Despite being four points in front at the break after playing with a strong breeze, UCD lost captain Kieran Kennedy to a red card following an off-the-ball incident in the 22nd-minute. John Divilly’s charges subsequently found themselves under pressure when Ulster University reduced the gap to a minimum on the resumption, but the south Dubliners weather this storm with a superb final-quarter display that included a stoppage-time goal from Donncha Gilmore.

Although the hosts progress into the last-eight as a result of their victory in this game, Ulster University will have an opportunity to reignite their campaign in a forthcoming clash against a Round 2B winner.

Thanks to unanswered points courtesy of full-forward Diarmuid Moriarty, Garland and Roscommon’s Cregg, UCD hit the ground running amidst bitterly cold conditions on their home patch. Yet Ulster University came into this game on the back of an excellent win over defending champions UCD and eventually settled with the help of quickfire scores from Ruairi Canavan (free) and wing-back Peter Og McCartan.

Garland and Ulster University attacker Conor Cush went on to trade white flags, before Kennedy was sent off in the direct aftermath of Cregg’s second point of the proceedings. This looked like being a significant set-back for UCD, but Liam Smith and Aaron Lynch were on target to ensure they were 0-7 to 0-3 ahead at the interval.

Ulster University were still very much in the reckoning, however, and three points in the space of four minutes by Dara Curran, Ronan McCaffrey and Ben McCarron offered them considerable momentum.

UCD initially found scores harder to come by facing into the wind, but there was no sense of panic within their ranks. They eventually opened their second half account through a pointed Cregg free on 48 minutes and this served as a catalyst for the 34-time champions to regain control of the tie.

Supplementing a 0-2 salvo from Garland, Peter Duffy, Cregg (his fourth) and Ronan O’Toole split the uprights in clinical fashion. Additional points from McCarron and McCartan were all that Ulster University could muster in the closing stages and when Gilmore was released on goal by Garland in the 62nd minute, he fired convincingly to the net to ease UCD over the line.

Scorers for UCD: D Garland (0-4, 1f), D Cregg (0-4, 2f), D Gilmore (1-0), L Smith, P Duffy, A Lynch, D Moriarty, R O’Toole (0-1 each).

Scorers for Ulster University: B McCarron (0-2, 1f), P Og McCartan 0-2, R Canavan (f), C Cush (‘45’), D Curran, R McCaffrey (0-1 each).

UCD: K Roche; L Smith, R Brickenden, D McElearney; K Kennedy, S Callinan, S Coffey; P Duffy, J Lynam; D Gilmore, D Cregg, L Breathnach; A Lynch, D Moriarty, D Garland.

Subs: S Forker for Lynch (h-t), C Egan for Moriarty (34), R O’Toole for Breathnach (44), B McNulty for Duffy (55), C Kinsella for Cregg (62).

ULSTER UNIVERSITY: R McGeehin; D Curran, R Boyle, S Donaghy; J Largo-Ellis, R Magill, P Og McCartan; R McCaffrey, O McCann; B McCarron, R Canavan, C Cush; D Fullerton, N Loughlin, C Diamond.

Subs: D Canavan for Fullerton (36), C Daly for Donaghy (55), J Cunningham for R Canavan (58).

Referee: A Smith (Meath).