Ulster University into Sigerson Cup quarter-finals after win over MTU Cork
Second-half comeback in Abbotstown good enough for northern side
Electric Ireland Sigerson Cup round three Ulster University 1-16 MTU Cork 2-7
ULSTER University produced a superb second-half display against MTU Cork last night to book their place in the quarter-final of the Sigerson Cup.
Two points adrift at the break, the northerners outscored their Leeside counterparts 0-10 to 0-2 on the resumption to ultimately ease their way over the line.
Conor Cush and Ben McCarron registered a combined tally of nine points to supplement an opening period goal from Niall Loughlin, while Tyrone attacker Darragh Canavan chipped in with an impressive 0-3 after being introduced as a half-time substitute.
Ryan O’Donovan and Jack Cahalane had excelled for MTU Cork prior to the interval, but with their defence tightening up considerably either side of the third-quarter mark, Ulster University emerged as worthy winners in the end.
Having begun their Sigerson campaign for 2024 with an impressive opening round win over last year’s champions UCC – a game that also took place in Abbotstown – Ulster University subsequently suffered a second-round reversal away to UCD nine days ago.
This fixture presented them with another opportunity to make the last eight of the competition, but they were coming up against an MTU Cork side that had reignited their challenge by overcoming ATU Donegal.
Ulster University had endured a difficult opening to that recent clash with UCC and found themselves chasing the game on their return to this Dublin venue. Although it was an initially cagey encounter, MTU bagged two goals in less than 60 seconds to establish a 2-2 to 0-1 cushion by the 11th minute.
After O’Donovan had coolly slotted a penalty beyond the reach of opposition netminder Ronan McGeehin, his inside partner Cahalane immediately followed up with an outstanding strike into the roof of the net.
While it was looking ominous for Ulster University at this stage, they came roaring back into the contest. Supplementing a Cush mark, Loughlin offered his side fresh impetus by rifling a shot into the bottom right-hand corner on 16 minutes.
Sensing that the game was now there for the taking, Ulster University cancelled out MTU’s advantage courtesy of unanswered scores by McCarron, Charlie Diamond and Cush.
O’Donovan did find the target either side of a McCarron free to give MTU Cork a 2-5 to 1-6 interval buffer, but Ulster University were well in contention when the action resumed.
Even though MTU pulled three points in front after Buckley and O’Donovan pointed in response to another McCarron free, Ulster University proceeded to flex their muscles and assumed total domination for the remainder of the action.
Canavan knocked over a fine point from play on the stroke of 40 minutes and when Cush converted a brace of tricky frees from distance to edge Ulster University into the ascendancy for the very first time, there was no looking back.
Canavan was joined off the bench by his brother Ruairi and Peadar Og McCartan to provide a fresh look to the northerners around the middle-third and, despite starting the game with great intent, MTU Cork were now struggling to impose themselves in attack.
Ulster University, on the other hand, were playing with extreme confidence and thanks to consecutive points by McCartan, McCarron, Cush, Diamond and Darragh Canavan, they convincingly advanced to the next phase of the Sigerson Cup.
Ulster University R McGeehin; E Magee, D Curran, R Magill; C Diamond (0-2), R McCaffrey, R Boyle; B McCarron (0-4, 2f), J Largo-Ellis; C Daly, J Cunningham, S Donaghy; C Cush (0-5, 3f, 1 mark), O McCann, N Loughlin (1-1)
Subs P Og McCartan (0-1) for Curran, D Canavan (0-3, 2f) for Cunningham (both h-t), R Canavan for Daly (52), E Brown for Largo-Ellis (58), D Fullerton for Loughlin (61)
MTU Cork R Cashman; D Cronin, T Walsh, M Casey; B Thompson, S Brady, S Andrews; J Cooper, L Smith; S Dore, D Buckley (0-2, 2f), C O’Neill; R O’Donovan (1-5, 1-0 pen, 0-2 mark), A Walsh, J Cahalane (1-0)
Subs D Dunwoody for Cooper (44), K O’Driscoll for O’Neill (45), C O’Donovan for Dore (48), D O’Connor for Cahalane (57), D O’Dwyer for Thompson (58)
Referee D Gough (Meath)