Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
UCD back in decider after epic
UCD are through to the Sigerson Cup final for the third year in a row after a titanic struggle with UU.
It took 100 minutes and two periods of extra time to separate two shattered teams in Inniskeen before the 2016 champions scraped through by 0-18 to 1-13 after scores by Brian O’seanachain and Con O’callaghan in the second period of double extra-time.
Monaghan’s Conor Mccarthy lit up the final quarter of normal time with 0-4 in the last 15 minutes to put UCD 0-12 to 0-10 ahead going into injury time.
However Tyrone referee Sean Hurson played a very generous six minutes of stoppage time and Lee Brennan’s free then Gareth Mckinless’ point forced extra time at 0-12 each.
Tyrone’s Mark Bradley scored the only goal of the game two minutes into the extra time from Lee Brennan’s superb pass.
Rory Brennan’s 81st minute point made it 1-13 to 0-16, teeing up a further five minutes each side but O’seanachain’s 86th minute point and a simple O’callaghan free finally proved decisive.
They’ll face NUIG in Saturday’s final after their 2-12 to 0-15 win over DIT in Mullingar last night.
Despite the inclusion of Dublin star Brian Howard DIT couldn’t stop NUIG reaching a first final in 15 years, the goals in either half from Galway’s Sean Kelly and Eoin Finnerty.