Sigerson UL vs UCC (CT)

 University of Limerick 1-11

University College Cork 0-17

Eoin Horkan 

Croke Park 

It was a historic night for UL as they brought the Sigerson cup back down to Shannonside for the first time in their history 

It was a perfect start to this final in GAA HQ for UL as they raced into an early two point lead as Ciaran Collins and Castlebar’s Sean Morohan found their range early on. The tie was level minutes later as the Kerry duo of Cormac Dillon and Ruairí Murphy slotted over.

The Limerick based school managed to pull away before the tenth minute with captain Brian McNamara driving through to grab the lead again. This was added two by Collins and then top scorer Cian McHale got his opening score of the night.

This is where UL started to dominate with more scores from the boot of Cathal Ryan before Ballina’s  Frank Irwin got in on  the act. The opposition finally managed to stem the tie as Ciaran Santry opened his account for the day.

The last ten minutes of the half produced goal chances for Irwin and Mchale but both were well defended by UCC. A Cathal Brosnan was canceled out down the far end this was before Conall Dawson split the post. This looked like the end of the scoring but Cork had other  ideas as a Daly free followed by an opportunistic goal from Santry had the tie level at the break.

Two early UL frees from that man McHale in between a sublime 

Tom Cunningham's score had them up by one six minutes into the half. It was the tale of the sharpshooters as Daly had the opposition level within a minute.

Both sides squandered goal chances in the opening few minutes as Emmet Daly’s effort was well kept out before Irwin broke through and his strike was saved at a comfortable height. 

The tournament's top scorer’s McHale and Daly traded scores with the Moy Davitt’s man adding two more to his tally with that cultured  left foot.

The final quarter saw both sides empty their benches as legs were beginning to show in the Croke park night. Another effort from Kerry senior Brosanan had a goal between the sides. Then UL substitute Daithí Hogan who was very lively when he came off the bench doubled his account alongside another Ryan effort. The opposition did manage a forty-five through the goal keeper before a final effort from  Dillon and substitute Olan Corcoran.

UL brought home the Sigerson cup for the first time in their history with eleven Mayo players in the squad nine on the night as Eoin McGreal and Cathal Keavney were both omitted due to injuries.

UL;Tristan O’Callaghan;Tommy Walsh,Thomas Ross,Ben Dempsey;Paddy O’Driscoll,Sean Morohan(0-1),Charlie King;Brian McNamara(0-1),Ciaran Collins(0-2):Conall Dawson(0-1),Jack McCabe,Cathal Ryan(0-2);Cathal Brosnan(0-2),Cian McHale(0-5 2fs),Frank Irwin(0-1)

 Subs Used:Thomas O'Donnell for Frank Irwin, DaithÍ Hogan(0-2) for Jack McCabe. Hugh O’Loughlin for Cathal Brosnan, Jack Melvin for Ben Dempsey, Cillian Cambell for Ciaran Collins 

UCC:Austin Murphy(0-1 45);Dan Peet;Jacob O’Driscoll,Darragh O’Connor ;Liam Evans ,Colin Molloy,Chris Keneally;Michael McSweeney(0-1),Tom Cunningham(0-1);Ruairí Murphy(0-1),Emmet Daly,James Horgan;Cormac Dillon(0-2 1f),Conor Daly(0-3 2f),Ciaran Santry(1-1).

Subs Used:Donnacha Desmond for James Horgan. Thomas O’Mahony for Chris Keneally, Olan Corcoran(0-1) for Emmet Daly, David Buckley for Conor Daly, Gary Holland Micheal McSweeney

Referee:Brendan Cawley