UCD claim Collingwood Cup with victory over Queens

26 April 2022; Michael Glynn of Queen's University Belfast in action against Colm Whelan of UCD during the Collingwood Cup Final match between UCD and Queens University Belfast at Oriel Park in Dundalk, Louth. Photo by Ben McShane/Sportsfile

QUEEN’S UNIVERSITY 1 (Lorcan McIlroy 67) UCD 2 (Rossa McAllister 1, Andreas Djuruus 37) 

Ten-man UCD have won their 48th Collingwood Cup crown – and first since 2018 – by beating Queen’s University in this year’s decider on Tuesday afternoon at Oriel Park.

Rossa McAllister screamer after only 35 seconds put Diarmuid McNally’s side on their way before Andreas Djuruus headed in the second on 37 minutes.

Djuruus was then needlessly sent off for a second booking six minutes into the second half, giving Queen’s an unlikely route back that they almost made the most of.

Lorcan McIlroy’s poked finish on 67 minutes reduced the arrears but the northerners couldn’t muster an equaliser.

McNally introduced his first-team strikers – Liam Kerrigan and Colm Whelan – for the last 20 minutes and the latter forced Conan Doherty to tip his shot onto the post.

Ciaran Behan should have made it a more convincing winning margin for UCD with two minutes left, only to see his snapshot denied by substitute goalkeeper Lewis Hunter.

QUEEN’S UNIVERSITY: C Doherty (L Hunter 75); M Smith (E Brown 58), D Mairs (S Gallagher 53), M Glynn, M Doherty; T Matthews (J Denny 86), L Bonnes, A Green, D Farren; L McIlroy, R Young.

UCD: L Healy; E Farrell (I Akinsete 70), M Gallagher, G Mulligan, M McHugh; M Scott, R McAllister (A Verdon 46); A Lennon (L Kerrigan 70), C Behan, T Jinad (C Whelan 70); A Djuruus.

Referee: Eddie Reilly (Dublin).