UCC knocked out of Sigerson Cup as fast start helps UCD through

Playing into a stiff wind, UCC found themselves 1-6 to 0-1 down at the first water break and 13 points behind approaching half-time

UCD’s Daire Cregg celebrates after teammate Brian McLaughlin scores a goal. Picture: INPHO/Tom Maher

UCD 4-15 UCC 3-9

UCC's Electric Ireland Sigerson Cup campaign is over, the 2019 champions exiting the competition at the hands of UCD on a bitterly cold and dispiriting evening at blustery Belfield.

Playing into a stiff wind, UCC found themselves 1-6 to 0-1 down at the first water break, 13 points behind approaching half-time and while they came with a third quarter surge that reduced the margin to six points, they never truly looked like winning.

Goals from Roscommon man and 2021 All-Ireland U-20 finalist Daire Cregg, Kildare's Brian McLoughlin, ex-AFL player Ray Connellan and Dublin's Peadar O Cofaigh-Byrne ultimately sealed the win for UCD.

Like UCC, they lost out in Round 1 last week but this win catapults them through to Round 3 next week.

Former Kerry minor star Conor Geaney was best for UCC and struck 1-3 while Na Gaeil's Diarmuid O'Connor and Brian Hartnett also struck goals but the visitors were always operating in UCD's slipstream.

UCD scorers: D Cregg (1-5, 2 frees); B McLoughlin (1-2, 1 free); R Connellan (1-1, 1-0 pen); P O Cofaigh-Byrne (1-0); E Devine (0-3); R McCormack (0-2); D Ryan, K Kennedy (0-1 each).

UCC scorers: C Geaney (1-3, 2 frees); D O'Connor (1-1); B Hartnett (1-0); M Cronin, S Merritt (1 '45), R Dalton (1 free), D Geaney (1 free) and R Quigley (0-1 each).

UCD: E Comerford (Dublin); R O'Toole (Monaghan), E Harkin (Meath), J McKelvey (Donegal); K Kennedy (Dublin), M O'Connor (Wexford), D Ryan (Kildare); P O Cofaigh Byrne (Dublin), A McClements (Down); E Devine (Meath), D Kennedy (Cavan), R McCormack (Down); D Cregg (Roscommon), R Connellan (Westmeath), B McLoughlin (Kildare).

Subs: F Lennon (Roscommon) for McCormack (39); C Crowley (Carlow) for D Kennedy (42); D Gaughan (Roscommon) for Ryan (48); C O'Reilly (Dublin) for Cregg (52); C Mangan (Offaly) for McClements (57).

UCC (Cork unless stated): D Foley (Eire Og); C Gammell (Legion, Kerry), D Casey (Austin Stacks, Kerry), B Murphy (Nemo Rangers); D O'Brien (Glenflesk, Kerry), S Merritt (Mallow), N Geaney (Dingle, Kerry); D O'Connor (Na Gaeil, Kerry), B Hartnett (Douglas); Michael O'Gara (Austin Stacks, Kerry), R Dalton (Nemo Rangers), C O'Callaghan (Eire Og); C Keaney (Dingle, Kerry), R Quigley (Moyle Rovers, Tipperary), M Cronin (Nemo Rangers).

Subs: D Geaney (Dingle, Kerry) for O'Gara, D Phelan (Aghada) for Dalton, J Harney (Moyle Rovers, Tipperary) for Quigley and L Wall (Kilmurry) for N Geaney (all h/t); K Falvey (Annascaul, Kerry) for Hartnett (37).

Ref: A Nolan (Wicklow).