UCD captured the Datapac Division One football title at Páirc Chiarán, Athlone yesterday with Westmeath corner forward JP Casey contributing six points. UCD included Dublin players Paul Griffin and Darren Magee in their line-up, and Griffin, after moving to right-corner back, managed to curtail Corofin forward Alan O'Donovan.
O'Donovan and Cormac Bane had posted two good scores in the opening quarter as GMIT opened up a 0-4 to 0-1 lead. But UCD came back strongly and it took a fine save from Galway goalkeeper Brian O'Donoghue to deny them a goal midway through the half. But with Casey and Meath's Joe Sheridan successful from frees, UCD opened up a 0-5 to 0-4 half-time lead.
UCD began the second half very positively with Liam Ó hEineacháin and John Hanley combining to set up Casey for the point of the game and Sheridan landed back-to-back 45s to stretch UCD's lead to two points. GMIT, however, managed to keep in touch and a long-distance point from Kildare midfielder Dermot Earley saw them reduce the deficit to the minimum midway through the second half.
But with Dublin under-21 forward Conor Murphy moved back into midfield, UCD managed to say ahead with Liam Ó Ciocain and Ó hEineacháin adding the insurance points in the closing stages.
UCD: C Mullin; D Ó hAnnaidh, C Evans, B Ó hAnnaidh; S Brady, J Donoghue, P Griffin; D Magee, S Lucey; L Ó Ciocain (0-1), J Hanley (0-1), C Murphy; JP Casey (0-6, 3 frees), J Sheridan (0-4, 2 frees, 2 45s), L Ó hEineacháin (0-1). Replacements: E Ó Cuiv for Lucey; R Ronaghan for Ó hEineacháin; N McNamee for D Ó hAnnaidh.
GMIT: B O'Donoghue; C Neary, D Crushell, K Kennedy; Alan Burke (Corofin), B Prior, J Nolan; A Raftery, D Earley (0-1); Alan Burke (Mayo), C Rowland (0-1), P Doherty; C Bane (0-2), R McNamara, A O'Donovan (0-5, 3 frees, one 45). Replacements: J Egan for A Burke (Corofin); R Feeney for Neary; E Curtin for Rowland.
Referee: P Fox (Westmeath).
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