Sigerson champs bow out to UCD visitors

University College Dublin 1-14

By Mike Rafferty in Dangan

In a game that was there for the taking, University of Galway let it slide away in the latter stages as the reigning champions exited the Sigerson Cup at the quarter-final stage in Dangan on Wednesday night.

In a calm evening on the shores of the Corrib, it was the home side who enjoyed supremacy in the opening half and aided by a Ryan O'Donoghue goal, University of Galway enjoyed a two point interval advantage. They continued to match the Dublin visitors for the third quarter, but also let a lot of scores go abegging.

Galway's last score of the game came on 50 minutes, but thereafter UCD took over as they scored 1-5 in the closing stages to advance to a semi-final meeting with UL with a bit to spare. With the Mayo duo of Tommy Conroy and Ryan O'Donoghue in attack alongside the Galway pair of Liam Ó Conghaile and Cillian Ó Curraoin, the scoring potential was there for a home success, but a two point contribution from play was a poor reward for a side with such an attacking threat.

It was Ó Curraoin who opened the home account following a mark, before UCD responded as Daire Cregg, Aaron Lynch and Jonathan Lynam all found the range. Ó Curraoin slotted over a free in reply, before University of Galway struck for a goal on 16 minutes.

A swift attack saw the ball go through a number of hands before O'Donoghue took possession and calmly slotted past Killian Roche to put them 1-2 to 0-3 ahead. O'Curraoin added another from a placed ball as the home side opened up a three point gap.

UCD went through a barren 25 minute spell between scores and while they enjoyed plenty of possession, they struggled to get shots away as a solid defensive structure aided by retreating attackers made life difficult for the pre-match favourites.

Pictured: University of Galway's Cian Monaghan is chased by UCD’s Liam Smith and Sean Coffey during the Sigerson Cup Quarter-Final in Dangan last Wednesday. Photo: Mike Shaughnessy