Cormac Dillon secures dramatic two-point win for UCC against Queens in Sigerson barnburner

Tom Cunningham of UCC in action against Anton Tohill of Queen's University Belfast. Picture: Tyler Miller/Sportsfile

Sigerson Cup: UCC 1-19 Queens University Belfast 2-14 

Watching this barnburner unfold at the GAA's National Games Development Centre, it felt like we'd been here before.

And we had, three years ago, when UCC and Queens played out a similar cracker that finished level. UCC eventually won that one on penalties and went on to win the competition outright, their last of 24 titles.

It looked like it might be another long night at the GAA's National Games Development Centre this time with the scores tied closing in on the hour.

Conaill Higgins then sniped a point for Queens to leave Feargal Logan's side one up and dreaming of revenge for 2023, as well as a quarter-final spot.

But a terrific Ruairi Murphy score from distance, earning the Listry poacher an orange flag and two points for UCC, swung the game back in the Cork side's favour.

Then, in stoppage time, a free won by UCC was brought up to within tap over range by referee Andrew Smith for dissent and substitute Cormac Dillon did the needful, securing a most dramatic two-point win.

A game like this can only stand to UCC who are through to the quarter-finals having previously beaten ATU Sligo.

Queens fancied back-to-back wins at the Blanchardstown venue themselves having surprised University of Galway in Round 1 there but were reeled in at the death this time.

Ruairi Murphy of UCC holds off Michael Burnett at the GAA National Games Development Centre in Abbotstown. Picture: Tyler Miller/Sportsfile

It was a finish worthy of deciding a cracking contest with UCC hitting the interval with a 1-10 to 1-5 lead.

Michael McSweeney fired 0-5 of that tally for UCC in the first half hour, the midfielder swinging over two two-pointers and a single. In the opposite Queens midfield was Derry's man mountain Antony Tohill, a goalscorer last week but not as influential this time.

The UCC goal came from Santry in the 17th minute and amounted to a gift as he capitalised on the Queens University goalkeeper taking a wander out of goals by kicking to an empty net. It was well taken but what the goalkeeper was doing will torment Queens.

That three-pointer cancelled out an earlier Queens goal by Ryan McQuillan, the Antrim man palming home after good work by Donal Scullion in the sixth minute.

Luke Diamond was on the mark too with a tidy point though UCC, despite losing Conor Daly to a black card, finished the first-half stronger and it wasn't until the second-half that the Belfast side really got going.

Noah Grimes, a star of last year's All-Ireland U-20 final success for Tyrone against Louth, struck 1-2 in the half, and 1-4 overall. Current Tyrone senior Ronan Cassidy, an All-Ireland U-20 winner in 2024, weighed in with three points in a row in the closing minutes as well.

From trailing by five at the three quarter point, suddenly Queens were right back in it and had momentum on their side again. Truth be told, they looked the more likely to win it.

Queens led after the Grimes goal and again after the Higgins score, 2-14 to 1-16.

But that's when UCC moved up a gear, finding the scores to propel themselves through to the competition's last eight. Firstly, Kerry senior Murphy knocked over that terrific two-pointer to leave UCC a point up and then Dillon made it a two-point game.

All is not lost for Queens, of course, as they will have another opportunity in Round 3 next week. But for UCC it's the bonus of a week off until the quarter-finals at the end of the month.

UCC scorers: M McSweeney 0-5 (1 tpf, 1 tp); C Santry 1-1; C Daly 0-3 (1 free); J Horgan, R Murphy (tp), O Corcoran, C Dillon (1 free) 0-2 each; T Cunningham, E Daly 0-1 each.

Queens scorers: N Grimes 1-4; R Cassidy 0-5 (1 free); R McQuillan 1-1 (1 free); L Diamond 0-3; C Higgins 0-1.

UCC (Cork unless stated): A Murphy; D Peet, J O'Driscoll, C Gammell; L Evans, C Molloy, C Kenneally; M McSweeney, R Murphy; T Cunningham, E Daly, J Horgan; O Corcoran, C Daly, C Santry.

Subs: C Dillon (Kerry) for Emmet Daly (46); D O'Connor (Kerry) for Gammell (48); D Desmond for C Daly (52); H Aherne for Evans (56).

Queens: A Lee (Dublin); J Clarke (Tyrone), J Finnegan (Antrim), R Forbes (Derry); C Hynds (Antrim), C O'Neill (Tyrone), D Scullion (Down); D Higgins (Derry), A Tohill (Derry); C Higgins (Derry), R Cassidy (Tyrone), L Diamond (Derry); N Grimes (Tyrone), M Burnett (Armagh), R McQuillan (Antrim).

Subs: L McManus (Monaghan) for Burnett (45); M Ennis (Meath) for McQuillan (50); J Corrigan (Tyrone) for Hynds (52); R Callaghan (Donegal) for D Higgins (60).

Ref: A Smith (Meath).