Maher ends Maynooth resistance
UCD 1-13
Maynooth Univ 0-10
UCD were made to work hard at Belfield before booking their place in the quarter-finals.
In difficult conditions, Maynooth had opened the scoring with a free from Paul Winters, but unanswered points from Jack O’Connor, Oisin O’Rorke (two) and James Maher gave Nicky English’s hosts a 0-4 to 0-1 lead, despite missing a series of chances, and Ciaran Prendergast’s goal helped them to a 1-7 to 0-2 interval advantage.
Maynooth responded with a five-point salvo – including four points from the magnificent Winters – to ask serious questions of their much-fancied opponents.
The UCD nerves were settled by points from Podge Guinan and O’Rorke, but Niall Kenny cut the deficit to four points to give Liam Hogan’s men a fighting chance.
However, UCD finished strongly with points from Maher (two), Guinan and O’Rorke, and will now face IT Carlow in the last eight.
scorers – UCD: O O’Rourke (4fs), J Maher 0-4 each, C Prendergast 1-0, P Guinan 0-2, S Moran (f), E Conroy, J O’Connor 0-1 each. Maynooth Univ: P Winters 0-8 (6fs), D Burke, N Kenny 0-1 each.
UCD – D Holohan; P Hannon, S Murphy, E Conroy; C McGabhann, J Madden, C O’Shea; C O’Callaghan, S Moran; J Maher, J O’Connor, P Guinan; R King, O O’Rorke, C Prendergast. Subs: T O’Leary for Prendergast (39), H Lawlor for Conroy (43), C Keane for King (52), C Devitt for Moran (58).
Maynooth University – R Fitzgerald; C Breen, E McLoughlin, M Campion; D Hennessy, P Deegan, T Stafford; K Sheridan, R Donohoe; D Burke, P Winters, B Molloy; E Kenny, A Gleeson, N Kenny. Subs: D Sweeney for Molloy (18), M Ryan for Sweeney (h-t).
Ref – A Kelly (Galway)