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UCC's Tom Clancy and Ian Maguire with UUJ's Niall McKeever. ©INPHO/Presseye/Russell Pritchard

As it happened: UCC v UUJ, Sigerson Cup final

The third-level Gaelic football prize was up for grabs in Belfast this evening.

It was a repeat of the 2011 final today as the top third-level Gaelic football talent in the GAA faced off in Belfast.

Would UCC win their second title in four years or could Jordanstown claim the spoils?

As always, we’d love to hear your comments. Send them to fintan@thescore.ie, tweet them @TheScoreGAA, find us on Facebook, or leave a comment below.

Welcome along to our coverage of the 2014 Sigerson Cup final. It’s 2011 champions UCC against 2008 champions UUJ in a repeat of the 2011 final.

The big early teams news is that UCC will have to deal without Alan Cronin for today’s game. His appeal failed today against the sending-off in yesterday’s semi-final against NUI Maynooth.

Here’s how UCC won yesterday’s semi-final against NUI Maynooth with a 1-14 to 0-12 victory.

And here’s how Jordanstown won their semi-final last night against UCD by 1-12 to 0-7.

Here’s the UCC team named to start:

UCC: Brian Kelly (Kerry); David Culhane (Kerry), Eoin O’Mahony (Cork), Fergal McNamara (Kerry); Tom Clancy (Cork), Conor Dorman (Cork), Brian Shanahan (Cork); David Nation (Cork), Ian Maguire (Cork); Luke Connolly (Cork), Sean Keane (Kerry), Brian O’Driscoll (Cork); Conor Cox (Kerry), Michael Quinlivan (Tipperary), Paul Geaney (Kerry).

And here’s the Jordanstown team named to start:

UUJ: Rory Beggan (Monaghan); Barry Tierney (Tyrone), Chrissy McKaigue (Derry), Dean McNally (Tyrone); Luke Keaney (Donegal), Colin Walshe (Monaghan), Killian Clarke (Cavan); Matthew Donnelly (Tyrone), Nial McKeever (Antrim); Kieran Hughes (Monaghan), Ronan O’Neill (Tyrone), Danny Savage (Down); Jamie Clarke (Armagh), Caolan O’Boyle (Derry), Conor McAlliskey (Tyrone).

UCC make one change with Sean Keane in for the suspended Alan Cronin.

Cavan’s Joe McQuillan is the referee and we’re getting ready to start.

Early scoring chance for UCC but Michael Quinlivan drops the ball short into the hands of goalkeeper Rory Beggan.

And that’s followed up with David Culhane firing in a long-range shot for UCC that sees the ball float wide.

UCC 0-1 UUJ 0-0: 3 mins – UCC get off the mark with Conor Cox pointing after being fed with a fine pass from Tom Clancy.

UCC have a strong wind at their backs in the opening period. They nearly utilize it to grab a goal but Luke Connolly swings a left-foot shot wide of target.

Caolan O’Boyle misses UUJ’s first chance to grab a point as he shoots wide.

UUJ have a few chances to point but they’re struggling to judge the wind with O’Boyle, Jamie Clarke and Kieran Hughes all striking wides.

UCC0-2 UUJ 0-0: 11 mins – Conor Cox nails his first free of the night for UCC.

UUJ chalk up their fifth wide of the night, Kieran Hughes responsible on this occasion.

UCC desperately close to a goal when Paul Geaney’s point effort hangs in the air in front of the goal and Tipperary’s Michael Quinlivan gets on the end of it but fists the ball wide under pressure.

UCC 0-3 UUJ 0-0: 16 mins – Phenomenal long-range free from 45 yards by Conor Cox. His third and UCC’s third point of the game.

UCC 0-4 UUJ 0-0: 16 mins – Now UCC move into gear with Tom Clancy hooking over a left-foot shot after bursting onto a Paul Geaney pass.

Conor Cox shoots wide on this occasion from a free for UCC.

UCC’s defending has been excellent as they frustrate UUJ. Conor McAliskey has just hoofed a shot high and wide as UUJ still search for their first point of the game with 20 minutes having elapsed.

UCC 0-4 UUJ 0-1: 21 mins – Finally UUJ raise a white flag with Mattie Donnelly on the mark after being set up by Jamie Clarke.

UCC 0-5 UUJ 0-1: 23 mins – Conor Cox swings over another point from a free for UCC after Conor Dorman was hauled down.

UCC 0-5 UUJ 0-2: 25 mins – Foul by David Nation on Ronan O’Neill results in a free being awarded to UUJ. Kieran Hughes obliges for his side as the Monaghan man fires the ball between the posts.

Black card for UUJ’s Dean McNally for a foul on UCC’s Paul Geaney.

UCC 0-6 UUJ 0-2: 26 mins – Cox again on target as he curls over the free for UCC, this time off his left foot.

Karl McKaigue replaces McNally in the Jordanstown defence.

UCC so close to a goal but Paul Geaney’s rasping shot is diverted onto the bar by Rory Beggan.

Danny Savage with the latest wide for Jordanstown after a concerted period of pressure.

Half-Time: UCC 0-6 UUJ 0-2

UCC enjoying a four-point advantage at the interval in Belfast. They have been the stronger team in the opening period but they will face into the wind after the break.

Second-half is under way. Early wides by Kieran Hughes and Jamie Clarke for UUJ.

UCC 0-7 UUJ 0-2: 34 mins – Conor Cox is fouled and he dusts himself down to tap over the resultant free.

UCC 0-8 UUJ 0-2: 36 mins – UCC working the ball well against the wind and they engineer the opportunity for Luke Connolly to land a point.

Substitute: UCC change as Sean Kiely comes in for David Nation.

UCC 0-9 UUJ 0-2: 39 mins – And now UCC are seven points clear with Michael Quinlivan lobbing over a point. Goal on it seemed but the Tipperary man was happy with a point.

UUJ’s accuracy deserting them with Rory Beggan missing a free and then Danny Savage missing from play.

UCC 0-9 UUJ 0-3: 44 mins – Tyrone’s Conor McAliskey cuts the gap by notching a point for UUJ.

Substitute: Paul Devlin is on for UUJ instead of Danny Savage.

Substitute: Eoin Healy comes into the UCC team for Sean Keane.

UCC 0-9 UUJ 0-4: 47 mins – Kieran Hughes taps over a free for UUJ.

UCC 0-9 UUJ 0-5: 51 mins – Ronan O’Neill curls over a free for UUJ. Just four points in it as we enter the closing stages.

UCC 0-9 UUJ 0-6: 53 mins – Now the gap is down to three with Ronan O’Neill banging over a point from play.

Substitute: Richard Donnelly on for Conor McAliskey for UUJ.

UCC 0-9 UUJ 0-7: 55 mins -Rory Beggan holds his nerve to convert a ’45 and UUJ are right back in this game.

UCC 0-9 UUJ 0-8: 56 mins – All the momentum is with UUJ as Ronan O’Neill fires over a free to cut the gap to the minimum.

Free in for UCC but Conor Cox’s difficult effort into the wind goes wide. Two minutes remaining, UCC ahead by a point.

UCC 0-9 UUJ 0-9: 58 mins – Ronan O’Neill brings the teams level with a stunning long-range point.

UCC 0-10 UUJ 0-9: 59 mins – Conor Dorman puts UCC ahead with a vital point.

Full-Time: UCC 0-10 UUJ 0-9

Incredible victory for UCC. They had conceded six points on the trot but Dorman intervened with the winning point after a cross field pass from Conor Cox.

A second Sigerson Cup title in four years for UCC under the management of Billy Morgan and both those titles have come with final wins over UUJ.

Congratulations to UCC and thanks for joining us this evening.

Jordanstown claim eight point victory over UCD in Sigerson Cup semi-final

13-man UCC see off NUI Maynooth to reach Sigerson Cup final

Author
Fintan O'Toole
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