Sigerson Cup semi-final

DCU 0-14 Ulster University 0-10 AET

By Michael McMullan
at Kingspan Breffni

ULSTER University’s reign as Sigerson champions is over after their extra-time defeat at the hands of DCU on Thursday night.

It was an Ulster thorn in their side, in the form of Donegal’s Johnny McGroddy. The Downing’s man came off the bench to add some spark to the Dublin side.

He landed the final score of normal time before kicking three more as DCU turned the tables in the extra-time.

Barry Dillon’s side were marginally the better team over the first hour and will rue a series of balls dropped short in when they had control of the game.

With one minute of normal time remaining, they retained possession into the fourth minute of stoppage time but Eoin McElholm’s late free went wide of the posts.

After missing two early chances to pull ahead, UU were punished when Darragh Swords fisted DCU into the lead for the first time.

Ciarán Daly won three kick-outs in a row but DCU’s half-back line turned over possession with McGroddy hitting points on the breakaway to turn the game.

UU settled quicker with Ronan McCaffrey firing over one of two sweet first half points.

Luke Marren’s equaliser, also outside the 40-metre arc, would have been a two-pointer under the new rules.

Lorcan McGarrity had a shot parried over by ‘keeper McGuinness as the Ulster team took control.

They were controlled in everything they did with Danny Magill’s curler putting them two up before he won a shanked DCU kick-out before Eoin McElholm made it 0-4 to 0-1 after 20 minutes.

DCU did had a goal chance when Niall Dolan raced inside but his shot went wide with space to have taken the ball further in.

Josh Largo Elis took UU’s tally to five after a neat passage of play from their Tyrone trio of Ciarán Daly, McElholm and McGarrity

DCU hit four points in six minutes to level the game. They closed in on the kick-out with Luke Marren and Conor Dolan all on target before McCaffrey kicked UU into a 0-6 to 0-5 interval lead.

The Dubs were level with a Luke Marren point after UU had left two shots short to the goalkeeper.

In a second half stalemate Charlie Diamond and Ethan Dunne kicked the two best scores back-to-back but there was never more than a point between the teams.

DCU introduced Lorcan O’Dell who got little change out of Eoin McEvoy, with the Derry mad nicking a point late on.

McElholm put Ulster ahead but Johnny McGroddy hit the last score of normal time in the 56^th minute.

UU kept the ball for almost five minutes at the end before eventually engineering a free but when McElholm pulled it wide from a narrow angle, the game went to extra time.

After two UU wides, Darragh Swords fisted DCU ahead for the first time (0-9 to 0-8) as their half back line repelled the Ulster attacks.

Daly won two UU kick-outs but turnovers led to scores at the other end, the lively McGroddy pointing twice on the way to a 0-12 to 0-8 half time

With three points between the sides, UU went long in search of a goal. When DCU scrambled after Ben Cullen lobbed the ball in, McGroddy finished with the insurance point seconds later.

SCORERS:

DCU: L Marren (2f), J McGroddy 0-4 each, C Caulfield 0-2, C Dolan, E Dunne, A Gavin and D Swords 0-1 each

UU: R McCaffrey 0-2, E McElholm 0-2, E McEvoy, L McGarrity, C Diamond, D Magill, D Fullerton and J Largo Elis 0-1 each

TEAMS:

DCU: E McGuinness; E O’Connor Flanagan, A Gavin, B Masterson; L Deignan, R Gallagher, C Caulfield; G McEnaney, E Dunne; C Heffernan, R Donoghue, C Dolan; L Marren, N Dolan, T Prior
Subs: L O’Dell for Donoghue (36), E Ward for Deignan (40), D Swords for N Dolan (45), J McGroddy for C Dolan (52), L Glennon for McEnaney (INJ 59), J Tumulty for Marren (65), D Joyce for Masterson (HT ET), E Smith for Prior (80), E Crowe for Gavin (INJ 72)

UU: R McGeehin; L Kelly, F O’Brien; R Magill; J Largo Elis, E McEvoy, D Magill; O Murdock, R McCaffrey, O McCann; C Diamond, L McGarrity, C Daly; E McElholm, C Cush
Subs: E Brown for McCann (46), D Fullerton for McGarrity (52), C O’Neill for Cush (56), B Cullen for R Magill (59), E Mulholland for D Magill (HT ET), S Carr for Largo Elis (76)

Referee: N Mooney (Cavan)