Queens University 1
UCD 2
John Hudson reports from Oriel Park
TEN-MAN UCD managed to hold on to their two-goal first-half lead despite going a man down and Queens University halving the deficit after the break to capture the Irish Universities Collingwood Cup for the 48th occasion in today’s final at Oriel Park.
The game had barely kicked off when UCD struck for the opening goal, timed at 35 seconds. Midfielder Rossa McAllister fired in the stunning drive from the edge of the box after a beautiful Ciaran Behan pass set him up.
Behan then went on to hit a couple of dangerous efforts from distance that just skimmed the Queens crossbar and Tobi Jinad stuck the side netting as the Belfield side were well in control and looked very capable of stretching the lead.
It was no surprise then when Adreas Djuruus headed in the UCD second goal off the underside of the crossbar from an Adam Lennon corner on 33 minutes.
Queens did test Lorcan Healy with shots from Ronan Young and Lorcan McIlroy but the UCD ‘keeper did well to hold on to both.
The second half began in a similar fashion to the first and Behan fed Djuruus but Conan Doherty made a smart save.
Shortly after, the UCD striker picked up a second yellow card after a foul on Smith and received his marching orders from referee Eddie Reilly.
After that blow UCD were forced to defend for a period as Queens seized the chance to get back into the game.
On 67 minutes, McIlroy chased a long ball into the UCD area and cleverly managed to hook it over the advancing Healy and despite Eoin Farrell’s effort to clear the ball, it bounded into the net.
UCD introduced first-team players Liam Kerrigan and Colm Whelan but they got few chances as the Belfield side were mostly on the back foot, with Matty Scott dominating in midfield and Michael Gallagher and Gearoid Mulligan playing key roles in central defence.
Queens never really looked capable of an equaliser, and despite eight minutes of time added on UCD held on to claim their 48th Collingwood Cup, while Queens must wait another year to get their hands on the coveted trophy which they last won in 1985.
Queens University Belfast: Conan Doherty; Matthew Thomas Smith (Eoin Brown, 58) Leon Bonnes, Dan Mairs (Sean Og Gallagher 53), Matt Doherty (Lewis Hunter, 75); Michael Glynn, Adam Green; Tomas Matthews (John Denny, 85), Ronan Young, Daylen Farren; Lorcan McIlroy.
UCD: Lorcan Healy; Eoin Farrell, Michael Gallagher, Gearoid Mulligan, Michael McHugh; Matthew Scott. Rossa McAllister (Adam Verdon, HT) (Isaac Akinsette, 70); Adam Lennon (Liam Kerrigan, 70), Ciaran Behan, Tobi Jinad (Colm Whelan, 70); Adreas Djuruus.
Referee: Eddie Reilly.
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Munster are looking good.!.
@Locojoe: They really are starting to look very good. I’d expect a but win and five points and would fancy them to run Castres close in France.
I see Joey is trying out the new invisible skipping rope. They have it all down in Munster.
@DeShawn Jersey:
Carbery, “Gee whizz I’m going to be playing next to Conor Murray”
Murray, “Here we go again”
Should be a pretty strong team picked today. Barring injury at 15 the only number I’m not sure of is 12. He could go with scannell or blyendaal there with the other covering the bench. Looking forward to seeing carbery in the middle of Murray and Farrell. Also looking forward to seeing loughman and what he can do in a big game against a good side. I’d expect a munster win by about 10 points I think.
@Jim Demps: Loughman is a good losehead he just wasn’t going to make it as a tighthead. He was right to leave, now with Cronin being injured he has a real chance to progress his career. Just hope he doesn’t end up going to the world cup with the US as that would rule him out long term for Munster.
@Jim Demps: Scannell starts. He might not be that highly rated, but in the last 3/4 years he has made that 12 jersey his own under successive coaches.
@Darren Byrne: I dont think loughman will be lining out for the states. He must be firmly on the radar of the Irish management for the future given that Healy, McGrath, kilcoyne and cronin are all in and around the same age and around the 30 mark now
@Jim Demps: guessing Blyendaal on bench to cover 12, Scannell to start( left foot), team kinda picks itself after that. Butterflies starting, can see Murray Carbery axis being what has been missing. Leinster have Jonnie, but Conor and Joey trump even him. 3 more sleeps.
There’s a Heineken cup or two in this young and developing squad.
@Paul O’Connor: naw, nobody is going to beat Leinster this side of the World Cup in France.
2nd row selection will be interesting in the absence of Jean Kleyn.
@retsnuM: Surely Holland comes in and Wycherley takes the bench spot, as he seems to have jumped O’Shea in the pecking. In terms of locks we are a little light. DOC2 could cover but he is injured, maybe POM can cover in a crisis. Definitely an area we need more depth.
@Johnny 5: well there is a certain Tipperary man out of contract in Paris this summer…
@Johnny 5: I agree re Holland and Wycherley but I seem to remember that O’Shea looked good recently – including in the heavy going in Zebre, I think. I really hope that he develops into Munster’s Devin Toner – he’s only an inch shorter that Dev, is still only 25 (26 next week) and has good players and coaches to learn from. Maybe uber-tall players take a bit longer to develop. As we know, 6-9 / 6-10 comfort blankets are very handy in the line-out for provinces and Ireland.
@Glenbower: I don’t doubt it’s possible and he has all the physical attibutes required, but he is back 2 years and looks like he is moving backwards in the pecking order. It’s not like lock is very competitive spot for Munster at the moment. He is competing with Holland (33 and without the physical attibutes to be top level lock) and Wycherley (only 20), O’Shea should really be pushing on and playing games if he is going to make it.
@Niall Collins: that would be great, but considering we couldn’t afford to keep him 2 years ago, and he has spent the last 2 years tearing up trees in Paris it’s hard to imagine him coming back. Plus the carrot of playing for Ireland at the RWC isn’t even guaranteed if he returned with the emergence of James Ryan and Beirne since he left
@retsnuM: Big Billy & Tadgh
Looking forward to this pairing. Suspect Cooney – Carbery might make for a fine combination as well though.