Tipperary’s Liam Casey scored a second minute goal and Laois’ Eoin Lowry ran through a porous Limerick defence to drill a rocket across the goalkeeper after 13 minutes.
Dublin star Paul Mannion hit two points from play, with Westmeath star John Heslin nailing four frees in the first-half.
Aidan Rowan finally got UL, who’d narrowly beaten Queen’s University in the quarter-finals, on the board with an 18th minute point as they trailed 2-5 to 0-1.
But it was temporary respite, Kildare’s Niall Kelly drilling home the first of his two goals in the 20th minute, helping John Divilly’s side lead by 3-9 to 0-2 at the break.
UL had the wind in the second half and with UCD running their bench they were at least able to make a better game of it after the break.
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UL's Denis Daly gets the ball away under pressure from UCD's Paul Mannion Presseye / Stephen Hamilton/INPHO
Presseye / Stephen Hamilton/INPHO / Stephen Hamilton/INPHO
Kerry’s Brian O’Shea was on target from play and from dead balls, nailing a ’45′ and a free. Niall Kelly grabbed his second goal after intercepting a poor pass to the UL goalkeeper in the 48th minute.
Galway’s Ian Burke scored UL’s only goal in the 54th minute with a low left-footed finish but UCD ran out comfortable winners.
Scorers for UCD: Niall Kelly 2-0, John Heslin 0-5 (0-4f), Liam Casey, Eoin Lowry (one ’45′) 1-1 each, Paul Mannion 0-3 (0-1f), Conor McCarthy, Tommy Moolick 0-1 each.
Scorers for UL: Brian O’Shea 0-4 (0-1f, 0-1 ’45), Ian Burke 1-0, Daniel Daly 0-2, Aidan Rowan, Ruairi Deane, Kevin Moore (0-1f) 0-1 each.
UCD's Ryan Wylie comes under pressure from UL's Danny Neville Presseye / Stephen Hamilton/INPHO
Presseye / Stephen Hamilton/INPHO / Stephen Hamilton/INPHO
UCD
Eoghan Keogh (Mountmellick, Laois)
Ryan Wylie (Ballybay, Monaghan)
David Hyland (Athy, Kildare)
Michael Fitzsimons (Cuala, Dublin)
Seán O’Dea (Kilteely-Dromkeen, Limerick)
David Byrne (St Olaf’s, Dublin)
Jack McCaffrey (Clontarf, Dublin)
Jack Barry (Na Gaeil, Kerry)
Liam Casey (Cahir, Tipperary)
Niall Kelly (Athy, Kildare)
James McEntee (Curraha, Meath)
Conor McCarthy (Scotstown, Monaghan)
John Heslin (St Loman’s Mullingar, Westmeath)
Eoin Lowry (Killeshin, Laois)
Paul Mannion (Kilmacud Crokes, Dublin)
Subs
Niall McInerney (St Brigid’s, Roscommon) for McCaffrey (15)
Stephen Coen (Hollymount-Carramore, Mayo) for Hyland (half-time)
Paul Kingston (Arles-Killeen, Laois) for McCarthy (HT)
Robert Carr (Newtown Blues, Louth) for Mannion (40)
Tommy Moolick (Leixlip, Kildare) for Kelly (51)
UL
Colm O’Driscoll (Castlehaven, Cork)
Eamonn Kiely (Brosna, Kerry)
Cathal Long (An Ghaeltacht, Kerry)
Patrick O’Connor (Dingle, Kerry)
Ian Burke (Corofin, Galway)
Kevin Moore (Glin, Limerick)
Bryan O’Shea (Dr Crokes, Kerry)
Subs
David Larkin (Horeswood, Wexford) for Hegarty (20)
Paul White (Rathkeale, Limerick) for F Boland (22)
Luke Boland (Moyle Rovers, Tipperary) for Larkin (BC, 26)
James Naughton (St Senan’s, Limerick) for Moore (44)
Cian O’Dea (Kilfenora, Clare) for Killoran (45)
Niall Donovan (Arravale Rovers, Tipperary) for Daly (51)
Referee: Ciaran Branagan (Down)
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UCD hit four goals against UL to move closer to ending 20-year Sigerson Cup drought
UCD 4-12
UL 1-9
KILDARE STAR NIALL Kelly fired two goals as UCD hammered UL in the first Sigerson Cup semi-final in Belfast this afternoon.
Victory puts UCD in a final for the first time since 2003 and a chance to end their 20-year title drought in this competition.
A surprisingly one-sided contest today was over after 16 minutes with a star-studded Dublin outfit scoring the opening 2-5 without reply.
Tipperary’s Liam Casey scored a second minute goal and Laois’ Eoin Lowry ran through a porous Limerick defence to drill a rocket across the goalkeeper after 13 minutes.
Dublin star Paul Mannion hit two points from play, with Westmeath star John Heslin nailing four frees in the first-half.
Aidan Rowan finally got UL, who’d narrowly beaten Queen’s University in the quarter-finals, on the board with an 18th minute point as they trailed 2-5 to 0-1.
But it was temporary respite, Kildare’s Niall Kelly drilling home the first of his two goals in the 20th minute, helping John Divilly’s side lead by 3-9 to 0-2 at the break.
UL had the wind in the second half and with UCD running their bench they were at least able to make a better game of it after the break.
Kerry’s Brian O’Shea was on target from play and from dead balls, nailing a ’45′ and a free. Niall Kelly grabbed his second goal after intercepting a poor pass to the UL goalkeeper in the 48th minute.
Galway’s Ian Burke scored UL’s only goal in the 54th minute with a low left-footed finish but UCD ran out comfortable winners.
Scorers for UCD: Niall Kelly 2-0, John Heslin 0-5 (0-4f), Liam Casey, Eoin Lowry (one ’45′) 1-1 each, Paul Mannion 0-3 (0-1f), Conor McCarthy, Tommy Moolick 0-1 each.
Scorers for UL: Brian O’Shea 0-4 (0-1f, 0-1 ’45), Ian Burke 1-0, Daniel Daly 0-2, Aidan Rowan, Ruairi Deane, Kevin Moore (0-1f) 0-1 each.
UCD
Eoghan Keogh (Mountmellick, Laois)
Ryan Wylie (Ballybay, Monaghan)
David Hyland (Athy, Kildare)
Michael Fitzsimons (Cuala, Dublin)
Seán O’Dea (Kilteely-Dromkeen, Limerick)
David Byrne (St Olaf’s, Dublin)
Jack McCaffrey (Clontarf, Dublin)
Jack Barry (Na Gaeil, Kerry)
Liam Casey (Cahir, Tipperary)
Niall Kelly (Athy, Kildare)
James McEntee (Curraha, Meath)
Conor McCarthy (Scotstown, Monaghan)
John Heslin (St Loman’s Mullingar, Westmeath)
Eoin Lowry (Killeshin, Laois)
Paul Mannion (Kilmacud Crokes, Dublin)
Subs
Niall McInerney (St Brigid’s, Roscommon) for McCaffrey (15)
Stephen Coen (Hollymount-Carramore, Mayo) for Hyland (half-time)
Paul Kingston (Arles-Killeen, Laois) for McCarthy (HT)
Robert Carr (Newtown Blues, Louth) for Mannion (40)
Tommy Moolick (Leixlip, Kildare) for Kelly (51)
UL
Colm O’Driscoll (Castlehaven, Cork)
Eamonn Kiely (Brosna, Kerry)
Cathal Long (An Ghaeltacht, Kerry)
Patrick O’Connor (Dingle, Kerry)
Aidan Rowan (Cashel, Longford)
Denis Daly (St Mary’s, Kerry)
Fergal Boland (Aghamore, Mayo)
Gearoid Hegarty (St Patrick’s, Limerick)
Ruairi Deane (Bantry Blues, Cork)
Danny Neville (Ballysteen, Limerick)
Shane Killoran (Elphin, Roscommon)
Cian Sheehan (Newcastlewest, Limerick)
Ian Burke (Corofin, Galway)
Kevin Moore (Glin, Limerick)
Bryan O’Shea (Dr Crokes, Kerry)
Subs
David Larkin (Horeswood, Wexford) for Hegarty (20)
Paul White (Rathkeale, Limerick) for F Boland (22)
Luke Boland (Moyle Rovers, Tipperary) for Larkin (BC, 26)
James Naughton (St Senan’s, Limerick) for Moore (44)
Cian O’Dea (Kilfenora, Clare) for Killoran (45)
Niall Donovan (Arravale Rovers, Tipperary) for Daly (51)
Referee: Ciaran Branagan (Down)
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3 late fitness tests for Clare players and 7 ruled out for trip to face Wexford
Burke back in Galway defence for Dublin clash tomorrow night
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