Sigerson Cup: UCC secure final spot after squeezing past TU Dublin 

MARKSMAN: Cathail O'Mahony of University College Cork in action against Niall Carolan of Technological University Dublin. Pic: Ben McShane/Sportsfile

University College Cork 1-12 TU Dublin 0-13 

As it was on the opening night of Sigerson Cup fare, so it will be on the concluding evening of action. 

UCC, having come up three short at home to UL in the first round four weeks ago, now have the opportunity to reverse that result in next Wednesday’s decider.

After Billy Morgan, Brian Cuthbert, and the rest of the UCC management congratulated their players on returning the college to a first Sigerson final since 2019, we imagine the next message imparted to them was that the error-ridden and extremely wasteful effort that got them there simply won’t do next week at Carriganore.

We honestly lost count of the number of scoring opportunities UCC wasted in Wednesday night’s semi-final. It started with Brian Hartnett being unable to keep his feet when presented with a goal chance in the opening minutes and continued all the way through to the second minute of second-half injury-time when sub Michael O’Gara had his goal shot smothered by TU Dublin’s Shane Cunnane.

In the first half alone, we noted five point attempts dropped short, as many wides, and two goal openings not taken.

There was more of that in the second period and it meant that we still had a live contest in the final plays of second-half injury-time as TU Dublin rained in high ball after high ball on top of the UCC rearguard.

It was a rearguard that stood firm and resolute, with corner-back Damien Bourke producing one vital injury-time dispossession as Darragh Campion had his eyes and boot set on the goal that would have won TU Dublin this semi-final.

UCC’s interval lead was 1-7 to 0-4. It was merited. But, as mentioned, it could have been far, far greater.

Their goal arrived a few seconds shy of the half-hour mark. Shane Merritt and Mark Cronin were involved in the build-up, and Dylan Geaney supplied the finish.

Fionn Herlihy and the always dangerous Cathail O’Mahony both kicked a pair of white flags, with Brian Hartnett, Killian Falvey, and Kerry senior Ruairi Murphy also on target.

TU Dublin, who managed only one point in the last 15 minutes of the half, found themselves outgunned 1-4 to 0-1 from the 19th minute to David Gough’s interval whistle. And as that score suggests, it was bumper-to-bumper one-way UCC traffic for that period.

Centre-forward Herlihy had his third of the contest a minute inside the restart. At seven up, the expectation was that UCC would comfortably see it out from here. 

They did anything but.

What they did was concede the next four scores and spend 10 minutes operating with a man less following Killian Falvey’s black card tackle on Cian Dooner.

Jack Flynn, Sean Guiden, Darragh Campion, and Shane Cunnane (free) were responsible for the TU Dublin four-point burst. It left them only 1-8 to 0-8 adrift. They could have been closer or, indeed, in front. Robbie McAllister twice got in for goal, twice UCC ‘keeper Dylan Foley denied him.

A Cathail O’Mahony free on the three-quarter hour mark was UCC’s first score in 14 minutes. O'Mahony was their sole contributor on the scoreboard in the final quarter, throwing over two frees and two from play.

Two points was as close as TU Dublin got on the run for home. Whatever regrets they have should be tempered by the unavoidable fact that it was their opponents who kept them in the hunt for as long as they were in it.

UCC back in the final, but the collective radar needs to be so much sharper next week.

Scorers for University College Cork: C O’Mahony (0-6, 0-2 frees); F Herlihy (0-3); D Geaney (1-0); B Harnett, K Falvey, R Murphy (0-1 each).

Scorers for TU Dublin: S Guiden (0-3, 0-1 free), S Cunnane (0-3, 0-3 frees); R Deegan, J Flynn (0-2 each); K Callaghan (0-1 mark), D Campion, R McAllister (0-1 each).

University College Cork (Cork unless stated): D Foley (Éire Óg); B Murphy (Nemo Rangers), D O’Mahony (Knocknagree), D Burke (Na Gaeil, Kerry); M Shanley (Clonakilty), S Merritt (Mallow), B Curtin (Kilshannig); R Murphy (Listry), B Hartnett (Douglas); J Murphy (Éire Óg), F Herlihy (Dohenys), K Falvey (Annascaul, Kerry); D Geaney (Dingle, Kerry), M Cronin (Nemo Rangers), C O’Mahony (Mitchelstown).

Subs: S O’Connor (Clonmel Commercials, Tipperary) for Geaney, M O’Gara (Austin Stacks, Kerry) for Falvey (both 52).

TU Dublin: D Brooks (Castletown, Wexford); C Dooner (Killoe Emmet Óg, Longford), F O’Shea (Éire Óg Greystones, Wicklow), S Ryan (St Peter’s Dunboyne, Meath); N Carolan (CLG Cuchulainn, Cavan), C Hickey (Seneschalstown, Meath), K McGinnis (Skerries Harps, Dublin); K Callaghan (St Brigid’s, Dublin), S Cunnane (St Brigid’s, Roscommon); S Guiden (St Sylvester’s, Dublin), M Lavin (Lucan Sarsfields, Dublin), R O’Dwyer (Ballyboden St Enda’s, Dublin); R McAllister (Emyvale, Monaghan), R Deegan (Thomas Davis, Dublin), D Campion (Skryne, Meath).

Subs: J Flynn (Ratoath, Meath) for O’Dwyer (25); E Duffy (Latton, Monaghan) for O’Shea (HT); L Swan (Castleknock, Dublin) for Callaghan (48); J Lundy (Ballinteer St John’s, Dublin) for Dooner (52); F Murray (Thomas Davis, Dublin) for McAllister (59).

Referee: D Gough (Meath).