the right to enter the county championship at the quarter-final stage.

The college had to battle for this victory. It wasn’t until a flurry of late points finally broke Muskerry’s resistance that UCC led by five with seven minutes remaining. However, three unanswered points in the closing five minutes for Muskerry meant this game went to the wire.

There was a blistering start to this play-off semi-final with the four goals arriving in the opening 30 minutes.

Muskerry, who made seven changes from their first-round win over Carbery in July, thundered into the action. Chris Óg Jones caused real trouble; the Iveleary man slotted a penalty in the fourth minute after it was deemed the ball was touched on the ground as Fintan Goold applied the pressure around the goalmouth.

Ian Jennings was a threat up front for UCC, and he then kicked over his second point to cut the gap to two points. Building on that momentum, it wasn’t long before the students moved into the ascendancy when Conor Geaney collected Cian Gammell’s delivery, and the Dingle player applied a brilliant finish to the net, 1-2 to 1-1.

Jones claimed a second goal in the 10th minute, the groundwork done by Matthew Bradley. At the first water break, the divisional side were narrowly in front, 2-2 to 1-4. The tireless Jones pushed forward again, and his brace from play put Muskerry a goal clear - William Ronan and Darren Dineen providing the respective passes.

With five minutes remaining in the half, Conor Geaney landed a free and this was followed by a Diarmuid O’Connor goal after the county star galloped through the centre and booted to the net.

The first-half action came to a close when Darren Dineen lobbed over a brilliant point from an acute angle to leave the score tied, 2-5 apiece.

UCC started the second half with a goal opportunity, Conor Geaney’s shot wide of the post. Sixty seconds later, he bore down on goal again but Muskerry goalkeeper Dominic Kelleher pulled off a superb save.

At the other end, Mark Healy popped over a point for Muskerry to establish a one-point lead. Crucially, UCC notched the next three points without reply - two Conor Geaney frees and Dylan Geaney from play to open up a two-point advantage.

Healy swung over another free for Muskerry, and the see-saw nature of this contest continued. Sean Quilter pushed UCC in front 2-9 to 2-7 at the second water break.

Over the next 10 minutes, UCC outscored Muskerry four points to one and extended the lead to five points - Quilter and sub Conor Hayes on target twice.

Three Muskerry points on the home straight didn’t suffice. Goold tried to draw a foul close to goal in injury time but it didn’t materialise, UCC holding firm.

Scorers for UCC: C Geaney (1-4, 0-3 frees), D O’Connor (1-0), S Quilter (0-3), I Jennings and C Hayes (0-2 each), S O’Sullivan and D Geaney (0-1 each).

Scorers for Muskerry: C Óg Jones (2-3, 1-0 pen), M Healy (0-4, 0-3 frees), D Dineen (0-2), F Goold and J Kelleher (0-1 each).

UCC: G Creedon (Kilshannig, Cork); C Gammell (Killarney Legion, Kerry), B Curtin (Kilshannig, Cork), E Fitzgerald (Gneeveguilla, Kerry); E Dodd (Canovee, Cork), D Phelan (Aghada, Cork), D Casey (Austin Stacks, Kerry, Capt); D O’Connor (Na Gaeil, Kerry), C Nyhan (Ballinascarthy, Cork); I Jennings (Kilmacabea), S Quilter (Austin Stacks, Kerry), M O’Gara (Austin Stacks, Kerry); S O’Sullivan (Adrigole, Cork), C Geaney (Dingle, Kerry), D Geaney (Dingle, Kerry), D Burke (Na Gaeil, Kerry) for S Quilter (62).

Subs: D Cleary (Laune Rangers, Kerry) for S O’Sullivan (35), C Hayes (Kerins O’Rahillys, Kerry) for D Geaney (48), D Holland (Argideen Rangers, Cork) for I Jennings (49), D Burke (Na Gaeil, Kerry) for S Quilter (62).

MUSKERRY: D Kelleher (Inniscarra); D O’Connell (Cill na Martra), W Ronan (Kilmurry), A Murphy (Aghabullogue); P Ring (Aghabullogue), A Murphy (Canovee), S O’Sullivan (Aghabullogue); D Horgan (Macroom), E O’Sullivan (Aghabullogue, Capt); C Óg Jones (Iveleary), M Bradley (Aghabullogue), C Dineen (Cill na Martra); D Dineen (Clondrohid), F Goold (Macroom), M Healy (Canovee).

Subs: L Casey (Aghabullogue) for D Dineen (half-time), J Kelleher (Canovee) for D Horgan (40), B Cronin (Iveleary) for C Dineen (52), D Ambrose (Aghinagh) for E O’Sullivan (53), F Warren (Kilmurry) for S O’Sullivan (58).

Referee: R Whelan (Aghada).