Sigerson Cup Semi-finals/DCU 0-8 UCC 0-6: Hosts DCU yesterday qualified for their first Sigerson final, huffing and puffing a bit in the process before concluding a deserved victory.
This was a more open match than the first semi-final and if they are to achieve an historic first title, the Dublin side won't be allowed the same time and space.
"I'm elated for the lads and everything we've gone through," was the reaction of winning manager Niall Moyna.
"It's fantastic for the university in its 25th year anniversary to play in a Sigerson Cup final.
"They got some good scores toward the end, but I think we played the better football and it would have been robbery if we'd lost."
The match was effectively decided by two strong spells of dominance in the first and third quarters when six of the eight points were scored. But it was that first period after half-time that proved most significant.
Having under-performed up to the break, DCU needed to get more scores on the board and by keeping out UCC, put pressure on the young Cork side.
Like Queen's in the earlier semi-final, DCU started with the wind and, unlike this evening's opponents, they looked to be well on their way to harnessing that advantage conclusively.
Controlling the ball supply with strong work in the half backs, marshalled by captain Bryan Cullen, and a strong performance by Eoin Lennon at centrefield, the hosts went to work picking off scores patiently through Bernard Brogan, Conor Mortimer, Shane Smith and Seán Johnston to lead by four after 13 minutes.
Thereafter the effort became a bit blunt. Mortimer was well marked and made little headway against Donal O'Donovan and the wides total began to climb.
UCC trimmed the margin with a couple of nice points from Conor Brosnan and Ronan Hussey in the space of a few minutes and suddenly the second half presented a menacing prospect to the home team.
Facing into the wind, however, DCU got straight back on to the tracks with a fine display of running and using the short ball.
"Against the Gardaí we played short passing game," said Moyna of his team's quarter-final.
"We have 15 players who are extremely comfortable on the ball. That's one thing we have practised all year so that when a player has the ball in his hand, he's comfortable."
DCU added a couple of points after the break to push the lead to five, 0-7 to 0-2, and went on to keep UCC scoreless for 18 minutes after the interval, but they themselves went blank for nearly half an hour.
Despite this, the Cork team appeared to lack urgency and strangely didn't seem inclined to use the wind, despite Donnchadh Walsh's physique at full forward.
Walsh did get on the scoreboard with a towering point minutes from the end, but that was nearly 10 minutes after big centrefielder Michael Cussen had kicked UCC's only point of the second half.
There was a predictable run on the scoreboard during the closing moments (including a stiff, five minutes of injury-time) and points followed from Hussey and Fintan Goold. But Johnston, who finished with an impressive four points from play, gave DCU a bit of breathing space and they saw out the final flurry.
"We were up there last year," said Moyna of his team's final opponents, "and they kicked us back to Dublin - literally and figuratively. That was the words they actually said to us with five minutes to go. So we're looking forward to it immensely."
Tonight's final between DCU and Queen's, Belfast takes place in Parnell Park and will be shown live on TG4, coverage starting at 7.15pm. Live radio commentary will also be available on Dublin local ation Newstalk 106.
DCU: S Cluxton; B O'Reilly, K Reilly, P Casey; D Lally, B Cullen, G Mullins; E Lennon, R McConnell; B Brogan (0-1), B Egan, R Flanagan; C Mortimer (0-2, one free), S Smith (0-1), S Johnston (0-4). Subs: L Moffatt for Smith (53 mins), C Harrington for Brogan (60 mins), N Cooper for Reilly (53 mins).
UCC: K O'Halloran; N Horgan, M Shields, D Óg O'Donovan; R McCarthy, D Limerick, J Wycherly; P Kelly, M Cussen (0-1); F Goold (0-1, a free), C Brosnan (0-1), P O'Connor; R Hussey (0-2), D Walsh (0-1), J Hayes. Subs: L Ó Lionáin for O'Connor (20 mins), B Mulvihill for Hayes (54 mins).
Referee: D Coldrick (Meath).
