University of Limerick book Collingwood Cup semi-final spot with precious win

A GOAL from Edmund O’Dywer four minutes before the interval saw the University of Limerick narrowly edge out Ulster University 1-0 in their Collingwood Cup quarter-final clash in Galway on Monday.
 
O'Dwyer reacted quickly to a header that was flicked goalward by midfielder Eoin Redmond to score the game's only goal
 
This was a clash that ebbed and flowed with both teams enjoying chances inside the opening five minutes. Tom Kidd struck a shot towards goal with less than sixty seconds played but his effort was stopped with relative ease.
 
UL goalkeeper Josh Coady was called into action with four minutes played, a ball over the top played through an Ulster forward who had evaded his marker, Coady reacted quickly and charged from his line to spread his body well to nullify the danger.
 
The Ulster defence was again tested by the Shannonsiders when Oisin Breen sent a looping cross into the area. O’Dwyer took the ball down with his chest before pivoting to get a shot off, but his effort was blocked and cleared.
 
Clear-cut chances were at a premium overall although in a two minute spell midway through the opening half both sides created
decent openings to break the deadlock.
 
O’Dwyer won possession in midfield and quickly played the ball to the left wing releasing Leon Daly through on goal. The Clareman beat his marker and unleashed a stinging shot, but he could only find the side netting.
 
From the resulting goal-kick Ulster launched an attack of their own and were inches away from taking the lead, a shot from a tight angle hit the base of the post to the relief of the UL players who managed to clear their lines.
 
That bit of luck seemed to wake UL up and they took control of the tie with Redmond and O’Dwyer combining to take the lead with 41 minutes on the clock.
 
The first chance of the second half fell to Tom Kidd, picking up possession on the edge of the Ulster area. The Galway native managed to get a shot off, but the Ulster goalkeeper was alive to the danger.
 
Despite a strong start to the second half from Ulster, it was Limerick who were creating the better chances and they could easily have doubled their lead.

Seven minutes into the second period, O’Dwyer timed a run to perfection to latch on to a long ball, the St. Michael’s club
man forced a good save from the goalkeeper who could only push it out for a corner.

From the resulting set piece Redmond rose the highest to send a header goalward but his effort was also denied by the man between the posts.
 
Ulster knew they had to respond if they were to keep their ambitions of reaching the semi-finals alive and they proceeded to put UL under a period of prolonged pressure.

The UL centre-back partnership of Tom Kelly and Conor Carew dealt well with the aerial threat posed by Ulster, but it was Coady who would receive the most praise after the Aisling Annacotty keeper produced a double save of real quality to keep UL’s slender lead intact.
 
An industrious surge forward from O’Dwyer resulted in the ball being sent across the face of the Ulster goal just missing its intended target.
 
UL captain Ewan O’Brien rallied his troops as the sides entered the last quarter of the game.  By this stage the Shannonsiders had introduced fresh legs with Theo Joyce and Ciaran Jennings working hard on the wings, both in defence and attack.
 
There was a collective sigh of relive from the Limerick bench in the eightieth minute when a dangerous cut back from the right flank was met by the boot of Kelly. The Kildareman saw the ball loop off his boot and over his own crossbar to concede just a corner.
 
Ulster continued to push for an elusive equaliser, but time and time again the UL defence did enough to keep their opponents at bay. With the clock well into injury time and Ulster bodies committed forward a quick Limerick counter attack looked certain to put the result beyond doubt.
 
Intricate link-up play from substitute Alex Sidorov, Jennings and Kidd resulted in the Galway man agonisingly missing a glorious opportunity.
 
That was to be the last act of the game as the referee called time on what was a tense affair.

UL now set their sights on a semi-final clash against UCD today, Tuesday.
 
The reigning champions overcame UCC 3-1 to set-up a repeat of last year’s final. 
 
UL’s Collingwood Cup semi-final will get underway at 2.30pm at the Dangan Sports Grounds in Galway.

UNIVERSITY of Limerick Collingwood Cup Squad: Josh Coady (Aisling Annacotty), Will Hayes (Wexford Argyle), Alex Cuddy (Treaty Utd), Luke Ryan (Treaty Utd), Conor Carew (Treaty Utd), Tom Kelly (Aisling Annacotty), Niall Barr (St Patrick's CY), Eoin Redmond (Kinsale Albion), Shane Carmody (Regional Utd), Paudie Walsh (Janesboro FC), Oisin Breen (Kerry FC),  Joey Rushe (Regional United), Ciaran Jennings (Aisling Annacotty), Theo Joyce (Aisling Annacotty), Leon Daly (Aisling Annacotty),  Ewan O'Brien (Regional Utd), Tom Kidd (Aisling Annacotty), Edmund O'Dwyer (St Michael's), David McCarthy (Newmarket Celtic), Alex Sidorov (Regional United).