UCC 0-19
Queens 3-10 AET
(UCC win 7-6 on penalties)
Paul Keane reports from Abbotstown
LUKE DONNELLY ENDURED contrasting fortunes in a rollercoaster Sigerson Cup encounter which ultimately went the way of 2019 champions UCC in Abbotstown, securing them the last quarter-final spot.
The Tyrone man initially hauled Queens back from the brink of defeat with a stunning hat-trick of goals in the final quarter of regular time, forcing extra-time.
Donnelly then stepped up again with a brilliant point from a long-range free in the 82nd minute of the game to ensure an epic Round 3 tie went to penalties.
He took on the responsibility again for Queens and was one of five players to successfully convert their kicks, meaning sudden death was required.
Cork senior Cathail O’Mahony, who’d earlier scored four points as a highly effective impact sub, converted UCC’s sixth penalty and Kerry’s Dylan Geaney their seventh.
Meanwhile, Oran Mallon converted Queens’ sixth of the shoot-out but Donnelly couldn’t keep the contest alive, wincing and dropping to the turf in agony as UCC goalkeeper Dylan Foley saved his shot.
UCC will feel they should have won it in regular time as they led Queens from the first score in the fourth minute until the 64th minute when another Donnelly, Rory, levelled it at 0-15 to 3-6 to necessitate extra-time.
It was some Queens comeback because UCC had led 0-12 to 0-4 approaching the final quarter but Luke Donnelly goals in the 45th, 49th – ironically from a penalty – and 57th minutes made a game of it again.
With two points between them, Rory Donnelly kicked back to back points to force the extra 20 minutes.
The same pattern played out in extra-time, UCC seizing the initiative with scores from sub O’Mahony, two, and Dylan Geaney, only to be reeled back in.
Penalties were eventually required and UCC held their nerve, converting seven from seven.
Elsewhere in the Sigerson this evening, UCD racked up seven goals as they dispatched the bookies’ pre-tournament favourites, Ulster University, in emphatic fashion.
UCD scored six of their goals in less than 40 minutes as they powered to a 7-8 to 3-10 win, with Monaghan’s David Garland bagging 3-3 and Daire Cregg scoring 2-2 for the Dublin side.
In the Fitzgibbon Cup hurling, University of Galway and DCU advanced at the expenses of SETU Waterford and Mary I respectively.
UCC scorers: Mark Cronin 0-7 (0-6f), Cathail O’Mahony 0-4, Dylan Geaney 0-4 (0-1f, 0-1m), Shane Merritt 0-1 (0-1f), Killian Falvey 0-1, Fionn Herlihy 0-1, Ruairi Murphy 0-1.
Queens scorers: Luke Donnelly 3-3 (0-3f), Rory Donnelly 0-3, Dan Higgins 0-2 (0-2f), Oran Mallon 0-1, Tiernan Bogue 0-1.
UCC (all Cork unless stated): Dylan Foley; Brian Murphy, Daniel O’Mahony, Damien Bourke (Kerry); Maurice Shanley, Ruairi Murphy (Kerry), Bill Curtin; Shane Merritt, Brian Hartnett; Jack Murphy, Fionn Herlihy, Killian Falvey (Kerry); Mark Cronin, Dylan Geaney (Kerry), Sean O’Connor (Tipperary).
Subs: Cathail O’Mahony for Herlihy (46); Sean Quilter (Kerry) for Falvey (57); Liam Wall for O’Connor (57). Michael O’Gara (Kerry) for Murphy (64), Rian Quigley (Tipperary) for Quilter (h/t e/t), Herlihy for Cronin (74),
Queens: Brian Cassidy (Derry); Diarmuid Baker (Derry), Lorcan McBride (Tyrone), Sean McCarthy (Armagh); Peter McGrane (Armagh), Matthew Murnagh (Tyrone), Rory Donnelly (Tyrone); Tiernan Bogue (Fermanagh), Callum O’Hare (Armagh); Kealan Friel (Derry), Patrick Finnegan (Antrim), Fintan Canavan (Down); Padraig Purcell (Dublin), Dan Higgins (Derry), Luke Donnelly (Tyrone).
Subs: Padraic Clancy (Down) for O’Hare (29); Oran Mallon (Tyrone) for Clancy (40); Brian Conway (Tyrone) for Murnaghan (43). James O’Hara (Down) for Canavan (69).
Referee: David Gough (Meath).
Results
Sigerson Cup
- UCC 0-19 Queen’s University Belfast 3-10 AET (UCC advance 7-6 on penalties), 7pm
- Ulster University 3-10 UCD 7-08
Fitzgibbon Cup
- University of Galway 2-23 SETU Waterford 1-13
- Mary Immaculate College Limerick 2-18 DCU 2-21
Leinster will definitely win but why stick with an out half who’s just plodding along? The 14 others make him look better than he is and I’d love to see Frawley in with this 1st choice team. Different animal entirely for an out half surrounded by highest quality.
Gotta feel for Ulster ….. getting their season back only to face Ireland now :(((
@Noel Lynn: I’d even prefer Jimmy O’Brien at ten, not exaggerating. It’s depressing.