Monday, March 10, 2008

McCann key to UUJ's authority

Sigerson Cup semi-final/UUJ 2-12 DIT 0-10 ANTRIM PLAYER Thomas McCann was the hero for University of Ulster, Jordanstown, scoring both goals, as they overcame Dublin Institute of Technology in the Sigerson Cup semi-final at Carlow IT's grounds on Saturday.

UUJ grabbed the initiative in the first half, despite playing into a strong wind. They moved the ball intelligently into the breeze and this policy had its reward with McCann's two first-half goals. Those goals arrived in the 11th and 15th minutes.

DIT depended greatly in attack on their big name - Dublin's Mark Vaughan. The Kilmacud Crokes clubman scored half his side's total and he kicked a gem of a point from a first-half sideline ball but he lacked adequate support.

By half-time UUJ were 2-5 to 0-6 ahead. In the second half the northern side were content to pick off their points and stay a safe distance ahead of a DIT team which kept plugging away but came no closer than four points at any stage. In that second half UUJ outscored DIT by 0-7 to 0-5.

Midway through the second period UUJ were reduced to 14 men when Monaghan midfielder Darren Hughes received his marching orders for a second yellow card. But while this was a hard encounter it was always sporting with the emphasis on playing the ball.

With 10 minutes left a storming forward run by DIT wing forward Cian Ward produced a marvellous point as they cut the UUJ lead to 2-8 to 0-10.

But UUJ finished the game with four unanswered points, the pick of which was a superb effort from a 45 by Thomas McCann.

UUJ: M McAllister; C Harrison, D McCaul, D Morgan; P McGuigan, K Lacey, P Donnelly; D Hughes (0-1), R Mulgrew; C Cavanagh (0-1), T McCann (2-1, 0-1 45), B McKenna; M Lynch (0-2, one free), P Cunningham (0-4, one free), A Moran (0-3). Sub: S Mulligan for Cavanagh.

DIT: E Somerville; M Burke, E Naughton (0-1); D Hughes, M Hannon, D Reilly; L Fleming (0-1), J Coughlan; R Glavin, M Vaughan (0-5, three frees, one sideline), C Ward (0-1); P Flynn (0-1), A Kilcoyne (0-1), B Ennis, J Donegan. Subs: S Ryan for Donegan, S McCormack for Ennis, K McMenamin for Ward, D Munnelly for Ryan, E Gaffney for McMenamin.

Referee: M Deegan (Laois).

© 2008 The Irish Times

This article appears in the print edition of the Irish Times