Premier SFC: Duhallow defeat UCC to advance to the quarter-finals
Jack Curtin, Duhallow, in action against UCC in the Divisions/Colleges section final. Picture: Larry Cummins
DUHALLOW defeated UCC in the final of the Bon Secours Hospital Premier SFC Divisions/Colleges section at Páirc Uí Rinn on Sunday evening.
This was a repeat of the 2021 final when Duhallow won by two points and it was the team in orange and black who once again came out on top and in the process qualified for the quarter-finals of the championship proper.
UCC were aided by the wind in the first half, but it was Duhallow, buoyed after their late win over Carbery last Thursday, that were fast out of the traps with a point after 33 seconds from Seamus Hickey. That was quickly followed by a beauty of a point from Donncha O’Connor. UCC hit their first point after four minutes courtesy of a Seán O’Connor effort.
The north-western division were close to netting a goal after five minutes, Gerry O’Sullivan’s goal-bound shot was magnificently blocked by Evan Dodd. The sides traded points before O’Connor pushed Duhallow two points clear, another well-worked move from Ger O’Sullivan’s team, 0-4 to 0-2 after nine minutes.
Conor O’Callaghan pointed for Duhallow until Killian Falvey and Rian Quigley raised white flags for the College to leave just a point between the teams after 15 minutes, 0-5 to 0-4. The sides exchanged points before Duhallow’s Daniel Buckley blocked Liam Wall’s goal-bound effort after 20 minutes. A minute later, Buckley blocked another great goal opportunity for UCC, this time denying Aidan Crowley.
Two O’Connor frees and a Luke Murphy effort pushed Duhallow 0-9 to 0-5 ahead after 28 minutes. UCC kicked two of the last three points of the half as they trailed 0-10 to 0-7 at half-time.
Duhallow were now aided by the wind in the second half, and they had a great goal chance a minute into the new half, but Murphy’s tame effort was straight at UCC goalkeeper Austin Murphy. An O’Connor free pushed his side four points clear. Another goal chance went begging for UCC, Crowley had the goal at his mercy but sliced his effort wide. The goal chances kept on coming this time it was Duhallow to have a go but sub Danny Linehan missed the target when it looked like he was going to rattle the back of the net.
The first green flag finally arrived and it came for Duhallow through a tidy finish from Mikey McAuliffe, 1-11 to 0-7 after 40 minutes. Falvey got UCC’s first score of the second half through a point before the impressive Murphy raised a white flag for the team in orange and black, 1-12 to 0-8 with 15 minutes remaining.
UCC kept plugging away as they kicked two of the next three points, 1-13 to 0-10 after 50 minutes. McAuliffe put clear daylight between the sides with his second goal, another great finish, 2-13 to 0-10 after 52 minutes. UCC never wilted and four points on the trot brought it down to five points a minute into injury-time.
Fittingly, the impressive Murphy got the last score with a close-range point for Duhallow as they advance to the championship proper.
D O’Connor 0-6 (0-4 f), M McAuliffe 2-0, L Murphy 0-4, G O’Sullivan 0-2, C O’Callaghan, S Hickey 0-1 each.
S O’Conor 0-4 (0-3 f), R Quigley, K Falvey 0-3 each, I Jennings, A Crowley, J O’Mullane, C Ó Beaglaoich 0-1 each.
F O’Connor (Cullen); S Curtin (Rockchapel), K Cremin (Boherbue, Joint-Capt), D Buckley (Boherbue); B O’Keeffe (Dromtarriffe), J Murphy (Dromtarriffe), D Cashman (Millstreet); C O’Callaghan (Dromtarriffe), S Hickey (Rockchapel); E Murphy (Dromtarriffe), D O’Connor (Ballydesmond, Joint-Capt), L Murphy (Cullen); G O’Sullivan (Boherbue), J Curtin (Rockchapel), M McAuliffe (Rockchapel).
D Linehan (Castlemagner) for J Murphy (h-t), L Moynihan (Boherbue) for E Murphy (45), A Buckley (Dromtarriffe) for J Curtin (55), B Carroll (Rockchapel) for M McAuliffe (58).
A Murphy (Renard, Kerry); J Rosales (Castletownbere), B Curtin (Kilshannig), O Fitzgerald (Gneeveguilla, Kerry); D Bourke (Na Gaeil, Kerry), S Desmond (Clondrohid), J O’Mullane (Kilmurry); T Ó hAiniféin (Na Gaeil, Kerry), E Dodd (Canovee); D Holland (Argideen Rangers), L Wall (Kilmurry, Capt), R Quigley (Moyle Rovers, Tipperary); A Crowley (Templenoe, Kerry), K Falvey (Annascaul, Kerry), S O’Connor (Clonmel Commercials, Tipperary).
I Jennings (Kilmacabea) for E Dodd (17), C Ó Beaglaoich (An Ghaelthact, Kerry) for S Desmond (h-t), D Desmond (Ballymartle) for B Curtin (48), C O’Sullivan (Kilshannig) for T Ó hAiniféin (54), T Cunningham (Kilshannig) for A Crowley (59).
James Regan (Lough Rovers).
App?
