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[QUB and UUJ win in Sigerson Cup]

QUB and UUJ win in Sigerson Cup

Queen's and UUJ both claimed quarter-final victories in the Ulster Bank Sigerson Cup on Wednesday.

Hosts Queen's claimed a 1-12 to 2-5 win over UCD at Belfield while UUJ defeated NUI Galway 2-11 to 0-9 at Mullahoran.

Queen's led 0-5 to 0-3 at half-time and while Shane Lennon struck a 41st-minute goal for UCD, Ciaran O'Reilly's goal effectively ended the contest.

Patrick Cunningham and Raymond Mulgrew hit goals as UUJ led 2-4 to 0-6 at the break and they held on to win easily.

Ciaran O'Reilly (two), Paul Courtney, Gavin Donaghy and man-of-the-match Charlie Vernon hit Queen's first-half points at UCD's home venue.

Queen's extended their lead to 0-8 to 0-3 but Lennon's goal cut the northerners' lead to two points.

However, Fermanagh star O'Reilly hit the net without four minutes after great work by Vernon to put Queen's back in firm control.

Brian Mullin scored a 57th-minute goal for the home side but Queen's had already done enough.

At Mullahoran, UUJ did the hard work in the first half by forging a 2-4 to 0-6 lead despite playing against the wind.

Cunningham hit his goal after a flick-on by John Boyle while Mulgrew struck a superb second three-pointer after waltzing through the Galway defence.

Johnny Bradley, Ruairi Murray and Michael Herron were also on target in the first half while the second-half scorers included Murray and Cunningham.

Do you not think they'd maybe like to play for both and have their hands forced?

A clearance machine on loose ball because of athleticism. However he'll not dispossess defenders a la JJ Delaney or the like. Don't get me wrong - brilliant. Just donesn't have the flicks and hooks the real skillful boys do.

I'd have Tommy Walsh, JJ Delaney, Ken McGrath or Tony Brown over him.

Still would love him for my county!

Hurling:
Overrated:
Ger Farragher - scoring machine from dead balls. Not too sure about his contribution from general play.
Eugene Cloonan - again scoring machine but have yet to see him roast a really good full back.
O'Halpin - pure athlete and a clearance machine but doesn't have the stickwork. Henry or DJ in his day would have given him some torrid times.

Underrated:
Kevin Broderick: give hima  few games under his belt and he'd be deadly. Skillful, tricky the whole works.
JJ Delaney: rated as very good but don't think he gets the credit he deserves. The AI final which Cork beat Kilkenny in the other year Ben O'Connor had been scoring for fun up till it. That day he barely even touched the ball and when he did couldn't get hitting it.

Football:
Overrated:
Stevie from Killeavy: very good but hasn't the feet on him of a top class forward. Not in the league of Gooch and a bit behind O'Neill too I'd say. Still love him on my team but a bit over hyped.
Tom O'Sullivan - this boy has all stars. I think he's very average.
As per everyone else - Whelan.
Brendan Devenney - suspect temperament.
Conor Mortimer - when the going get tough the tough get going. Enough said.

Underrated:
Brian Dooher - has allstars etc. but without this man I don't think Tyrone would have any All Irelands now never mind two. I do think without Canavan they'd now have an All Ireland by the way.
From the past Brian McGilligan from Derry.
Damien Diver - great attacking half back. Was used as sub for Donegal for the last few years - don't understand why.
Shane Ryan - he was moved against Mayo amn't I right? Had he no been moved it'd have been a Dublin Kerry AI final.
Peadar Gardiner - very good half back.

The last couple of years they'd have been fit to compete with, and possibly beat, the best in Leinster.

On an average year they should at least be fit to compete with the likes of Laois and maybe Offaly as they possibly don't produce too many strong underage teams due to county size. Beating Kilkennys and Wexfords might be too big an ask but in the odd good year you never know.

I always thought a problem was that up until minor antrim competed in B championships. This then led to a big step up come AI semi or quarter final time at minor level which was just too big a shock to the system.

The last Antrim teams to play in Leinster included Sambo and the like and you saw how they developed at senior level.

I wouldn't have said it was a lone furrow - I'd have thought many people shared his views...

I hold nothing against Tyrone - quite like their style of football. The way they've behaved with regard to university players in this mckenna cup has been , in my opinion and I would't say I'm alone,slap bang out of order.

They didn't respect rules put in place for competition. They didn't respect those players as they put them in a position where they were probably aware they were screwed for county chances for the year, and possibly further, if they went against Mickey Harte and played university. They didn't respect the universities by not giving them thei rplayers in preparation for the sigerson campaign.

Spout all the bullshit you want about the rules. I don't know how finely detailed it was but the understanding of managers was that universities should have precedence on county players. Every other manager respected that - why not Mickey Harte. If you're saying it wasn't a rule but it wasn't written down explicitly and to the finest detail and was just assumed then I think that's being stupidly pedantic.

Forget petty grudges between tyrone - armagh and all the rest. They were slap bang out of order - and what did these players get for their trouble? About one and a half games in a tyrone setup and a severe hole in their chances of playing sigerson.

When are they even reducing their panel? Have they not still a big panel for the league? Training panel anyway - obviously for match day it'll have to be reduced.

What have the early NFL games got to do with the McKenna cup? Solely McKenna cup games they've got about a game and a half.

Who would they rather play for? I'd say they'd rather play for both. In a number of cases that was taken away from them.

Ok I don't know the written rules but surely it's something surrounding universities get precedence for county players.

The point is not who they'd rather play for. Everyone aspires to play for their county- that's the ultimate goal. Going through uni they would also be mad keen to play ball for their university. The players have had their hand forced as to who to play for.

When them boys play mckenna cup they're playing against county players so if they played for their uni they were still doing that. If they were scouted at club level ultimately all they were doing was playing against other club players. Play for uni against county players - you prove yourself against county players. Play for county against county players - you prove yourself against county players . Play club matches - you prove yourself against club players. There's a difference.

Stay off the powder for now... wise up. Mayeb I'm going a bit far saying they'll not get another chance to win sigerson. There is a possibility though. They've all their careers to play for tyrone. Two or three for university. Elaborate... Where was Colm Kavanagh last wednesday? Where would he have been had he played mckenna for tyrone...

People do care, Mickey Harte has shown blatant disregard for rules again and the way he went about it was devious too.

The people who have suffered most in this whole thing too is those players. Where were the most of them come sigerson last week? Not where they should have been is the answer. I know one boy played but what about the rest?

The unis are out - yes they're out of the mckenna cup but that's not the point. There's a whole league to blood players. The whole think stinks in my opinion. Mickey Harte is a great tactically astute manage - possibly one of the best there's ever been. His attitude at times however stinks. This is one of those times.

He is cutting of his nose to spite his face too. All the uni players he picked would have played all games for their unis. Now they have played about one and a half each for Tyrone. Which would have benefited them more? All he had to do was send a scout to the games they played in - problem solved.

Next year the ulster council should have a penalty system. If players are picked for their uni then if a county also picks them they will be fined and the players not allowed to play in the competition.

Some of them boys might not play sigerson this year now and it looks like the Poly could win it. They may never get that chance again now. Shame.

What's the rule on reserve teams entering the UHL? I assume that wouldn't be allowed?

North antrim leagues are good for reserves - seems like south antrim aren't though. Is it not allowed for reserve teams to enter the antrim leagues at all?

They still do in the football.

Sounds a shambles but then given hurling fixtures no surprise.

With no reserve games it'll tear clubs apart. No breeding ground for young boys.

Queens got spanked by DCU unfortunately. 4-10 to 1-6 I think it was.

What's OGrady like as a hurler?

Have heard good reports about him - would he not be worth a try?

Great to see AD on the panel. The three best players for getting scores in club hurling I'd say would be himself, Paddy Richmond and Liam Watson. Haven't seen enough of Stewart but have seen from reports he can rack up the scores.

Is Declan McKillop to come onto the panel? Based , not on Sunday's but the antrim/ulster ones, on his performances he should merit a place. Is Conor Cunning on the panel?

Poor young O'Connell -- sub to DD in club and county!

The St Galls lad Burke - wasn't he minor last year? What kind of hurler is he? I don't think he made the minor tem last year but perhaps that's because he was concentrating on football?

There's still a few to come in I'd say.

Micky Monty, maybe young McManus and like you say Tosh.

What about Quinn from GNM - haven't seen much of him - is he up to it?

Would prefer to see Watson on the wing as he isn't big enough for that rule.

Would expect McCambridge, Cunning, Joey and Martin Scullion to stilll challenge for places.

Antrim (NHL v Galway): DD Quinn;
B McAuley, J McKeague, S Delargy; C Herron, J Campbell, M Molloy; K McKeegan, B Herron; K Stewart, L Watson, M Herron; P Richmond,
N McAuley, P Shields

Colm Kavanagh looks an excellent prospect - I'd have thought he'd have made that team. He'd , unfortunately, be better than a fellow antrim man Micko Herron anyway.

If Dooher gets back to full swing then the battle between him and Mulgrew for the other wing half forward spot in the tyrone team should be interesting.(Though I'm sure more will be battling for it though my money would be between them two)

Is M McCann Mick McCann of Antrim and Cargin fame? Also thought he'd have been good enough to make that team.