Five-star University of Limerick power into Collingwood Cup semi-final

Collingwood Cup Quarter-final:

University of Limerick 5-2 Trinity College

THE University of Limerick began the defence of their Collingwood Cup title with an emphatic 5-2 victory over Trinity College at The Farm, Bishopstown, Cork on Monday afternoon.

A hat-trick from striker Dean Hegarty propelled the Shannonsiders into the semi-finals of the 104th Collingwood Cup, with further goals from Leon Daly and Paul Brennan giving them breathing room against a very familiar opponent.

The last time the two sides faced each other came 12 months ago in the final of the competition with UL running out 5-0 victors. While both sides have seen players come and go seven of UL’s starting XI featured in that famous victory.

Indeed UL looked to pick up where they left off in Galway last February with Oisín Breen creating the first chance of the game with three minutes on the clock.

The Kerry native slipped a smart ball through to Hegarty who had evaded his marker with the resulting effort winning a corner.

From the corner, Trinity found themselves scrambling the ball clear as a host of Limerick players attempted to get a leg on the ball, the danger was averted but not for long.

With ten minutes on the clock it looked as if set piece specialist Joey Rushe had given UL the lead, he sent a dipping free kick over the wall only to see his attempt denied by the upright.

That proved to be a wake-up call for the Dubliners as they fought their way into the game. Looking to exploit their aerial advantage they sent long balls forward with mixed success. The UL centre-back partnership of Alex Cuddy and Fintan O’Kelly snuffed out any real danger from these attacks

However, one attempt did get through forcing goalkeeper Josh Coady into action. Coady spread himself well to deny the Trinity forward and appeals for a penalty fell on deaf ears.

UL should have opened the scoring in the twentieth minute, Breen produced a superb ball to release David Holden on the left wing. A smart flick left his marker for dead and he delivered a dangerous ball into the area which was met by the foot of Leon Daly. His effort went just wide.

The Kilkee man would make amends and in some style. Breen again was instrumental in the move as he played the ball over the top of the Trinity defence, with the back four effectively taken out of play Daly raced through on goal.

The Trinity goalkeeper rushed forward allowing Daly to produce a deft chip to break the deadlock with 27 minutes played.

Just three minutes later that lead would increase thanks to a rapid counter attack from a defensive corner.

The danger was headed clear with the ball falling to Daly on the edge of his own area. With acres of space ahead of him he rushed forward drawing one of the two Trinity players towards him.

A quick ball out to the right found Hegarty who carried the ball forward, seeing the Trinity keeper off his line he opened up his body to curl the ball beyond the shot stopper and into the net from 30 yards out.

Trinity managed to steady the ship and limited UL’s chances but they would find themselves three goals down at the interval from a 42nd minute corner.

Rushe whipped the corner into the mixer leading to a scramble with Cuddy, Daly and Breen all attempting to send the ball towards goal, it eventually came to Brennan who made no mistake to put UL into a commanding lead at the break.

Trinity knew they would need an early goal in the second half to get back into the tie and they started the second half with real intensity.

UL found themselves pinned back in the opening ten minutes of the half with Conor Carew doing well to avert danger coming down the left wing.

Once again however the Dubliners would find themselves punished from a set piece. Sending numbers forward they were caught on the break when the ball was headed clear to Holden.

The winger carried the ball forward making up huge ground before releasing Daly up the flank. He made it to the edge of the area before sending a ball across the face of goal finding Hegarty.

The Newmarket Celtic man controlled the ball, cut back inside and fired the ball home to give UL real breathing room.

Despite the four-goal defect Trinity did not drop their heads even as weather conditions deteriorated. As rain swept across the pitch the going became soft with plenty of physical battles across the park.

UL captain Tom Kidd was running the show from midfield doing well to break up play while also pushing his teammates forward on the counter.

Trinity would pull one back in the 69th minute, a breaking ball from a throw in was poked through a gap in the Limerick defence, Coady rushed out to close down the angle but could do little to prevent the Dubliners from pulling one back.

With the pitch becoming increasingly heavy UL looked to their bench for fresh legs with Dara Coyne and Josh Toomey making an immediate impact with powerful runs forward creating a headache for their markers.

Ten minutes from time Hegarty would complete his hat-trick and he did so in composed style. Once again it was a quick break that set him towards goal, this time he overcame a slip on the edge of the area, steadying himself before rifling the ball past the goalkeeper at the near post.

The goalscoring was not done yet however as Trinity poked home another from an eighty fourth minute corner. The Treatymen made no mistakes as the clock ticked down maintaining their three goal advantage until the end.

UL will face NUI Maynooth in tomorrow, Tuesday’s semi-final after the Kildare side saw off UCD 7-6 on penalties after a 1-1 draw earlier on Monday.

Limerick will hope they can replicate the result of their last Collingwood clash with Maynooth, a 1-0 win in Belfast in 2023 which sent them to the final.

They will face-off at The Farm in Bishopstown tomorrow afternoon as UL look to reach their third final in a row.

University of Limerick: Josh Coady, Conor Carew, Alex Cuddy, Joey Rushe, Paul Brennan, Tom Kidd, Oisín Breen, David Holden, Dean Hegarty, Leon Daly. Substitutes: Daniel Doyle, Josh Toomey, Isaac O’Sullivan, David McCarthy, Dara Coyne, Liam Connelly, Alex Sidorov.