Electric Ireland Sigerson Cup round three MTU Cork 0-8 Ulster University 2-11
UU turn it on to book quarter-final spot
BY DAIRE WALSH
ULSTER University booked their place in the quarter-finals of the Sigerson Cup with an excellent victory over MTU Cork at the National Games Development Centre in Abbotstown last night.
In front for the virtually the whole game, the Jordanstown men opened the floodgates in the second period with goals from Niall Loughlin and Ryan Jones to ultimately ease their way into the next phase of the competition. Even though tougher assignments may lie in wait, on the basis of their display in this game, it will take a good side to halt their quest for third-level supremacy.
Playing for the first time since their opening round defeat to NUIG, Ulster University broke the deadlock with a point from marauding defender Michael Gallagher.
MTU fired back immediately with a spectacular effort from corner-forward Dylan O’Connor, only for their northern counterparts to reassert themselves with back-to-back contributions courtesy of Michael McGleenan and Ruairi Slane.
Although David Buckley briefly helped MTU to settle at the opposite end, the northern college continued to attack with supreme confidence. Ruairi Gormley and Loughlin raised white flags, while McGleenan was unfortunate to see his rasping shot floating just past the target.
Having survived this scare, MTU narrowed the gap to two with another superb point from Cork star Buckley.
Derry forward Loughlin further underlined his credentials by converting a ’45’ in clinical style on 22 minutes. Mark McKearney also added his name to the scoresheet before Buckley’s close-range free meant Ulster University had to be content with a 0-7 to 0-4 cushion at the interval.
Scores were hard to come by for much of the first half and this initially continued to be the case when the play resumed. The dependable Buckley had his coolly-struck free cancelled out by Andrew Gilmore, ensuring the gap remained at three points in the 44th-minute.
If Ulster University had lacked finesse in front of goal up to this point, they well in truly discovered their Midas touch in the closing minutes of the action. Following some intricate build-up play inside the opposition ’45’, Loughlin fired ruthlessly beyond the reach of MTU Cork netminder Ryan Scully for a potentially game-changing three-pointer.
This threw down the gauntlet to their Munster rivals, who were previously known as Cork IT prior to their 2021 merger with Tralee IT. An O’Connor ’45’ offered them a glimmer of hope, but Ulster University were determined not to let a golden opportunity slip from their grasp.
Supplementing a point from fellow substitute Liam Nugent, Jones crept forward on the stroke of 50 minutes to effectively place the outcome beyond all doubt.
Nugent did his selection chances no harm with a brace of points in the dying embers and Ulster University will now feel momentum is on their side heading into the business end of the competition.
MATCH STATS
Ulster University: O Lynch; R Jones, F McElroy, A Clarke; M McKearney (0-1), M McKernan, M Gallagher (0-1); T Galligan, R Gormley (0-1); T Close, M McGleenan (0-1), K Gallagher; A Gilmore (0-1, 1f), N Loughlin (1-2, 0-1 ’45’), R Slane (0-1).
Subs: L Nugent (0-3) for Close (36), D Mulgrew for Gormley (42), S Loughran (1-0) for Gilmore (45), D McEnhill for McKernan (52), R Beatty for Loughlin (54).
MTU Cork: R Scully; P Ring, A Behan, A Murphy; C O’Shea, J Cooper, A Whelton; R Maguire, C Donovan; C O’Donoghue, D Buckley (0-5, 2f), C Kennedy; B Hodnett, D O’Connell, D O’Connor (0-2, 1 ’45’).
Subs: G O’Brien for Behan (37), F Murphy for O’Donovan (45), D O’Connor for O’Connell (46), T Casey for Whelton (50), D O’Leary for O’Shea (54).
Referee: D Gough (Meath).