UCC prevail over Queens as enthralling tie ends with penalty drama
DECISIVE MOMENT: UCC goalkeeper Dylan Foley prepares to face a penalty from Luke Donnelly. Pic; Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
A remarkable Sigerson Cup encounter that took two hours and 20 minutes to complete eventually went the way of UCC following a thrilling penalty shoot-out at Abbottstown.
Goalkeeper Dylan Foley emerged as the hero for the 2019 champions with a terrific save from Luke Donnelly, the 14th kick of a nerve jangling shoot-out.
Someone had to lose out though it was particularly unfortunate for Donnelly who'd earlier hauled his team back into it and forced extra-time with a stunning hat-trick of goals.
Donnelly finished with 3-3 and it was his 82nd minute free that also sent the game to penalties though UCC ultimately prevailed and became the last team to qualify for the quarter-finals.
After their opening round loss to UL, it's back to back wins now for the 23-times winners who also had strong performances from Mark Cronin and substitute Cathail O'Mahony, both of whom converted penalties.
Still, UCC will wonder just how they managed to let this game and a spot in the last eight almost slip from their grasp.
They led from the opening score of the game in the fourth minute, a Ruairi Murphy point, until the 64th minute when another Donnelly, Rory, dramatically tied it up for Queens.
UCC led by 0-6 to 0-4 at half-time and tagged on another six points without reply, all registered by Cronin and Kerry's Dylan Geaney, to open up a 0-12 to 0-4 advantage entering the final quarter.
At that stage, Queens had only managed two points from open play, both from the boot of their most potent attacker Dan Higgins.
Luke Donnelly and Dublin's Padraig Purcell formed a two-man inside line for Queens but they were poorly served initially.
UCC, in turn, were patient in their attacking moves and had an in-form attacker in Cronin who struck seven points in the hour.
One of those scores from the Nemo Rangers man was a sumptuous point from a free close to the right sideline.
A tactical switch by the Queens management team headed up by Down great Conor Deegan turned the game.
Towering full-back Lorcan McBride was shifted to the full-forward position and caused havoc.
Luke Donnelly got the Queens comeback underway with a 45th minute goal, following up from close range after Purcell smashed a shot off the bar.
Four minutes later, a high ball into the danger area resulted in McBride being fouled and a penalty for Queens, which Donnelly dispatched.
Suddenly, Queens trailed by just two points though UCC appeared to steady themselves and had a great opportunity to kill the game for good when O'Mahony raced goalwards in the 58th minute.
With an overload of bodies in UCC's favour, a goal was on the cards when O'Mahony fed Cronin but the former All-Ireland U-20 winner punched over.
That left two points in it, a gap that Rory Donnelly reduced to nought by full-time with two great points, 3-6 to 0-15.
The same pattern played out in extra-time, UCC seizing the initiative with scores from O'Mahony, two, and Geaney, only to be reeled back in.
UCC led by two at half-time of extra-time but were outscored by 0-3 to 0-1 in the second period with Oran Mallon, Tiernan Bogue and Luke Donnelly pointing for the Ulster outfit.
Donnelly showed nerves of steel two minutes into stoppage time when Peter McGrane was fouled, handing him the opportunity to level it from a free around 43 metres out, which he duly took.
That sent the game to penalties and both sides scored their first five, meaning sudden death. O'Mahony and Geaney stepped up again and scored their second penalties of the shootout while Oran Mallon scored his second for Queens but Donnelly eventually faltered as UCC goalkeeper Foley wheeled away in delight.
M Cronin (0-7, 6 frees); C O'Mahony & D Geaney (0-1f, 0-1m) (0-4 each); S Merritt (0-1f), K Falvey, F Herlihy, R Murphy (0-1).
L Donnelly (3-3, 0-3 frees); R Donnelly (0-3); D Higgins (0-2, 2 frees); O Mallon, T Bogue (0-1).
D Foley; B Murphy, D O'Mahony, D Bourke (Kerry); M Shanley, R Murphy (Kerry), B Curtin; S Merritt, B Hartnett; J Murphy, F Herlihy, K Falvey (Kerry); M Cronin, D Geaney (Kerry), S O'Connor (Tipperary).
C O'Mahony for Herlihy (46); S Quilter (Kerry) for Falvey (57); L Wall for O'Connor (57). M O'Gara (Kerry) for Murphy (64); R Quigley (Tipperary) for Quilter (h/t e/t); Herlihy for Cronin (74).
B Cassidy (Derry); D Baker (Derry), L McBride (Tyrone), S McCarthy (Armagh); P McGrane (Armagh), M Murnagh (Tyrone), R Donnelly (Tyrone); T Bogue (Fermanagh), C O'Hare (Armagh); K Friel (Derry), P Finnegan (Antrim), F Canavan (Down); P Purcell (Dublin), D Higgins (Derry), L Donnelly (Tyrone).
P Clancy (Down) for O'Hare (29); O Mallon (Tyrone) for Clancy (40); B Conway (Tyrone) for Murnaghan (43). J O'Hara (Down) for Canavan (69).
D Gough (Meath).
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