UCC book Gourmet Food Parlour O'Connor Cup semi-final with holders UL

Gourmet Food Parlour O’Connor Cup quarter-final 

UCC 3-11
NUI Galway 0-5

John Brennan, Dangan

A dominant second half performance paved the way for UCC this afternoon as they advanced to the semi-finals of the Gourmet Food Parlour O’Connor Cup against Munster neighbours University of Limerick, thanks to a comfortable fifteen-point win over NUI Galway in Dangan.

The mouthwatering UCC-UL clash in the last four will be a repeat of last year’s final, which was won by UL at Elvery’s MacHale Park. 

Today’s quarter-final was a much tighter affair in the opening stanza, with a defensive minded NUI Galway holding their own in bitterly cold conditions.

Hannah Ryan and Hannah Looney kicked early singles for the Cork outfit, but NUI Galway responded courtesy of a brace of scores from Grainne Nolan.

It was nip and tuck up to that juncture, but the Galway college were dealt a massive blow, when they lost Mayo Senior star Doireann Hughes to a dubious yellow card.

Hannah Looney added to her tally, whilst Geraldine Power crashed home a 20^th minute goal, having rattled the crossbar earlier in the half. NUI Galway held firm until the break, but UCC really turned on the style in the second period.

Power was denied in the 32^nd minute with a stunning point blank save by Mikayla Kelly, but she made up for that mishap with an expert strike after receiving a pop pass Aoife Geaney. Hannah Looney whipped over another single to stretch their lead to nine points, and there was further misery for NUI Galway in the 41^st minute.

Geraldine Power was sent tumbling inside the square and referee Mel Kenny pointed to the spot. Looney slotted home and UCC were out of sight.

Hannah Looney was proving to the match-winner for UCC along with Power and she added to her account with an excellent score under pressure. Power popped over another brace of points, before NUI Galway broke a barren spell without a score with Doireann Hughes firing over from distance.

Aisling Mullaney and Laura Dillon kept UCC ticking over, with Chloe Crowe doing likewise for NUI Galway. Grainne Nolan and Aoibhe O’Shea traded late points, but Cork’s attentions had turned to a date with high-flying UL in the semi-finals.

UCC:

M O’Sullivan; G Condon, E Meaney; R Casey, M Corkery, M Dunford, B Condon; C Carey, H Looney (1-6, 1-0 pen); L Dillon (0-1), L Coppinger, H Ryan (0-1); K Lannigan, G Power (2-1) , A Geaney.

Subs Used:

A O’Shea (0-1) for K Lannigan, L Devine for A Geaney, A Mullaney (0-1) for B Condon, L Quigley for H Looney, O Lynch for L Coppinger.

NUI Galway:

M Kell; H Ennis, E Gavin, R Lyons; E Kelly, C McManamon,R Wynne; C Crowe (0-1), D Hughes (0-1); M Murphy, R Kearney, E Needham; A Murphy, R O’Malley, G Nolan (0-3, 2f).

Referee: M Kenny