Conor Dolan of DCU Dóchas Éireann in action against Matthew Whittaker of TUS Midlands during the Electric Ireland Higher Education GAA Sigerson Cup quarter-final match between DCU Dóchas Éireann and TUS Midlands at Dublin City University Sportsgrounds in Dublin. Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile.
Electric Ireland Sigerson Cup quarter-finals
DCU 4-14 TUS MIDLANDS 3-13
ULSTER UNIVERSITY 0-12 MAYNOOTH UNIVERSITY 0-10
By Paul Keane at St Clare's, DCU
Former champions DCU needed four second-half goals, and a super sub cameo from Dublin's Lorcan O'Dell, to secure their Electric Ireland Sigerson Cup semi-final place.
Billed as significant favourites beforehand, five times champions DCU were pushed all the way on their home soil in Glasnevin in a seven-goal thriller.
Back-to-back TUS Midlands goals early in the second-half from Westmeath's Matthew Whittaker left the visitors two points ahead at that stage and suggested an upset was on the cards.
That's when All-Ireland winner O'Dell entered the fray, his first appearance of the campaign, and one of his first acts was to win a free that was taken quickly to captain Ciaran Caulfield who struck a DCU goal.
It was a timely strike considering the momentum TUS Midlands had amassed and O'Dell went one better in the 46th minute when he grabbed a goal himself with a terrific left footed finish, giving DCU a vital cushion.
Eoghan O'Connor Flanagan, one of three Skerries players in the DCU lineup, added a fourth goal late on as the five-times champions matched the feat of holders Ulster University earlier today by advancing to the semi-finals.
TUS Midlands, the 2023 Trench Cup champions who recorded wins over Maynooth and MTU Cork previously, lost no face in defeat, however, and were ahead by 1-7 to 0-9 at half-time. Then came Whittaker's two goal blast, the second a brilliant solo goal, to really rock DCU on their heels.
But a superb DCU point from a Conor Dolan 45 was followed by the hosts' third goal, from O'Dell, as well as points from Prior and Luke Marren to put the Glasnevin side 3-14 to 3-9 clear.
TUS Midlands refused to throw in the towel and got it back to a two-point game late on but were caught with a counter attack that ended with O'Connor Flanagan lobbing to an empty net for DCU's fourth goal in the 61st minute.
Sigerson Cup holders Ulster University won their quarter-final tie earlier in the afternoon, beating Maynooth by 0-12 to 0-10 in Jordanstown.
It's the second year running that Ulster University have knocked out Maynooth though they required stoppage time points from Lorcan McGarrity and Conor Cush to get them through this time.
Meath's Eoghan Frayne hit five points for Maynooth who were on level terms at half-time at 0-7 apiece. Luke Crowley, son of Kerry great Johnny, as well as Kildare's Paddy McDermott were on the mark for Maynooth too.
It remained neck and neck throughout the second-half with the sides entering stoppage time deadlocked at 0-10 apiece before Tyrone duo McGarrity and Cush intervened.
DCU scorers: Tom Prior 1-3, Luke Marren 0-5 (0-3f), Ciaran Caulfield 1-1, Lorcan O'Dell 1-0, Eoghan O'Connor Flanagan 1-0, Eoin Ward 0-2, Conor Dolan 0-2 (0-1 45), Ethan Dunne 0-1.
TUS Midlands scorers: Matthew Whittaker 2-1, Mark Gibbons 0-5 (0-5f), Brandon Kelly 1-2, Brian Cooney 0-2, Declan Kenny 0-2 (0-2f), Darragh Flynn 0-1.
DCU: Eoin McGuinness (Longford Slashers, Longford); Eoghan O'Connor Flanagan (Skerries Harps, Dublin) Alex Gavin (Ballyboden St Enda's, Dublin), Bryan Masterson (Abbeylara, Longford); Darragh Joyce (Clarorris, Mayo), Ronan Gallagher (Downings, Donegal), Ciaran Caulfield (Trim, Meath); Greg McEneaney (Skerries Harps, Dublin), Ethan Dunne (Skerries Harps, Dublin); Conor Heffernan (Killeshin, Laois), Ryan Donoghue (Gowna, Cavan), Conor Dolan (Man O'War, Dublin); Luke Marren (Bunninadden, Sligo), Niall Dolan (Raheens, Kildare), Tom Prior (Ballinamore, Leitrim).
Subs: Eoin Ward (Fuerty, Roscommon) for Joyce (17), Finbarr McLoughlin (Westport, Mayo) for Niall Dolan (h/t), Lorcan O'Dell (Templeogue Synge Street, Dublin) for Donoghue (37), Luke Glennon (Boyle, Roscommon) for McLoughlin (44-f/t, blood), Evan Crowe (Ballyhaise, Cavan) for Conor Dolan (52), Darragh Swords (Caragh, Kildare) for Marren (54).
TUS Midlands: Eoin Moran (Maryland, Westmeath); 20. Josh Gahan (Coralstown Kinnegad, Westmeath); Daniel Farrell (Padraig Pearses, Roscommon); Jack Dowd (Annaghdown, Galway); Matthew Whittaker (Tubberclair, Westmeath), Darragh McVann (Summerhill, Meath), Declan Kenny (Padraig Pearses, Roscommon); Sean Kelly (Mountbellew Moylough, Galway), Simon Finn (Ballinabrackey, Meath); Oisin Flynn (Castleconner, Sligo), Shane Fleming (Coralstown Kinnegad, Westmeath), Brian Cooney (Coralstown Kinnegad, Westmeath); Mark Gibbons (Garrymore, Mayo), Darragh Flynn (Ferbane, Offaly), Brandon Kelly (Milltownpass, Westmeath).
Subs: Cillian Plunkett (St Loman's, Westmeath) for Darragh Flynn (52), Cillian Hunt (Parnells, Dublin) for Fleming (56), Darragh Finlass (Ballymahon, Longford) for Finn (57).
Referee: Andrew Smith (Meath).
