UCD `seconds' beat the odds

UNIVERSITY College, Dublin, caused a minor surprise when they came through the Collingwood Cup intervarsity soccer championship…

UNIVERSITY College, Dublin, caused a minor surprise when they came through the Collingwood Cup intervarsity soccer championship second round tie against UCG in Cork yesterday to qualify for the semi-finals.

UCD, who have chosen not to involve any of their League of Ireland players, scored three second half goals to beat Galway 4-2 on a day when heavy rain and gale-force winds made conditions virtually impossible for all the teams.

The sides were level at half-time after Declan Healy, for UCD, and Colm Costello had exchanged goals. Fergal McGrath, Joe Grier and John Keane hit the target in the second half for UCD and Galway could only reply once through Richie Dunne.

The holders, Jordanstown, confirmed their strong favouritism for the championship by beating their rivals from Ulster, Coleraine, 5-1. Jordanstown will meet UCD in today's semi-final.

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Jim McCluskey was a hero for Jordanstown with a hat-trick, and they led 4-0 at half-time. Liam McAteer and Paul Darby had second half goals for them with Niall Malone replying for Coleraine.

UCC completed their first round programme of three matches with a loo per cent record by beating Queen's University, Belfast 3-0.

All the goals came in the first 20 minutes as Queen's were rushed off their feet and Steve McGilton, playing in his first match, claimed all three for Cork.

They will meet Dublin City University in today's semi-final after the Dubliners' 4-0 win over Maynooth College.

Brian O'Donovan scored two of Trinity's goals and their other scorers were Trevor Moore and Andy Dunne.