Holders UCD are still on course for a three in a row of Collingwood Cup wins after they got the better of UCC in a quarter-final tie when the annual three-day premier tournament of the Irish Universities season got under way at Galway.
Danu Kinsella Bishop with a first half double put the Belfield side in front at the break. However, when Ronan Geary crashed home a UCC goal on the hour it sparked new life in the Cork lads.
The equaliser never came as UCD proved the much stronger outfit and defender Harvey O’Brien's towering header from a Danny Norris corner sealed the win.
UL had Edmond O’Dwyer’s first-half goal to thank in their quarter-final against a dogged Ulster University. The win sets up a repeat of last year's decider when UCD defeated UL 3-2 at Invar Park Larne.
Maynooth squeezed past DCU in a shootout after their quarter-final finished scoreless. Goalkeeper Enda Minogue, the Athlone Town netminder, was the hero with a fine save from a Jake Ffrench kick to send them through 6-5.
They now face Trinity College, who had a comfortable 4-1 victory over the hosts University of Galway.
Although the game was level at the break thanks to goals for Trinity’s Darragh Timmons and a Steven Healy 44th-minute equaliser it was the Dublin side who cruised through with a much stronger second-half performance.
A Jay Walsh double with Mario Creed adding the gloss denied Galway the possible chance to emulate the 1999 side who were their last to capture the coveted cup.
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