O’Leary penalty secures final place for UCC
AN 82nd-minute penalty from Chris O’Leary gave UCC a dramatic win over DCU in a tense semi-final at Waterford IT last night. O’Leary struck 1-5 in total – firing over four long-range efforts from play (two in extra-time) in a fine personal display.
The sides were level on nine occasions. DCU talisman James Bergin, who amassed 0-10, forced the additional 20 minutes with a stoppage-time free.
Shane Kingston shot 1-3 in the opening half as the Cork side led by a point, 1-8 to 0-10, at the break. On 24 minutes, O’Leary’s long-range free fell kindly for the full-forward and he blasted to the net.
In extra time, O’Leary struck two monster scores but Chris Crummey drove forward to leave it 0-22 to 1-17 on 76 minutes. In added time, Sean Hayes was bundled over and O’Leary’s penalty squirmed under Oisin Foley.
SCORERS – UCC: S Kingston, C O’Leary (1-0 pen, 1f) 1-5 each, S Conway 0-6 (4fs), M Coleman 0-1. DCU: J Bergin 0-10 (8fs), R O’Connor 0-3, Billy Ryan, S Morrissey 0-2 each, R McBride, C Crummey, D Mullen, D Reck, D Burke 0-1 each.
UCC: J Barry; N O’Leary, E Gunning, K Dwyer; C O’Leary, E Murphy, D Griffin; M Coleman, C Browne; P O’Loughlin, S Kingston; S Conway; M O’Halloran, M Kehoe, Colm Roche. Subs: E Sheehan for O’Halloran (3), D Fitzgibbon for Kehoe (25), M Kehoe for Sheehan (48), R Donohue for Roche (53), S Hayes for Kehoe (61), D Lynch for Dwyer (63), D Walsh for Donohue (70).
DCU: O Foley; P Smyth, E O’Donnell, A Maddock; P Foley, C Delaney, C Crummey; D Reck, R McBride; D Burke, R O’Connor, F Whitely; Billy Ryan, J Bergin, S Morrissey. Subs: J Donnelly for Burke (40), F McGibb for Morrissey (40), K Doyle for Ryan (55), D Mullen for Maddock (59), Brian Ryan for Doyle (60), Billy Ryan for McGibb (60), C Burke for Billy Ryan (77), D Gray for O’Connor (79).
REF: T Walsh (Waterford).