Sigerson Cup Quarter-final Sligo IT 3-9, UCD 1-7: In their biggest challenge of the year, and what was expected to be a humdinger of a contest, UCD failed to produce anything close to the required performance as Sligo IT brushed them aside yesterday.
The defending Sigerson Cup champions now progress to the finals weekend, hosted by Dundalk IT on February 26th.
Both sides were heavily stacked with inter-county talent of the present and future, but the key players in Sligo's line-up tipped the scales midway through the opening half with goals from Rory O'Connor and Michael Moyles.
Running several different markers ragged, Donegal's Christy Toye was also prominent in the opening skirmishes with only a quality reflex save from goalkeeper Stephen Gallagher denying the opening goal.
In contrast, UCD's much vaunted forward line of Niall McNamee, James Sherry, Shane Lennon and Liam Óg Ó hEineachain were starved of possession by the dominant midfield pairing of Moyles and Cavan's Paddy Brady.
UCD managed to stay in touch with three Lennon points keeping them level until the 17th minute when O'Connor hit the net. Then, a minute before the break, Moyles skated down the end-line to finish with the outside of his left boot from an acute angle.
Still, the stage was set for a UCD revival in front a healthy crowd, which included Dublin manager Paul Caffrey.
Such a scenario never arrived as the more complete Sligo outfit put the contest to bed with a goal from Mayo's livewire forward Alan Costello early in the second-half. At 3-6 to 0-6, UCD desperately needed to post a score, but instead another Mayo attacker, Andy Moran, pointed.
With that score, so went the fizz from the contest. The O'hAnnaidh brothers, Brendain and Dara, and Kerry young blood Michael Ó Sé were sprung from the line, but Ciarán Gallagher's team refused to soften their vice-like grip around the middle third.
A goal did arrive late on from Dara O'hAnnaidh, but Sligo even had the luxury of seeing a penalty from Michael Doherty batted to safety by Gallagher.
To finish, first Doherty and then - to rub salt in UCD wounds - corner back Karl Lacey tacked on injury-time scores. Sligo await the winners of UCC and Garda College, who play today.
UCD: S Gallagher; P Griffin, C Evans, J Donoghue (0-1); E O'Cuiv, D O'Donoghue, J McCarthy; M Ward, S Brady; L Óg Ó hEineachain (0-1), W Sheehan, J Hanly (0-1, capt); J Sherry, S Lennon (0-3, 2f), N McNamee (0-1). Subs: D O'hAnnaidh (1-0) for S Lennon (39 mins), B O'hAinnaidh for D O'Donoghue (44 mins), M O'Se for M Ward (47 mins), JP Casey for N McNamee (58 mins).
SLIGO IT: P Durcan; K Lacey (0-1), K Higgins, C Cafferty; S McDermott, J Murphy, E Magee; P Brady, M Moyles (1-2, 1 side-line); M Doherty (0-4, 3f), C Toye (capt), R O'Connor (1-0); A Moran (0-1), A Costello (1-0), D Ward (0-1). Subs: J Clancy for M Moyles (47 mins), E Gallagher for A Costello (62 mins), B McWeeney for K Lacey (63 mins).
Referee: P Finnegan (Louth).
