Fintan O’Toole
ANY straw poll of observers before Wednesday’s Sigerson Cup quarter-final between NUI Maynooth and UUJ would have installed the Ulster team as oven-hot favourites. Jordanstown had home advantage. They had a contested two of the last three Sigerson Cup deciders, emerging as champions in 2007. They had the benefits of a rousing win over Queens in the previous round. They had two-thirds of their team currently involved in inter-county senior panels. They had an astute operator in Adrian McGuckin pulling the strings from the sideline. Collating all that information together, it seemed perfectly reasonable for bookmakers to place a 1/8 tag next to their name.
NUI Maynooth, whose recent Sigerson Cup record is distinctly average, faced a raucous home support, were ring-rusty with no match behind them and lost Dublin senior defender Ger Brennan when he was dismissed during the second-half. And yet despite all that, the John Divilly-coached side went and pulled off the most seismic shocks the competition has seen in years. The net result is that with the Sigerson Cup contenders now whittled down to four, the competition looks wide open with only one of the last fourteen champions involved in next Friday afternoon’s semi-finals in Maynooth.
The 2006 victors DCU have made steady and impressive progress, clipping the wings of UCD and Cork IT on home soil to date. Their victory in Wednesday’s quarter-final against CIT was most eye-catching, particularly as the reigning champions could still field eleven of last year’s winning side and the Walsh additions of Aidan (Cork) and Barry John (Kerry) could hardly be described as weakening the hand of Keith Ricken’s team. But notwithstanding the 0-15 to 0-9 scoreline, there were several underlying reasons why DCU’s win over the champions was not a surprise. For starters Cork IT have not recaptured their blistering form of last year.

They possessed the best full-forward line in the competition of Colm O’Neill, Barry John Walsh and Daniel Goulding, but struggled to source enough possession in their midfield and half-forward lines to feed their sharpshooters. In that sense the loss of Aidan ‘Shine’ O’Sullivan hit home as the Dromid Pearses man’s role in last year’s success was understated but hugely significant. Yet it was CIT’s misfortune as well to meet a DCU team who have packed more inter-county stars in their squad this year, with Bryan Cullen back amongst their ranks and players like Cavan seniors Ray Cullivan and Michael Lyng ready to be drafted from the bench.

Considering those that were absent for DCU include Seanie Johnston (injury) and Donie Shine (suspension), and it’s clear that Niall Moyna has assembled great reserves of strength on Collins Avenue.
DCU also had homefield advantage. Nine of the thirteen Sigerson matches this year swung the way of the home team. Last year CIT benefited from home comforts for all three games. Operating in their own Sportsground this year has enhanced DCU’s prospects. They held a grudge from last year’s quarter-final reversal against CIT and had hgomecourt advantage to exercise it.

Home advantage is something that has underpinned UCC’s progress this season as well, as they haven’t had to leave the environs of the Mardyke to date. That familiarity was key in helping them to emerge from tight battles against DIT and NUIG in the opening rounds. But the manner of their victory against GMIT on Wednesday illustrated that they have other weapons in their arsenal with tenacious defenders like Eoin Hegarty and Eoin Cotter, a fit Barry O’Driscoll giving their attack a real cutting edge and the most potent midfield duo left in the competition in John Buckley and Michael Shields.
That theme of playing on home ground will continue for the finals weekend now that NUI Maynooth have booked a berth in the last four. It’s all the better for that. Having the hosts involved on the pitch is integral to a successful weekend, helping create a vibrant atmosphere, drawing bigger crowds and maintaining interest levels. It should be fascinating fare with recent champions CIT, UUJ, Queen’s University, IT Sligo, NUIG and UCD all observers rather than participants.

There’s a novel quartet left to scrap it out for the silverware in the nouveau riche of DCU, the aristocrats of UCC, the hosts NUI Maynooth (with only one title in 1976 to their name) and outsiders Athlone IT, chasing their maiden crown. Form and personnel points to a DCU and UCC final. But look how that prediction tipping UUJ worked out?
*Pictured above is NUI Maynooth's Nigel Dunn, celebrating his goal in the college's shock victory over UUJ on Wednesday, February 17th.