UCC survive sticky patch to see off Cork IT in Sigerson Cup

UCC 3-15 Cork IT 1-6

Holders UCC breezed into the Sigerson Cup quarter-finals with a comprehensive victory over their neighbours Cork IT at the Mardyke on Wednesday.

The slick-moving champions overcame a sticky patch, when they trailed by 1-3 to 0-3 after 19 minutes, to have the game wrapped up at half-time, comfortably 2-8 to 1-3 in front.

And any lingering doubts about the outcome vanished within 60 seconds of the re-start, when Cork wing back Conor Dorman supplied the finishing touches to another impressive attack to score UCC's third goal.

Cork IT must have held hopes of avenging a heavy defeat at the same stage last season after they cut the College defence to shreds for John Corkery to claim a well-worked goal after 10 minutes, followed immediately by a point from centre back and captain Brendan O'Sullivan.

And when their opponents lost Cork’s Brian O’Driscoll to a black card moments before county colleague Donal Óg Hodnett made it 1-3 to 0-3 after 18 minutes, Cork IT sensed a historic victory.

But, College answered in the most telling manner as captain Tomás Clancy combined with Seán Kiely for Thomas Hickey to score a 22nd-minute goal.

Conor Cox gave an exhibition of point-scoring to stretch the advantage before his free on the call of the interval dropped short only for Shaun Keane to punch a crucial second goal.

And Dorman's killer third goal allowed the champions empty the bench long before the finish, All-Ireland winner Paul Geaney the first to be rested for stiffer tests ahead.

UCC: M Martin; F McNamara, J McGuire, D Culhane; C Dorman (1-0), B O'Driscoll, T Clancy (capt) (0-2); I Maguire, G O'Sullivan; S Keane (1-1), L Connolly (0-1), S Kiely; T Hickey (1-1), P Geaney (0-1), C Cox (0-9, four frees).

Subs: S White for O'Driscoll (black card, 18 mins), D Harrington for Geaney (35 mins), E O Conchuir for Kiely (40 mins), P O'Connor for Culhane (45 mins), J Davis for Clancy (50 mins), A O'Donovan (Cork) for Keane (57 mins).

CORK IT: D Hanrahan; P O'Sullivan, S Cahill, TJ Brosnan; P Crowley, B O'Sullivan (capt) (0-2), D Leahy; K O'Connor, D Tracey; S O'Flynn, J O'Connor, C Jordan; B O'Mahony, D Óg Hodnett (0-2, one free), J Corkery (1-1).

Subs: M Vaughan (0-1) for J O'Connor (half-time), M Taylor for Crowley and R Whelton for Leahy (both 38 mins), A O'Connor for O'Mahony (45 mins), D Daly for Tracey (51 mins), C Flanagan for Brosnan (56 mins).

Referee: D O'Mahony (Tipperary).