Reigning Sigerson Cup champions University of Ulster are into the last-eight of this year’s competition but they were pushed to the wire by University of Limerick, with a late block by Danny Magill proving to be the crucial play in stoppage time.
Conor Cush was the star forward on display between the two sides and he kicked a couple of early points to put the Ulster side into a strong position on a pristine playing surface in Abbotstown.
However, they failed to capitalise on their marked supremacy when it came to possession, and a couple of outstanding points from Darragh Cashman left UL 0-6 to 0-5 to the good at the interval.
Neither side caught fire in the third quarter but the game was fired into life when Pádraig White’s first play saw him fire a long-range shot off the upright, and Jack McCabe was on hand to hit the net from the rebound.
UU had just three minutes to wait before they replied in kind, Cush sliding a low shot underneath goalkeeper Billy Hogan from close range, and the champions had the chances to close it out from there.
Two shots dropped short and another two wides left the contest in the balance, however, and when Conal Dawson and Josh Largo Ellis traded scores, there was still just a point in it going down the stretch.
Cashman had the chance to equalise for UL but his effort was blocked by Magill to set up a breakaway and a Charlie Diamond score, meaning that Cian McHale’s closing point wasn’t enough to salvage extra-time.
Scorers – Ulster University: C Cush 1-4 (1f); D Fullerton 0-2; D Magill, O McCann, J Largo Ellis, C Diamond 0-1 each; University of Limerick: J McCabe 1-1; C McHale 0-3 (2f); S McDonnell (2f), D Cashman 0-2 each; C Dawson 0-1.
Teams – Ulster University: R McGeehin; D Curran, L Kelly, F O’Brien; D Magill, E McEvoy, J Largo Ellis; O McCann, S Carr; C Diamond, M Hamill, E Mulholland; D Fullerton, C Daly, C Cush. Subs: L McGarrity for Hamill (43), E Brown for Mulholland (47), C O’Neill for Fullerton (47), S Kearney for Daly (58).
University of Limerick: B Hogan; F Kelly, C Woulfe, P O’Driscoll; D Walsh, D Cashman, E Clifford; J Fallon, D O’Hagan; C Dawson, C McHale, D Heneghan; C O’Sullivan, S McDonnell, C O’Grady. Subs: J McHale for Fallon (6), T Doyle for O’Sullivan (38), P White for McDonnell (45).
Referee: M McNally (Monaghan)