Dominant first-half display ensures Jordanstown end UCD’s hopes

UUJ 1-12 UCD 0-7

UUJ booked their place in today's Sigerson Cup final after a 1-12 to 0-7 semi-final win over UCD at Queen's playing fields in Belfast.

Jordanstown will now play UCC in the decider in a repeat of the 2011 final.

Jordanstown did all the damage in the first half, aided by near monsoon conditions at The Dub yesterday.

They led by 1-10 to 0-2 at half-time with a strong wind and driving rain at their backs, Armagh’s Jamie Clarke scoring the only goal of the game after four minutes.

UUJ led by 1-7 before UCD got their first score after 21 minutes, through a free from Dublin All-Ireland winner Paul Mannion.

Very difficult
Mark Anthony Hughes hit UCD's only point from play in the first half and his side trailed by 11 points at the break.

Westmeath midfielder John Heslin went on to hit 0-4 for UCD, three from frees, but the damage had been done early in the game by UUJ.

Both sides only scored two points when playing against the very difficult wind. However unfortunately for UCD, conditions did ease somewhat in the second half.

Monaghan player Kieran Hughes top-scored for UUJ with 0-5 over the hour's play, including three frees.

Tyrone’s Ronan O’Neill, Conor McAlliskey and Mattie Donnelly were rested by Mickey Harte for the McKenna Cup final in midweek and they hit 0-5 between them yesterday.

Jamie Clarke received a black card on 59 minutes for a deliberate trip, but the game was long over as a contest.

The GAA trialled a new clock and hooter system in Friday’s semi-final double-bill.

Fermanagh referee Martin Higgins did not recognise the sound of the hooter at the end of Jordanstown's game and played 21 seconds over the allotted time at the end of the game.
UUJ: R Beggan; B Tierney, C McKaigue, D McNally; L Keaney, C Walshe, K Clarke (0-1); M Donnelly (0-1), N McKeever; K Hughes (0-5, 0-3 frees), R O'Neill (0-2, 0-1 free), D Savage; J Clarke (1-1), C O'Boyle, C McAlliskey (0-2). Subs: P Devlin for O'Neill (49 mins), R Donnelly for O'Boyle (50 mins), C Duffin for M Donnelly (55 mins), P Hughes for Clarke (57 mins), R O'Neill for Clarke (BC, 59 mins)
UCD: E Keogh; R Wylie, D Byrne, R Tierney; C Lenehan, P O'Harnan, J McCaffrey; J Maloney, J Heslin (0-4, 0-3 free); B Fenton, M O'Hanlon, R McDaid; R Basquel, M Hughes (0-1), P Mannion (0-1, free). Subs: J Hayes for Tierney (36 mins), A O Murichu for O'Harnan (38 mins), L Connerton for O'Hanlon (43 mins), P Kingston for Mannion (40 mins), C Sheridan (0-1) for Fenton (47 mins).
Referee: Martin Higgins (Fermanagh).