TU Dublin overcome UL and Sean McDonnell to reach Sigerson Cup semi-final

DESPITE HIS BEST EFFORTS: Sean McDonnell starred for the University of Limerick but they were beaten in the Sigerson Cup quarter-final by TU Dublin. Pic: Michael P Ryan/Sportsfile.

Sigerson Cup quarter-final: TU Dublin 2-15 University of Limerick 2-11

Sean McDonnell's star continues to rise but his University of Limerick team has reached the end of the line in the Sigerson Cup.

Mallow man McDonnell, who made his National League debut for Cork at the weekend against Cork, netted twice in this quarter-final encounter but still found himself on the losing side.

It was one of those evenings for UL, Sigerson Cup finalists in 2022 and 2023, and semi-finalists last year, who found themselves chasing the hosts for much of the encounter.

McDonnell finished with 2-1 and there were scores from Kerry's Cian O'Grady as well as Mayo duo Frank Irwin and Cian McHale, both of whom were in Croke Park action last Saturday evening, but they couldn't quite match a powerful TU Dublin.

The 2013 champions, known as DIT back then, actually came into the game as underdogs but their array of inter-county talent came good for them with big displays from Dublin's Colm Basquel, Meath's Jordan Morris and Monaghan's Sean Jones.

All three were in county action last weekend too and showed no signs of fatigue with Basquel making his first start of the competition for TU Dublin.

The 2023 All-Star struck a brace of points and hurt UL in the second-half in particular when he ran hard at their defence.

It was Basquel's pacy run down the left that led to a penalty being awarded in the 53rd minute which Jack Lundy dispatched to leave seven in it at that stage.

UL battled back bravely and immediately responded with McDonnell's second goal, followed by a Jack Fallon point to leave just three in it.

But that was as close as Declan Brouder's crew got with Morris' fisted point in stoppage time leaving TU Dublin five clear at that stage and on the brink of victory.

And yet UL would have felt they were in a strong position at half time having initially negotiated the strong wind which largely favoured TU Dublin.

The home team were just a point ahead at the break, 0-9 to 1-5, despite starting strongly with five of the game's first six points.

UL then hit their purple patch, reeling off 1-3 without response between the 17th and 25th minutes, to briefly take a two-point lead.

McDonnell hit 1-1 during that mini-blitz for UL but three TU Dublin points in a row to finish the half, from Morris, Jones and Basquel, put them in pole position and they largely remained there.

They will join UCD in the draw for next week's semi-finals with the remaining two teams to be known following Wednesday evening's last two quarter-finals.

TU Dublin scorers: S Jones 1-3; J Lundy 1-1 (1-0 pen); J Morris 0-3; D McCartan, C Basquel 0-2 (1 '45), J Prendergast 0-2; C Fee 0-1, S Hanafin 0-1.

University of Limerick scorers: S McDonnell 2-1; C McHale 0-3 (2 fs); C O'Grady 0-2; C Dawson 0-1, F Irwin 0-1, J Fallon 0-1, P O'Driscoll 0-1, D Walsh 0-1.

TU Dublin: J Rodgers (Kildare); C Reilly (Cavan), M Nolan (Wicklow), N Carolan (Cavan); D Fee (Wicklow), C McKeogh (Cavan), J Prendergast (Wicklow); C McBride (Meath), S Hanifin (Kildare); C Basquel (Dublin), J Lundy (Dublin), D McCartan (Westmeath); J Morris (Cavan), C Fee (Wicklow), S Jones (Monaghan).

Subs: S Reynolds (Louth) for D Fee (45); D Rooney (Dublin) for C Fee (47); O Brooks (Dublin) for McCartan (56); D Lovett (Cavan) for Lundy (61).

University of Limerick: B Hogan (Meath); P O'Driscoll (Cork), B McNamara (Clare), F Kelly (Mayo); E Clifford (Kerry), D Cashman (Cork), D Walsh (Clare); T O'Donnell (Kerry), D O'Hagan (Limerick); C Dawson (Mayo), F Irwin (Mayo), D Heneghan (Roscommon); C McHale (Mayo), S McDonnell (Cork), C O'Grady (Kerry).

Subs: P White (Kerry) for Dawson (45); J Fallon (Mayo) for O'Donnell & C Ryan (Kerry) for O'Hagan (48); J McCabe (Galway) for Clifford (55); C O'Sullivan for Heneghan (63).

Referee: A Coyne (Westmeath).