Defending champions Maynooth University will face University of Limerick in the 2026 Irish Universities Collingwood Cup final after they overcame University College Cork at Maguires Pitches in Limerick on Tuesday.
Alex Sheerin was again the difference-maker for Maynooth, scoring two goals to add to the brace he scored in the quarter final against DCU on Monday.
Maynooth were forced to defend some early set pieces before winning their first corner of the game on five minutes but although captain Dean O’Shea’s delivery was met by a UCC head, the ball fell to Jonathan Kehlr on the edge of the box and he drilled it home to give the Kildare side an early lead.
That goal seemed to give Maynooth confidence with Sheerin a constant threat throughout the first half. Twice the Athlone Town man should have doubled the lead but instead he forced some excellent saves from UCC keeper Kevin Fitzpatrick.
UCC fought hard to get back in the game and their best chance of the half came just before the interval when Finn Bond Smith was fouled by Taylor Mooney on the edge of the Maynooth area but the resulting free kick was struck just inches wide by Sowinski.
Neither manager made any substitutes during the break, and it was as you were for Maynooth in the second half as they began to take control and push hard for a second goal.
They didn’t have long to wait as a ball cleared from the back was met in the air by Daragh Murtagh and his header fell perfectly into the path of the onrushing Sheerin who did excellently to round the keeper and slot the ball home.
Manager Dec Coleman then rang the changes for UCC, but his side struggled to find space in a congested midfield with Maynooth constantly closing down the UCC possession and looking to break at every opportunity.
UCC almost clawed themselves back into the game when captain Daniel McCarthy struck a 25-yard shot narrowly wide.
But it was to be Maynooth’s day as a loose ball into the UCC box found Sheerin in an onside position, and he calmly finished to seal their place in the final for the second year running.
James O’Callaghan’s side will now face University of Limerick in the final after the hosts beat Queen’s University in the other semi-final clash, with kick-off at Limerick’s Jackman Park on Wednesday set for 2.15pm.
Trainor, Grey, O’Shea (c), Dikcius, Irkue, Kehlr, McCarthy, O’Connor, Mooney, Murtagh, Sheerin.
Smith for Murtagh (72), McCarrick for Sheerin (78), Montgomery for Grey (78), Chan for McCarthy (83), O’Dowd for Mooney (83).
Fitzpatrick, Miller, O’Donovan, Lynch, Cunningham, O’Brien, Sowinski, Bond Smith, Fitzgerald, O’Shea, McCarthy (c).
Abdalla for Miller (62), Suileman for Bond Smith (62), Twomey for Cunningham (71), O’Neill for Lynch, Murphy for Sowinski.
Tommy Joyce (Limerick).
